The Rise & Fall of a Creator Community (And What I Learned)

Hi Friend 👋

Today I’m finally answering a question many people have asked me. But I never had a good answer to—because it was messy.

Moderating one of the most vital creator communities on the internet has taught me a lot about building and growing a supportive space that gives everyone a sense of belonging.

It also marks the beginning of a new chapter. After spending a month in a house with other creatives and digital nomads I’m more dedicated to facilitating connections between creators. Having rich connections with each other is the absolute best tool for growth. But more on that at the end of the article.

Hope you had a great February.

💛 Valentin

What I Learned Moderating r/ColinandSamir

Colin and Samir have played a major role in shaping the creator economy and the conversations around it. They’ve been a guiding light for me for years, influencing not just the content side of Orbit but also its community experience.

In 2022, Samir casually mentioned the existence of a Colin and Samir subreddit. At the time, it was an overlooked corner of the internet but within months, it became a thriving hub for serious conversations about the business of being a creator.

For two years, it was the best place to trade insights, ask questions, and connect with like-minded creators. Becoming the center of creator culture and then, almost overnight turning into a ghost town.

I was there from the very start. I helped shape the culture, became one of its most active contributors, and took on the role of de facto moderator. Along the way, I learned a lot about what makes a creator community thrive and just as importantly, what makes one fall apart.

How It All Started

The Colin and Samir subreddit wasn’t actually created by them. It was a dormant, fan-made space. But after the first mention of it, a few dedicated fans like me started posting questions and memes there, making it impossible for Colin and Samir to ignore it.

This sparked more conversations and drew in an increasing number of serious creators looking for answers and connections. Regulars became recognizable faces, and the excitement around it led to the launch of the Creator Support channel, dedicated to answering thoughtful creator questions.

It had a unique energy I haven’t seen before or since. It was like creators had a clubhouse where they could openly talk about challenges, share insights, and make jokes.

But It Wasn’t Built to Last

In May 2023, Colin and Samir launched a Discord server in partnership with Discord. Some members had requested it, and on the surface, it made a lot of sense.

But beyond the community requests and brand partnerships, there was a deeper reason for the switch: Ownership.

What made it so engaging to the fans made it inaccessible to the name sake creators.

In a call, Samir revealed to me they never felt like they "owned" the subreddit. It was fan-run, out of their control. By moving to Discord, they could build a space on their own terms, with the potential to be monetized.

But the unintended consequences were massive:

• The core reddit community felt abandoned and stopped engaging.

• More inexperienced creators flooded the space.

• The unfiltered nature of Discord led to low-quality discussions.

• A year later, Creator Support was discontinued.

To understand why, it’s important to recognize the differences between platforms. Unlike Reddit, where quality content naturally rises through upvotes, Discord is an endless stream of consciousness. Without that built-in sorting mechanism or curating members, conversations quickly devolved into a chaotic flood of low-effort posts about hacks and tips rather than meaningful discussions. This led to less engagement from key members and even from Colin and Samir themselves.

Eventually, both community spaces turned into digital wastelands.

The Bigger Problem with Creator Communities

This isn’t just a Colin and Samir issue. It revealed a fundamental flaw in most creator communities:

Every creator community relies on the big creator.

Once the creator stops actively participating, the community falls apart, making them little more than glorified fan clubs.

This was a huge realization for me.

If a community’s engagement depends on one person showing up every day, is it really a community?

What This Taught Me About Community Building

Moderating r/ColinandSamir left me with a few key lessons on building sustainable creator communities:

✅ Curation is key. 
The quality of conversation is driven by the lowest common denominator.
Communities thrive when they prioritize quality engagement.

✅ Clear guidelines matter. 
Strong communities share clear values and a common purpose.
Without direction, they dissolve.

✅ Recognition fuels participation. 
When Colin and Samir acknowledged contributors on their show, engagement spiked.
People want to feel seen and contribute more because of it.

✅ Being attached to a big name opens doors. 
Just mentioning that I was the moderator of r/ColinandSamir
led to conversations I wouldn’t have had otherwise.

✅ Even the biggest creators don’t have all the answers. 
Moderating showed me that no matter how successful someone looks,
they’re still figuring it out.

✅ Memes matter. 
They’re not just jokes—they’re culture.
Encouraging them creates belonging, lightens the mood, and makes people laugh.

How This Shaped Our Orbit

A real community, one that solo creators can call home, can’t be dependent on one person. It has to be built on connections between members.

That’s why the Creator Orbit Community isn’t a fan club. It’s a co-working space for solo creators. A place where we’re shaping the culture of independent creators together.

• Everyone has the same voice and access. No hierarchy, just creators supporting each other.

• No gatekeeping. Every member gets the same experience. Pricing is flexible to keep it accessible, while allowing those who want to support more to do so.

• This is for serious creators. Not for spectators making it a space for those committed to growth.

And today, we’re opening our doors to the first 30 founding members with an exclusive launch rate of €249 per year (half off the regular price).

👉 If 2025 is the year you finally go all in as a creator, this is your chance.

Spots are limited—join here or DM me if you have any questions!

My favorite things this week

To keep it consistent why not also link a Colin and Samir video?
No but seriously this conversation is incredibly insightful and gives you the perspective of someone who knows the creator economy like no other, Jack Conte CEO of Patreon.

Bonus Video

Safiya Nygaard’s warehouse to studio transformation.
You know I love a good studio tour and this on is 🔥

In case you missed it:

⬅️ Last week I shared how you can find mentors.

➡️ Next month is all about monetization

Being a solo creator can feel isolating.
We are here to change that.