The Power of Community

Sara Mangan Ramelb
May 6
2 min read

Updated: May 12

Anyone who considers making a big change will eventually meet fear — fear of the unknown, yes, but sometimes an even sharper fear of the very specifically known.

Old Theatre board on WORLD theatre. Says "The world is temporarily closed."

During the pandemic, when I left a job I had been at for nearly a decade, my greatest fear wasn’t about the future of my career — it was about the future of my community.

I had spent years building a network of colleagues, many of whom had become true friends. Together, we had shared late nights and landmark projects. We had traveled, dined, explored, and grown alongside each other.They knew me.I could be vulnerable. I could be imperfect. I could stumble — and still be seen, supported, and extended grace.

To give that up, to start over, felt almost unimaginable.

Especially as we get older, and life gets more layered, the idea of building new friendships — finding new people who truly get you — can feel overwhelming.

Fast forward two years.

Today, living just outside the greatest city in the world, among the many, many things I am grateful for —

Finding a house in an impossible market
Building a thriving new life and business here
Enjoying the best of both urban energy and small-town connection

— the thing I am most grateful for is community.

Real friends. True neighbors. A support system I didn’t know was possible to build again — and certainly not in my 40s, in a place not exactly famous for neighborly vibes.

But here we are.And it changed everything.

Why Community Is the Greatest Gift

Community isn’t a “nice to have” when you’re navigating change.It’s essential.It’s what sustains you when your motivation dips, when fear creeps back in, when the road gets harder than you expected.It’s what holds you accountable — lovingly, fiercely — to the version of yourself you are working so hard to become.

Community gives you five irreplaceable gifts:

Reflection: A mirror to see yourself more clearly — your growth, your blind spots, your power.

Accountability: Gentle, firm nudges back on track when you falter or lose focus.

Celebration: Witnesses to your wins, big and small, reminding you how far you’ve come.

Encouragement: Support in the messy middle, when you’re tempted to give up.

Expansion: New perspectives, new ideas, new possibilities you wouldn’t have seen alone.

Why Community Is the Heart of My Group Coaching Experience

That’s why my signature group coaching program starts with an immersive in-person kickoff.

It’s not just about information. It’s about connection.It’s about turning strangers into allies — fast — and building a foundation that will carry you through the weeks to come.

Once the in-person kickoff sets the stage, we transition to a remote format — but the connection deepens.Over time, accountability partners become friends.Support networks become lifelines.And transformation becomes not just possible, but inevitable.