Ep.38 Build a Thriving Community (and Business) with This

With Simon Morris

Episode Description:

In this episode, Simon Morris, speaks about his experience organising the Reading Geek and Science in Reading groups, and offers advice that can be applied to businesses.  

He discusses the differences between the Reading Geek Night and Science in Reading groups, explaining how Reading Geek Night is a more informal event covering a wide range of geeky topics, while Science in Reading is a deeper, more hardcore science-oriented event featuring speakers with science backgrounds from academia or industry.  

Simon details the challenges of managing both groups, including the work involved in organising speakers, utilising technology to streamline processes, and the importance of building and maintaining a pipeline of speakers.  

We also discuss Simon’s experience collaborating with Reading University, highlighting the mutual benefits of these partnerships.  

MeetUp page for Reading Geeks and Science in Reading: https://www.meetup.com/science-in-reading/

Science in Reading website: https://scienceinreading.wordpress.com/

Reading Geek Night website: https://rdggeeknight.wordpress.com/

Science in Reading Social Channels:

Reading Geek Night Social Channels:

Check out the upcoming events for Reading Geeks and Science in Reading on MeetUp:

Listen to the episode

Episode Time Codes

00:00 Introduction

00:25 Greeting

00:41 Introduction to Simon

00:59 What Simon likes about Reading

02:17 Introduction to Reading Geeks and Science in Reading

03:22 The difference between Reading Geeks and Science in Reading

04:32 How Simon manages two groups simultaneously

06:50 How Simon finds and organises speakers

09:18 What Simon has learned as he’s grown both groups

11:30 How Simon promotes both groups

15:10 Simon’s collaboration with Reading University

18:46 How Simon has maintained group attendance since lockdown

23:36 How Simon encourages a wide group demographic (genders and ages)

25:50 Format of Reading Geek group meetings and how Simon encourages engagement

27:52 What topics are doing well at the moment

30:46 Plans for topics going forwards

31:21 Final thoughts

Videos

Growing Your Group with Data

How Simon Manages Multiple Groups

Organising speakers for the groups

How collaborations can open doors

What Simon has learned

Key takeaways

Community Engagement and Adaptability: Simon emphasises the importance of actively engaging with the community and adapting to its needs and preferences. He highlights this through his efforts to include diverse groups in events, his willingness to try new event formats and his emphasis on creating a welcoming and inclusive environment.

The Importance of Data-Driven Decision Making: Simon stresses the value of collecting and analysing data to inform decisions and avoid misperceptions. He recounts an experience where he checked historical attendance data to correct his assumptions about event turnout, demonstrating how data analysis can provide valuable insights and ensure that efforts are aligned with reality.

Building and Maintaining Momentum: Simon underscores the significance of building a pipeline of speakers and nurturing relationships within the community to ensure sustained engagement and growth.

Episode references

About Reading Geek Night

View Reading Geek Night Brief

About Science in Reading

View Science in Reading Brief