Why community still matters in an emerging tech world

Technology Connects Us. Humans Complete Us.

I’ve spent the better part of two decades building communities, online and off. My Too Fat to Run movement reached tens of thousands of women globally. At its height, the website was getting 10 million hits a day. I’ve had people travel across countries just to thank me, to ask for a selfie, to tell me I changed their life.

And yes, technology made that possible.

During the pandemic, when the world went digital overnight, I was already 3 cohorts into running Tribe Builder…an online programme helping solopreneurs galvanise their people, turning offline expertise into online engagement. Fast. Because we had to.

AI, automation, social platforms, they’re enablers. They amplify our voices. They scale our impact. They connect us across continents in milliseconds.

But they are not the tribe. They are the bridge. Like many of the keynotes at the conference.

When Technology Bridges Distance, Humanity Bridges Hearts

David Meade couldn’t be with us in person at the summit. But his presence was felt in every corner of the room.

Through his charity, Lightbulb, David and his team are providing clean water to communities in Uganda, transforming lives on a global scale. At the conference, we participated in an interactive workshop led by his team. A compelling video brought David’s work to life, connecting us to people thousands of miles away whose lives have been changed by access to something as fundamental as clean water.

Technology allowed us to see. His team helped us to feel.

It was a perfect example of hybrid community-building: a digital story, delivered by humans, creating real-world impact. The video didn’t replace David’s presence—it extended it. It reminded us that innovation isn’t just about the tools we use. It’s about the lives we touch.

The Image That Shaped a Life—and a Legacy

Then there was John Peters.

A fighter pilot. Shot down in war. Taken hostage. Tortured. Forced to appear in a video that was broadcast around the world, a digital image that became seared into public consciousness and has shaped his life ever since. He joked that he rarely needs to buy a pint in a pub such was the human connection those images spread across the UK press enabled.

John shared his story with us. Not as a victim. But as a man who refused to let that experience break him.

His story is a stark reminder: technology can be weaponised. Images can haunt. But the human spirit can endure.

John’s resilience, his refusal to be defined by that moment, his ability to stand on a stage decades later and share his truth, that is leadership. That is what it means to reclaim your narrative in a world where a single digital moment can follow you forever. It is also why he was awarded an Honorary Fellow at the evening gala. 

His story made me think about the power—and responsibility—we have in how we use technology. Every image we share. Every story we tell. Every platform we build. They have consequences. They shape lives.

We must never forget the human on the other side of the screen.

The You Moment: Being Remarkable by Being Real

Nathan Littleton’s closing keynote at the summit hit me square in the chest. 

He spoke about The You Moment, using marketing and clever positioning to make yourself remarkable. And in a series of mini case studies to prove the point, he name-checked me. He said I was credible, not because I was polished or perfect, but because I took action. Because I shared my ups and downs.

That’s the essence of what I wrote about in my 2020 book online leadership book, Leading from the Back. It’s about influence. It’s about leading in your own way. It’s about being visible, vulnerable, and valuable to the people who follow you and engage with your work.

It’s about knowing that your way is enough.

You don’t need to be the loudest voice in the room. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You need to be human. You need to show up. You need to lead with heart.

Survival, Community, and the Human Spirit

Bryony Thomas delivered the most compelling keynote on the final day. She shared her journey surviving pancreatic cancer during the height of the pandemic, when she had to socially distance, when she couldn’t physically gather her people.

And yet, she still managed to engage them. To raise money. To build profile for her cause.

Because community isn’t just proximity. It’s purpose.

Bryony’s story reminded me that technology can be a lifeline when we can’t be together. But it also reminded me that the why behind the community, the shared mission, the mutual care, the human connection, is what sustains us.

Hybrid, Human, Heart-Led

We live in an age of overwhelm. Too many tools. Too many platforms. Too many ways to “build community.”

And yes, AI can be as much a distraction as an enabler.

So here’s my philosophy, forged over 30 years of entrepreneurship, innovation, and community-building:

• Think hybrid. Use technology to scale, but create spaces for real connection.
• Think human. Let people see the messy, the real, the unfiltered you.
• Think heart-led. Build communities around purpose, not just profit.

Because at the end of the day, people don’t follow brands.

They follow people.

They follow leaders who make them feel seen, heard, and valued.

They follow tribes that feel like home.

A Reflection, Not a Prescription

I’m not here to tell you how to build your community. I’m here to remind you why it matters.

Whether you’re a solopreneur trying to galvanise your people, a founder scaling a movement, or a leader navigating change, your tribe is your greatest asset.

Technology will help you reach them.

But only you can make them stay.