David Spinks – The Business of Belonging: Book Review & Audio Summary

Book Info

• Book name: The Business of Belonging: How to Make Community your Competitive Advantage
• Author: David Spinks
• Genre: Business & Economics
• Published Year: 2020
• Publisher: Wiley
• Language: English

Audio Summary

Synopsis

In The Business of Belonging, community-building expert David Spinks reveals how authentic communities have become the secret weapon for modern businesses. Drawing from his experience founding CMX and running gaming communities, Spinks demonstrates that community isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a measurable business strategy. From Apple’s pioneering user groups in 1985 to today’s thriving online platforms like Salesforce’s Trailblazer community, he shows how companies can transform customers into passionate advocates. Using the SPACES framework, Spinks outlines six core purposes every community must serve: Support, Product, Acquisition, Contribution, Engagement, and Success. This practical guide proves that when people feel they belong, businesses thrive.

Key Takeaways

• Communities reduce support costs while increasing customer loyalty and lifetime value—Apple’s early user groups proved this in 1985
• The SPACES framework (Support, Product, Acquisition, Contribution, Engagement, Success) defines six essential purposes every successful community must fulfill
• Building community for its own sake fails—authentic communities need clear business objectives and measurable ROI
• Customer-to-customer connections create more powerful brand loyalty than traditional marketing ever could
• Communities transform customers from cost centers into valuable assets who help, teach, and advocate for your brand

My Summary

Why I Picked Up This Book

I’ll be honest—I’ve been hearing the word “community” thrown around in business circles so much lately that I’d almost started tuning it out. Every brand seems to want to “build community” these days, but what does that actually mean? When I saw David Spinks’ The Business of Belonging, I was curious whether someone could cut through the buzzword fog and show me what community building actually looks like in practice.

As someone who’s spent years in the publishing world, I’ve watched readers form incredible bonds around books and authors. But translating that organic connection into a deliberate business strategy? That felt like trying to bottle lightning. Spinks promised to show not just the “why” but the “how”—and I wanted to see if he could deliver.

From Gaming Forums to Business Strategy

David Spinks didn’t start his career in a boardroom. He started as a teenager running a community for Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4 gamers. That origin story immediately caught my attention because it’s refreshingly authentic. This isn’t some consultant who decided “community” was the next trend to capitalize on. Spinks lived and breathed online communities before they became a business imperative.

Later, he founded CMX, a platform and conference for community professionals that operates both online and through in-person events. This dual experience—building communities himself and helping others do the same—gives him a perspective that feels earned rather than theoretical.

What I appreciate most is that Spinks doesn’t romanticize community building. He’s seen what works and what crashes and burns. That practical wisdom runs through every page of this book.

The Apple Revolution You Didn’t Know About

One of my favorite stories in the book takes us back to 1985. Picture it: Back to the Future is in theaters, the Breakfast Club is defining a generation, and Apple is pivoting from the Apple II to the new Mac. Users are confused, frustrated, and doing something remarkable—they’re writing letters to Apple’s communications specialist, Ellen Petrie Lianz.

Here’s where it gets interesting. Lianz notices something strange in these letters: mysterious codes. She discovers that Apple users have already started gathering online, sharing these access codes so they can help each other solve problems. Without any prompting from Apple, customers were building their own support network.

This blew my mind because it reveals something fundamental about human nature. We don’t just want products—we want to connect with others who share our interests and challenges. In 1985, when customer support was seen as a necessary evil and a cost center, these users were proving that community could be an asset.

Lianz did something brilliant. Instead of ignoring this organic community or trying to control it, she made it official with the Apple User Group Connection. She listened to feedback, shared updates, and treated community members as partners rather than problems. The results? Support costs dropped while customer loyalty and spending increased dramatically.

This story resonates with me because it shows that successful communities often emerge naturally. The business’s job isn’t always to create community from scratch—sometimes it’s about recognizing what’s already happening and nurturing it.

Not Every Business Needs a Community (And That’s Okay)

Here’s where Spinks earns my trust: he doesn’t claim community building is right for every business. In an era where every marketing guru insists their solution is universal, this honesty is refreshing.

He’s clear that jumping on the community bandwagon just because it’s trendy is a recipe for failure. I’ve seen this myself—companies launching forums or Facebook groups that become digital ghost towns because there was no real purpose behind them. It’s awkward for everyone involved.

A community without purpose is worse than no community at all. It wastes resources, disappoints potential members, and can actually damage your brand when people show up to an empty room. Spinks argues that every successful community must justify its existence through measurable return on investment.

This might sound cold or overly corporate, but I think it’s actually the opposite. By demanding that communities serve a real purpose, Spinks is advocating for authentic connections rather than performative ones. A community that exists just to tick a marketing box serves no one—not the business and certainly not the members.

The SPACES Framework: Six Reasons Communities Matter

The heart of Spinks’ methodology is the SPACES framework, an acronym that outlines six fundamental purposes a community can serve. I love a good framework (probably the writer in me), and this one is both comprehensive and practical.

Support: Turning Costs Into Assets

The first purpose is Support, which we saw with Apple’s user groups. When community members help each other solve problems, your support costs decrease while customer satisfaction increases. It’s not just about saving money—it’s about creating better experiences.

Think about the last time you had a problem with a product. Would you rather wait on hold for customer service or get an instant answer from someone who’s faced the same issue? Communities provide that peer-to-peer support at scale. Companies like Salesforce have mastered this with their Trailblazer community, where users teach and help each other navigate the platform.

Product: Your Customers as Co-Creators

Product-focused communities turn customers into collaborators. Instead of guessing what features people want, you can involve them in the development process. This isn’t just about gathering feedback—it’s about making customers feel invested in your product’s evolution.

I’ve seen this work beautifully in the publishing world. Authors who involve readers in decisions about cover designs, character names, or even plot directions create incredibly loyal fanbases. These readers don’t just buy books—they become evangelists because they feel ownership.

Acquisition: Members Become Your Marketing Team

Acquisition communities focus on growth. When people feel they belong, they naturally invite others to join. This word-of-mouth marketing is more powerful and cost-effective than any ad campaign.

The key here is authenticity. People can smell manufactured hype from a mile away. But when someone genuinely loves being part of a community, their enthusiasm is contagious. They’re not promoting your brand because you asked them to—they’re sharing something they value.

Contribution: Harnessing Collective Creativity

Contribution communities tap into members’ desire to create and share. Think of platforms like GitHub for developers or Ravelry for knitters. Members contribute patterns, code, advice, and creativity that enriches the entire ecosystem.

This purpose resonates with me deeply because I’ve experienced it firsthand. Book bloggers and reviewers contribute content that helps other readers discover books. They’re not employees, but their contributions create enormous value for publishers, authors, and fellow readers.

Engagement: Keeping the Conversation Going

Engagement communities focus on ongoing interaction and relationship building. These communities keep people coming back not because they need something specific, but because they enjoy being there.

This is perhaps the trickiest purpose to execute because it requires sustained effort and genuine value. You can’t fake engagement. People participate when they feel heard, valued, and connected to others who share their interests.

Success: Helping Members Achieve Their Goals

Success communities exist to help members accomplish specific objectives. Whether it’s fitness goals, career advancement, or skill development, these communities organize around member achievement.

What I find powerful about this purpose is its member-centric focus. It’s not about what the business wants—it’s about what members need. When you help people succeed, loyalty follows naturally.

Why Community Matters Now More Than Ever

Reading this book in today’s context, I’m struck by how much the pandemic has accelerated the importance of digital community. We’ve all experienced isolation and disconnection. The communities that thrived during lockdowns weren’t necessarily the ones with the biggest budgets—they were the ones that fostered genuine belonging.

In our increasingly digital world, community fills a very human need. We’re social creatures, and we crave connection. Brands that understand this don’t just sell products—they create spaces where people feel seen, heard, and valued.

I also think community building represents a fundamental shift in how we think about business relationships. The old model was transactional: you make something, I buy it, end of story. The community model is relational: we’re in this together, and our ongoing connection benefits both of us.

This shift requires businesses to be more vulnerable and authentic. You can’t control a community the way you control a marketing message. Communities have their own dynamics, and sometimes they’ll criticize you or push back. But that honesty is exactly what makes them valuable.

Applying These Ideas to Your Business

So how might you actually use Spinks’ insights? Here are some practical applications I’ve been thinking about:

Start by listening, not building. Before you create any community infrastructure, pay attention to where your customers are already gathering. Are they tagging your brand on Instagram? Discussing your products in Reddit threads? That organic activity tells you what people actually want, not what you think they should want.

Choose one SPACES purpose and commit to it. Don’t try to be everything to everyone. If your customers struggle with your product, start with Support. If you’re launching something new and need feedback, focus on Product. Clarity of purpose makes everything else easier.

Measure what matters. Spinks emphasizes ROI, and he’s right. Decide upfront what success looks like. Is it reduced support tickets? Increased retention rates? More user-generated content? Whatever it is, track it consistently.

Empower members, don’t just broadcast to them. The best communities aren’t top-down. They’re spaces where members have agency, voice, and the ability to help each other. Your role is facilitator, not dictator.

Be patient and consistent. Communities don’t explode overnight (usually). They grow through consistent effort, genuine engagement, and proof that you’re in it for the long haul. Quick wins are rare; sustainable growth is the goal.

What Works and What Doesn’t

Spinks’ greatest strength is his practicality. He’s not selling a fantasy—he’s sharing battle-tested strategies. The SPACES framework gives you a clear starting point, and his emphasis on purpose prevents the aimless community building I’ve seen too many businesses attempt.

I also appreciate that he draws from diverse examples. This isn’t just about tech companies or online platforms. The principles apply whether you’re selling software, running a gym, or publishing books. Community building is universal because the human need for belonging is universal.

The book’s structure makes it easy to digest. Spinks writes clearly and avoids unnecessary jargon. For busy professionals who need actionable insights, not academic theory, this approach works perfectly.

However, I did find myself wanting more depth in certain areas. The book provides an excellent overview and framework, but some topics—like handling conflict within communities or scaling community programs—could have been explored more thoroughly. Readers looking for granular, step-by-step implementation guides might need to supplement this book with additional resources.

I also think the book occasionally undersells the challenges of community building. While Spinks acknowledges it’s not for everyone, the day-to-day reality of moderating discussions, managing difficult members, and maintaining engagement can be exhausting. A more candid discussion of these challenges would have been valuable.

How This Compares to Other Community Books

If you’re familiar with books like “Get Together” by Bailey Richardson, Kevin Huynh, and Kai Elmer Sotto, you’ll find some overlap in philosophy but different execution. “Get Together” focuses more on the tactical, step-by-step process of starting communities, while Spinks takes a broader strategic view.

For readers who enjoyed “Tribes” by Seth Godin, this book offers a more structured, business-focused approach. Godin inspires with big ideas about leadership and movement-building; Spinks provides the framework to actually implement those ideas in a business context.

I’d also compare it favorably to “The Art of Community” by Jono Bacon, though Bacon’s book skews more technical and is particularly relevant for open-source and software communities. Spinks casts a wider net, making his insights applicable across industries.

Questions Worth Pondering

As I finished this book, a few questions stuck with me. What communities do you already belong to, and what makes them meaningful? It’s worth examining your own experiences as a community member before you try to build one.

Another question: Can community building remain authentic as it becomes more professionalized? As more businesses hire “community managers” and treat community as a business function, do we risk losing the organic magic that makes communities special in the first place? I don’t have a clear answer, but it’s something worth watching.

Who Should Read This Book

This book is perfect for business owners, marketers, and entrepreneurs who keep hearing about community building but aren’t sure where to start. It’s especially valuable if you’re skeptical—Spinks won’t try to convince you that community is right for everyone, but he will show you how to evaluate whether it’s right for you.

Community managers and professionals will find the SPACES framework useful for articulating their work’s value to stakeholders. Sometimes the challenge isn’t building community—it’s proving to leadership that it matters. Spinks gives you the language and evidence to make that case.

I’d also recommend it to anyone feeling disconnected in our digital age. Even if you’re not building a business community, understanding how and why communities form can help you find or create the belonging you’re seeking in your own life.

Final Thoughts From My Reading Chair

The Business of Belonging reminded me why I love books that challenge conventional wisdom. Spinks takes something that seems soft and intangible—belonging—and shows how it drives hard business results. That’s not easy to do, and he pulls it off convincingly.

More than that, this book arrived at the right moment. As we navigate an increasingly digital world, the businesses that will thrive aren’t necessarily those with the best products or the biggest marketing budgets. They’re the ones that make people feel less alone. They create spaces where customers become members, transactions become relationships, and commerce becomes connection.

That’s not just good business—it’s good for humans. And in a world that often feels fragmented and isolating, that matters more than ever.

Have you built or been part of a brand community that changed how you think about business? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments. And if you’re considering starting a community for your business, what’s holding you back? Let’s talk about it—after all, that’s what community is all about.