YATM | Forget Followers. Success Is Access To The Right People

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Hey YATMers! I’m Dan Ware. I’m all about driving growth and unlocking potential. Through my business, Golden Sands Capital, I help start-ups and scale-ups achieve their growth ambitions and secure the capital they need to thrive.

I’m also committed to shaping the entrepreneurial and business landscape in Bournemouth, Poole, and Christchurch through The Spark.

The Spark isn’t just about talking, it’s about taking action. It’s about bringing together the key voices of our region to build a bold, collaborative vision for business growth. We want to empower local businesses, fuel innovation, and strengthen the economic heartbeat of our community.

Beyond business, my world revolves around my four young boys, coaching two football clubs and running. This pic is me from the Polar Night Half Marathon in Tromsø!

Here is my recommedation today. If you need a dose of hilariously relatable parenting chaos, I highly recommend the brilliant podcast Parenting Hell with Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe, comedy gold!

Let's make sure we connect today.

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The real value of any community isn’t in its size, it’s in the people within it.

Success doesn’t come from going it alone but from having meaningful access to others.

The ability to connect, collaborate, and build alongside like-minded people is what fuels creativity, innovation, and sustainable growth.

Meaningful access to the right people opens doors. It involves creating an environment where ideas thrive through conversation, feedback and co-creation rather than existing in silos.

Moving Beyond The Myth Of Going It Alone

For years, a dominant narrative has been built around individualism.

This focus on self has often confined us to the social platforms we use, where we simply broadcast our thoughts.

Looking more closely, we see that the true winners are not those who isolate themselves in their own corners. Instead, they are the people who surround themselves with others who challenge, inspire, and support them.

Access to each other means moving beyond the idea of self sufficiency as a virtue. Instead, it highlights the importance of interdependence. This is the ability to lean on others and build something greater together than what we could alone.

Let Me Share What I Mean

When I launched YATM Club, our membership space, the narrative was primarily shaped by me.

This is common in many communities, where the leader guides the learning process. For many new members, this was their main reason for joining.

I was the sole instructor for the sessions. When it came to sessions focused on growing your newsletter, I shared my experiences with YATM over the years.

I began to notice that the members joining the YATM Club brought their own experiences and valuable lessons via the creative formats and platforms they use. It’s important to acknowledge and appreciate the talents of others in this context.

There has been a shift. We started to introduce sessions in YATM Club, called Swapsies. This is where people share what they have learned and we can figure out together.

We have had a session on writing a book, from people who have published books and in a few weeks we’re going to step into the world of newsletters and we’ll share with each other our knowledge.

Not in a one to one (interview) format, but one to group. From sharing our goals for having a newsletter, which email service provider works best, to ideas to attract subscribers, we’ll have it covered.

It’s the access to each other, within shared disciplines that opens up deeper knowledge.

Why Access To Each Other Matters More Than Audience Size

The fixation on audience growth has caused many people to prioritise numbers over relationships.

A large audience is insignificant without access, engagement, trust, or a real exchange of value.

I have seen it for myself, in YATM people help each other and delivery becomes stronger.

How Access Fuels Creativity & Innovation

Creativity doesn’t happen in isolation. The best ideas emerge from discussion, from challenge, from the collision of different perspectives.

Since 2023 I have taken the approach of doing more with the people who are on the same team. This has meant more people lead, host events and we look and assess together. A leader becomes part of the team, not dictating the offering.

When you have access to each other, you:

1) Test ideas quickly. Instead of second-guessing where it’s all on our shoulders, we can share early concepts and refine them through feedback.

2) Move faster. With trusted people around you, you don’t waste time figuring things out alone, you can draw from collective knowledge and that’s powerful.

3) Stay accountable. Knowing that others are invested in what you’re creating keeps you motivated and committed.

4) Find opportunities you wouldn’t have alone. Whether it’s a collaboration, a new project, or a shared venture, access opens doors that isolation never could.

What It Looks Like?

True access isn’t just about being in the same space, it’s about participation, contribution, and mutual support. Here are some ways that have helped me shape:

1) Make interaction easy. Whether it’s through meeting up in person, ways to keep the conversation ongoing ie. WhatsApp, or collaborative projects, create spaces where people can engage naturally.

2) Encourage open sharing. The more we can share ideas, the more we build trust. Holding everything close because of fear of competition limits everyone’s growth.

3) Support before asking. The best way to gain access to others is to offer value first, help, listen, and contribute without an immediate expectation of return. People need to see the proof and the effort first before they step up. I realised that is such an important two step approach. Let people see, then they commit.

4) Break down barriers. Avoid rigid hierarchies where only a few people hold influence. True access means everyone has a voice and an opportunity to contribute.

The Three Biggest Things I Have Learned

The effort around co-creation is something I am always learning about. Here are three key shifts that I have noticed where more of team effort takes centre stage.

1) Move From Gatekeeping To Openness. Rather than keeping knowledge, opportunities, or connections exclusive, embrace a culture of sharing. The more people feel included, the more they will contribute.

2) Move FromNetworking To Relationship Building. Instead of seeing people as contacts to leverage or a pursuit of more subscribers, see them as partners in growth.

3) Move From Passive Consumption to Active Participation. Don’t just gather an audience, empower them to be part of something. You have to find ways for people to join in, when they are ready.

Let’s Round-Up

Think of access like a living network, a continuous exchange of knowledge, support, and ideas that fuels collective momentum. When we nurture connection, people don’t just participate; they stay, invest, and help sustain the community.

The future of marketing, business, and creativity isn’t about competition, it’s about collaboration. Those who embrace a ‘we’re all in this’ culture will build the strongest communities, the most impactful collaborations, and the most meaningful work.

The real question isn’t whether you have an audience, it’s whether you’ve built a space where the right people can actively contribute and support each other.

In the end, success isn’t about standing apart. It’s about standing together.

N.B If you're interested in joining YATM Club, let me show you before you commit. Book in time together next week, you choose here.

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This Week Around The Web

GROWTH, CREATION & YOUR INDEPENDENCE

Where has the left’s technological audacity gone? - from The Guardian

How to build your dream business with free content - from Kane Kallaway

THE COMMUNITY YOU CAN BUILD

Should I mix my friend groups? - from Very Well Mind

Befriend the barista: establish your local network of gathering places - from Tony Bacigalupo

GROWING YOUR NEWSLETTER

How I use AI in my newsletter - from Jamie Thingelstad

My weirdest A/B test blew everyone's mind - from Tom Orbach

Survey Help. 5 mins ❤️.

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