My Day One with Day One and the VaynerX Leadership-Ops Community

I had been hearing about this DayOne community for a bit. A group building in public while supporting each other. Some fellow Twitter followers were chatting it up and I was intrigued.

I on the other hand felt at first like I didn’t fit in. I wasn’t an entrepreneur. I didn’t have a product I was building or a business being scaled.

I was however bringing myself to the universe each day. Putting the things I am passionate about into the world within the bandwidth of what I could manage. Trying to help others how I can. I am happy if my experience and skills can help someone with even the most minor thing they are working on. Working full time, raising a family, and growing passion projects that may turn into something one day, although not the expectation. I've already learned from this community that building something with an expectation of something else happening, could make the thing go in another direction, so for me, it’s staying present and seeing where the path leads. Anyway, back to the community

As I engaged, I soon again realized you didn’t(don’t) need to have a thing to be part of a like-minded community. These are good people all sharing a similar dream. To craft the future while helping others and creating things that no one knows yet where it could go.

Then this, — On October 17th 2002

KP throws out on Twitter that there is a space with Day One and Gary V. I knew of Day One from KP and well anyone who knows me knows everything Vayner is a big part of my life.

So much wisdom is thrown out as always, but what got me most was the news that there was going to be a 6-week cohort focused on Leadership and OPs with leaders from the Vayner team.

And — — — with the code given out, it would be available at a discounted price. I was in. Combining many things in life I am into while learning and getting close time with many of my mentors.

By the end of the space, I was signed up. Ready to go in January.

I mean check this lineup out:

Then… As I should have expected, because of the present we are living in and the ability to be able to do it,

Utility in a snap thanks to the blockchain and web3 tech that has also brought many of these communities closer together around.

More community members engaging. It keeps getting better.

Each Wednesday community hours are held. We come together, roundtable chat without a set agenda, and hear what others are thinking about at the moment. Rahul does a great job of hosting, engaging, and connecting conversations that resonate around themes. All while getting peaks into what is to come during the cohort.

Day 1 gave insight into how the weeks would run.

A Tuesday session with the leader from Vayner — presentation, discussion, Q&A.

Wednesday a community session to continue the conversation and Thursday a recap with a Socratic Dialogue concept:

The concept within the group would be an inner circle and an outer

The inner would discuss the question live and the outer would be in the chat sharing perspectives and continuing the dialogue. Another great concept around driving engagement in the virtual world.

I really enjoyed this as it controlled everyone trying to speak at once which we know can be a challenge in zoom and also gave folks who like to listen and then contribute the opportunity to do so in the chat,

All everything would be continued in slack which is the secondary spot for the community to collaborate, contribute and create.

For those who don’t know, Claude is the Chief Heart Office of VaynerMedia. — A person who not just in a professional setting but throughout life leads with heart and believes that people are everything. They should always be the focus as they are the lifeblood that continues growth in each other and will create the foundation of any organization to grow.

Leading with compassion and love makes everything better.

This mindset has been with me since 83. Most of the things I have done in life have served others and I try to take every step with this concept in mind. Claude showcased to all present how this mindset is within everyone, it just needs to be found and then leaned into.

The session with Claude wrapped with a Q&A. Many wonder how heart-based leadership can scale, and how can it be embedded into new businesses while driving a profit; which is important for continued existence.

What books were on the reading list, what music was being enjoyed, and how can a leader ensures they don’t burn out while giving so much of themself to others? Self-care was again reinforced as needed.

A tremendous amount of knowledge and inspiration was shared and all present were grateful for the time we had and were given by someone who gives so much.

Thank you, Claude…

The conversations are continuing if not only beginning. Thinking happening around how can this be implemented into the thing being built.

There are more heart warriors on the path.

There is still work to be done. Make it about them.

Next week the journey continues with Ryan Harwood, Founder and CEO of Gallery Media Group to jam it up around Selling and Lead Generation.

Another on-point topic that can be applied to not just business, but life in general.

• These experiences we experience in the present are for us to share in our way with others. Putting my experiences to word and medium allows reliving and giving others perspective. If you enjoyed this in any way I am glad. I will keep putting experiences out there.