Donna Maria and the INDIE BUSINESS NETWORK® present

MAY 30, 2025 | CHARLOTTE, NC
9:00am - 5:00pm EST
In-person or virtual (you choose)!

THE COMMUNITY ECONOMY™
LIVE EVENT

Build a powerful, evergreen sales ecosystem for your product business

(in less time with less effort and less stress)

Why settle for selling your products to random crowds of people on social media when you can connect with loyal fans in a branded community that you own and control, and where people are genuinely interested in you, your products, and each other?

The Community Economy™ LIVE Event is the only training that shows you exactly how to create, manage, and grow an engaged, relationship-based online community that produces a powerful, evergreen sales ecosystem for your product business!

REGISTER FOR IN-PERSON
REGISTER FOR VIRTUAL

REGISTER FOR THE COMMUNITY ECONOMY™ LIVE TRAINING

At The Community Economy™ LIVE Training Event, you'll:

… Define a theme, idea, or cause that complements your unique product brand and attracts your unique target audience.
… Lay the groundwork for a thriving product brand community that appeals to your target audience, so they are motivated to join, engage, and tell their friends.
… Position yourself as the expert leader and “go-to” person in your niche so you create a powerful, evergreen sales ecosystem for your product business that secures your growth into the future.
… Enjoy a private community of like-minded product business owners where you'll get 90 days of personalized community coaching with me, so you can kick your community off on the right foot.
… Benefit from valuable bonus content you cannot get anywhere else.
… Get the support and encouragement you need to build a successful brand community that produces sales opportunities for the life of your business.

MAY 30, 2025 | CHARLOTTE, NC
9:00am - 5:00pm EST
In-person or virtual (you choose)!

$299.00

REGISTER FOR IN-PERSON

$247.00

REGISTER FOR VIRTUAL

As an experienced product maker and creative, ...

YOU KNOW YOU NEED LOYAL FANS AND REPEAT SALES …

But social media and email marketing are not producing EITHER, and you are frustrated and overwhelmed!

  • You're spending countless hours on marketing, yet you keep getting hit with changing algorithms and spam blockers, leaving little time for you to make your products and manage your business.
  • Ads are crazy expensive, and even if you could afford them, you don't have the bandwidth to take a chance on them, not to mention your accounts getting hacked with no recourse!
  • You need repeat sales based on relationships, and, no matter how hard you try, social media and email marketing alone are just not cutting it!

When you finally feel like you've wrapped your head around a social media strategy, the almighty algorithm changes and you're back at square one AGAIN! You're always taking two steps forward, and three steps back.

You know your products are great, and you know repeat sales are possible, but you're stuck on a hamster wheel that's going nowhere fast. You need a strategy you can own and control, so you can exchange the social media hamster wheel for a sales ecosystem you can control and that doesn't feel like a constant burden to manage.

“Do what you believe in. Paint a picture of the future. Go there. People will follow. They’ll join a tribe and make a movement. They’ll become part of a community, not because you forced them to, but because they wanted to.”

– Seth Godin, Author – Tribes

Seth-Godin-Headshot

Creating my own branded community was the first and best thing I ever did for my business ... and you can do it too. I'll show you exactly how!

When I started my business, I knew that its growth depended not on social media, email marketing or advertising, but on developing long-term relationships with my unique target customers. The strategies, insights, and processes I have created, developed, and applied over the years have allowed me to build a business that has lasted over 25 years. And now, I want to teach you everything I know!

Social media algorithms do not phase me. When TikTok goes dark, I don't panic. If a platform is suddenly hacked, I hardly notice. When a follower count dips without explanation, I barely pay attention. When ad prices suddenly increase, I don't bat an eye. I'm not worried because I am not dependent on any third party platform. I have my own brand community, and that has made all the difference.

It's critical that you embrace the importance of building your own brand community so that you are not frustrated or held hostage by someone else's.

Don't rent your community. Own it. I will show you how.

– Donna Maria

Why Create Your Own Branded Community Economy Now?

As a small business owner, you do not have time for optional. You do not have time to fiddle with ever-changing social media algorithms. But you do have time to talk to your customers in a thriving community where all roads lead back to your shopping cart, right?

That's why you need a branded community that you own and control.

EXCHANGE THE SOCIAL MEDIA HAMSTER WHEEL FOR AN AN EVERGREEN SALES ECOSYSTEM.

  • Organic Sales Opportunities: A loyal, engaged community builds trust, leading to higher conversion rates.
  • Happy and Engaged Buyers Who Know, Like and Trust You and Each Other: Engaged members are more likely to purchase additional products or services.
  • A Focus Group of Loyal Fans Who Help You Grow Your Business : An active community can provide peer-to-peer support, alleviating your customer service load.
  • Have More Fun in Your Business: Satisfied members become advocates, bringing in referrals at no additional cost.in less time with less effort and less stress

MAY 30, 2025 | CHARLOTTE, NC
9:00am - 5:00pm EST
In-person or virtual (you choose)!

REGISTER FOR IN-PERSON
REGISTER FOR VIRTUAL

“Membership is the future of all business models, with an emphasis on formal, ongoing relationships. I believe it is replacing the transactional model, and [businesses] that don’t evolve will fail.”

– Robbie Kellman Baxter, Author – The Membership Economy

robbie-kellman-consulting-speaker-thinking-heads

Introducing The Community Economy: Your Blueprint for Long-Term Product Sales Success

I'm Donna Maria, and for over two decades, I've helped makers and creative entrepreneurs build businesses in a thriving branded community. Through this experience, I've developed the Community Economy™ Framework—a comprehensive system designed to help you:

  • Create Systems That Deliver Organic Sales Opportunities: A loyal, engaged community builds trust, leading to higher conversion rates.
  • Enjoy Happy and Engaged Buyers Who Know, Like and Trust You and Each Other: Engaged buyers are more likely to purchase products and services on a repeat basis.
  • Create A Focus Group of Loyal Fans Who Help You Grow Your Business : An active community can provide peer-to-peer support, alleviating your customer service load.
  • Have More Fun in Your Business: Satisfied members become advocates, bringing in referrals at no additional cost.in less time with less effort and less stress
MM-Summit-donnad

Your work and your life are not inseparable. Donna Maria knows how to help you decide what you want your lifestyle to look like and how to design your business to make it happen. She has helped me clarify how to craft my business to give me the freedom and independence I need while making sure I earn an income I deserve. I love bouncing ideas off of her, because she can look at them objectively and guide you to figure out the details. And somehow she makes it all fun. I’m creating the life I want to take me into the future. Thank you, dM.

Donna DeRosa
DeRosa Media, LLC

SOCIAL MEDIA, ADS, AND EMAIL MARKETING ARE NOT ENOUGH ...

No matter how hard you try. Here's why…

Hint: Building your house on rented land is risky …

If you are spending tons of time on social media, ads and/or email marketing and still not getting sales, , it's not your fault.

Most marketing strategies that depend on those things are built on other platforms owned by other people who have other priorities who don't care about you, your products, or your customers. The Community Economy offers an approach that prioritizes you and your customers.

Your Branded Community prioritizes your your customers.

Social media uses you. You do not use social media. Social media prioritizes the almighty algorithm. Your branded community put the focus back where it belongs — on your customers and your products, right where it belongs!

Your Branded Community is a powerful, evergreen sales ecosystem for your business.

In this training, you’ll learn how to build a thriving, results-driven community that keeps buyers engaged and creates organic sales opportunities for the life of your business.

MAY 30, 2025 | CHARLOTTE, NC
9:00am - 5:00pm EST
In-person or virtual (you choose)!

REGISTER FOR IN-PERSON
REGISTER FOR VIRTUAL

The Community Economy Is Perfect For You If…

  • You’re a product maker with a great product and you're tired of endless posting to social media
  • Your products are great, and people buy, but you are struggling to get repeat sales.
  • You want to increase boost sales, improve your bottom line, and make business fun again.
  • You want to spend more time on activities that actually produce sales.
  • You're tired of sending out emails that go to spam filters or just seem to get deleted or sit unopened.
  • Your business seems like a full-time job that brings less and less satisfaction as the months go by.

If any of this sounds familiar, then this training is designed for you!

The Community Economy LIVE Event will give you the exact tools and information you have been waiting for, so you can create a powerful, evergreen sales ecosystem for your product business.

REGISTER FOR IN-PERSON
REGISTER FOR VIRTUAL

“Community in my opinion is the future of business. Bringing people together to rally behind your product is really important.”

– Pat Flynn, Author – Superfans: The Easy Way to Stand Out, Grow Your Tribe, and Build a Successful Business

PatF

This Is Not Just Another Training Program

I'll show you the exact system I used to build my business, which has been profitable for 25+ years:

  • No reliance on social media or its fickle and ever-changing algorithms
  • No need to buy ads or be at the mercy of their ever-changing ad pricing structures
  • No panicking when someone threatens to shut down a social media platform
  • No frustration when follower counts suddenly drop for no reason

Your community should be more than a comment section. It should be your program's most valuable asset.

Kim-2024

To say that the Indie Business Network is life-changing is an understatement. When I started, I had a mindset of self-doubt, even though I KNEW I had a brand that could really help people. I literally had a love/hate relationship with my business. There were aspects of getting “out there” that I loved to watch others do but HATED for myself. The mentoring and the masterminding are what I love most about IBN because it is in these spaces where I've come to know myself AND my capabilities. Being able to get insights and encouragement from members — from months in business to decades — is priceless. My transformation is worth every single day I've been a member. I'm beyond grateful.

– Kim Cross
Zhi Bath + Body

Here's everything you get when you join The Community Economy ...

A complete on-demand training + implementation system designed for course and membership communities.

MODULE 1: DEFINE THE PILLARS OF YOUR BRAND COMMUNITY

Define your unique Community Economy and lay down the 3 critical pillars of your own branded Community Economy that can create sales opportunities for life. I'll also show you exactly why YOU are the right person to establish and lead your community and your business into the future.

MODULE 2: CHOOSE YOUR BRAND COMMUNITY PLATFORM

Learn how to evaluate, choose, design, and optimize a digital space in which your products, your brand, and your loyal fans — your community members — can connect, learn, thrive, and grow together. I’ll also make sure you’re equipped to lead your community and leverage it to maximize sales based on how you personally like to engage.

MODULE 3: MASTER OUTBOUND MARKETING AND SALES STRATEGIES

Discovever how to use your product sales process to warmly welcome people into your community, build genuine connections, and create a safe, supportive space that encourages curiosity about your handmade products—so you can grow your sales naturally and consistently.
Learn how to choose, design, and optimize a safe space for members. I’ll also make sure you’re equipped to protect and amplify your culture.

MODULE 4: COMMUNITY MEMBER AQUISITION AND ONBOARDING

You'll learn how to develop a marketing plan that entices new people to buy your products and join your community — a plan that feels easy and it not overwhelming for you or your buyers. You’ll leave with a step-by-step communication tool that we create together, and which you can use as a system you can moniror and tweak for continuous improved results as you grow your business.

MODULE 5: MAXIMIZE REPEAT SALES OPPORTUNITIES INSIDE YOUR COMMUNITY

I'll show you how to create an easy to manage communications plan that creates engagement in your community so your buyers are not overwhelmed — and neither are you. You'll enjoy seeing how they warm up to you and to each other, and how the process creates a never-ending sales ecosystem.

MODULE 6: BUILD AUTHENTIC AND GENUINE RELATIONSHIPS INSIDE YOUR COMMUNITY

The sales process need be neither slimy nor overwhelming. You don't have to stress yourself or your community out constantly yelling about why they should buy your stuff. Learn how implementing your communication system leads to natural curiosity within your community, and how that naturally influences repeat sales on terms that are manageable. Make running your business fun again!

MODULE 7: SCALE AND STAY CONSISTENT WITHOUT BURNING OUT LONG TERM

Learn how to manage your community in less time with less stress by creating healthy batching habits and systems that scale. You'll learn how to assemble a team to distribute the workload, if desired, so you can identify and manage priorities with ease, avoid community fatigue, stay inspired, and take breaks with confidence.

I’ll Show You How to Build Online Communities Like these!

When you enroll in The Community Economy today, you'll receive these four bonuses designed to help you take fast action, measure success, and leverage your results.

Selling Bath and Body (online with occasional popup)

Brown Sugar Babe was launched as a way for the founder to incorporate fragrance as a form of self care into everyday life. With the support of my family and friends, and now a private brand community of over 20,000 members, the brand features a cult following of people who connect around their shared love of living life and smelling good in a safe community where fragrance takes center stage — along with the brand.

Selling Skin Care Products (online only)

Bambu Earth is a North Carolina-based skincare company. The digital community is billed as “a safe place for Bambu Earth customers to share experiences, ask questions, or just chat about skincare.” The community supports a paid monthly membership subscription, and people help each other with skincare questions and ideas, share their experiences with products, and just live life together. The founder, community managers, and loyal fans announce new product drops, and community participants warmly receive and try new products without hesitation. Every person is a warm sales lead.

Selling Wax Melts (online with occasional open house)

The Rose Girls Wax Melts community is composed of more than 10,000 people who love and buy wax melts like there is no tomorrow. With the exception of the occasional “open house” hosted at their studio in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, the business, owned by the founder's daughter, sells almost only online and social media use is random at best. Online sales are generated almost exclusively inside the digital community.

Selling Ingredients and Supplies (online only)

Midwest Fragrance Company hosts a community hosts thousands of people who buy their ingredients to make soaps, candles and other personal care products. The founders are there personally to help community members benefit from their advice and expertise where everyone supports and helps everyone else.

Selling Candles (online and retail store)

BeBlends is a natural handmade bath, body, and home products company with an online and retail store presence in Eldersburg, Maryland. They sell a variety of products, but are known for soy candles. They host two online communities that connect with loyal fans and generate thousands of dollars in online sales regularly. Buyers talk directly with the founder and get questions answered right away. They like that, and they buy more as a result.

Selling Hair Care Products (online only)

Wonder Curl helps women have great hair days with products that help them take care of their curly hair. The Wonder Curl community connects the founder and loyal fans from around the world with each other, and boosts sales opportunities by making it easy for loyal fans from around the world to share their experiences with Wonder Curl products, and earn loyalty points and perks for being active in the community.

Plus 3 FREE gifts!

When you enroll in The Community Economy today, you'll receive these four bonuses designed to help you take fast action, measure success, and leverage your results.

BONUS - Community Economy Workbook

Get your hands on the one and only Community Economy Workbook which will help you take your community to the next level as you transform what you learn from ideas into reality. This workbook will become your living, breathing, plan to make your community the most amazing place to influence people to learn about and buy your products on the Internet. No more pulling your hair out on social media platforms!

BONUS - Private Community

Get access to our private community where you can connect with me and other people building their own Community Economy to ask questions, compare strategies and tools so we can all learn easier and faster and get the best results. Why reinvent the wheel when you can learn from me and others together?!!

BONUS - 90 Days of Personalized Support

Enjoy a full quarter — 12 weeks — of personalized support in a group setting from me where I will continue to show you how to build out your most amazing Community Economy. You'll be able to talk with me directly, submit your questions and get answers right away. No waiting for a scheduled Q&A. I'll join your community personally and answer your question within 24 hours. Get a direct response right to your inbox.

Create a strategic, scalable community that boosts product sales, keeps community members engaged, creates an evergreen product sales ecosystem for your business.

Whether you are launching a new product or your product has already been launched, having your own Community Economy, gives you the power and autonomy you need to build a business that scales long-term without relying on social media, ads, email marketing or any third party platform to secure your success.

Get the Community Economy™ LIVE Training & Ditch the Social Media Rat Race!

REGISTER NOW

and get access to…
  • The Community Economy™ Training Program: 7 step-by-step modules leveraging my exclusive Community Economy Framework to help you sell your produces in a thriving branded community that delivers organic sales opportunities for the life of your business.
  • BONUS 1: Actionable Workbook: My actionable strategy guide will help you to quickly apply what you learn directly to your community, so you can get results right away.
  • BONUS 2: Private Community: I'll give you ready-to-use resources and templates on DAY ONE, so you can immediately streamline your community management right from the start.
  • BONUS 3: Personal Support: You'll see engagement and new relationships right away because I'm going to tell you how to attract, organize, and manage your community members and have so much more fun in your business!

Register Now for Only

$297 (Live) or $247 (Virtual) TODAY!

MAY 30, 2025 | CHARLOTTE, NC
9:00am - 5:00pm EST
In-person or virtual (you choose)!

REGISTER FOR IN-PERSON
REGISTER FOR VIRTUAL
KF-2024

Donna Maria is trailblazer. She is a constant beacon of light leading the way for others follow to pursue their dreams. Women and men across America have created businesses that support the lifestyle of their dreams under the wings of Donna Maria. She has broken every limiting rule that could have held her back. Not only has she built her own corporate ladder, but she has shown anyone willing to learn from her, how to build theirs too. In pursuit of building the life that she loves, she has opened doors, built powerful connections, and lead the way by example. She is a woman of great substance and a leader among leaders. When Donna Maria points and says, “Do this,” I always try to follow.

– Kayla Fioravanti
Ology Essentials

Meet Donna Maria

Founder and CEO of the Indie Business Network, the first community-based digital membership business on the Internet

Certified Entrepreneur Mentor & Host of the Indie Business Podcast

For more than a quarter century, I've been a full-time consultant helping product makers grow their businesses.

I'm best known for helping makers launch, grow and build businesses inside a community where they connect, learn, and grow together.

Indie Business Network members come from all across North America, including all 50 states and Canada, and I have served them since January 2000 using the same Community Economy principles I will teach you in this training.

Join me!

By implementing the strategies in The Community Economy, you're not just improving your community; you're making a strategic move to enhance your business's profitability and sustainability.

REGISTER FOR IN-PERSON
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MM-Summit-andrea

Donna Maria has the gift of mastering entrepreneurship and she is great at teaching others to do the same! She is a problem solver and she embodies the Lifestyle CEO brand. Often entrepreneurs create businesses and fail because they are not prepared and they overlook critical issues. I'd recommend Donna Maria to any business owner seeking a fresh look at their brand and business! She is a magnificent mentor and she has proven results to help businesses grow and prosper.

Andrea H. Evans Esq.
The Law Firm of Andrea H. Evans Esq.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The Community Economy™

Find answers to your questions about The Community Economy below …

What is The Community Economy LIVE event?

The Community Economy LIVE event is s the most comprehensive program to help product makers create, launch and grow their own branded community that allows you to get off the social media hamster wheel, market your products without spending money on ads, and enjoy loyal fans and never-ending sales opportunities as you scale your business in less time with less effort.

When is the Community Economy LIVE Event?

The Community Economy LIVE Event will take place on Friday, May 30 from 10am to 5pm in Charlotte, North Carolina at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel located at 3315 Scott Futrell Drive
Charlotte, NC 28201. Get more information about the hotel and make your reservations at our discount rate here.

What platform will be used for the Community Economy LIVE event?

The Community Economy LIVE Event will take place live on Friday, May 30 from 10am to 5pm in Charlotte, North Carolina. It will be live streamed using the Zoom platform for everyone who registers to attend virtually. Zoom is free, and you will need to set up an account (for free) in advance in order to participate. If you purchase a virtual ticket to event, be sure to set up your Zoom account beforehand. Set up your Zoom account here.

What is the agenda for the Community Economy LIVE event?

Our detailed schedule is at this link.

When is the last day to register?

The last day to register for the Community Economy LIVE event is Tuesday, May 27, 2025.

How do I attend the Community Economy LIVE event?

The Community Economy LIVE Event will take place on Friday, May 30 from 10am to 5pm in Charlotte, North Carolina at the Sheraton Charlotte Airport Hotel located at 3315 Scott Futrell Drive
Charlotte, NC 28201. Get more information about the hotel and make your reservations at our discount rate here.

How do I register? What is the price?

Click here to register. The Indie Business Blueprint™ is complementary for Indie Business Network members.

What services are available for special needs and requests?

Please contact support@indiebusinessnetwork.com to request accommodations for special needs.

What types of things will I learn at The Community Economy event?

The Indie Business Blueprint is the most comprehensive program for creating, launching, leading, and growing your maker business. With the Indie Business Blueprint, you get:

… Solid, sequential, sensible entrepreneurial training
… Live training with certified entrepreneur mentor, Donna Maria
… Live mentoring with Subject Matter Expert Mentors
… A private community of like-minded business owners
… Valuable bonus content
… The support and encouragement you need to succeed

Will there be a replay for all events I cannot attend live?

Yes! The event will be recorded, and the replay will be provided to all registered participants for 90 days after the event.

(We are not responsible for issues beyond our control such as inoperable or weak WiFi conditions, computer difficulties, Facebook group downtime, etc.)

My question is not listed here. How can I get assistance?

Email us at support@indiebusinessnetwork.com! We love hearing from you, and will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

REGISTER FOR IN-PERSON
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BUILD A BRANDED COMMUNITY ECONOMY WITH EVERGREEN SALES POTENTIAL. DO IT NOW!

My training will help you build a branded community that serves as a powerful evergreen sales ecosystem that generates sales opportunities for life!

Ready to Build a Thriving Community That Supports You and Your Bottom Line?

Click below to register and start building your own Community Economy today!

MAY 30, 2025 | CHARLOTTE, NC
9:00am - 5:00pm EST
In-person or virtual (you choose)!

REGISTER FOR IN-PERSON
REGISTER FOR VIRTUAL
Earnings Disclaimer: Donna Maria and the Indie Business Network (IBN) have made every effort to accurately represent educational value of the programs and training materials offered here. There is no guarantee, however, that you will earn money using the techniques and ideas presented in our courses, programs and training materials. If and when we share revenue and sales figures on our website and other platforms and channels, they are examples only and are not designed to reflect typical outcomes. Instead, they are examples of exceptional results and are not indicative of the average experience. You should not consider any revenue, sales, or earnings information we present as a promise, guarantee, or expectation of any specific level of success or earnings. Your results will depend entirely on various factors beyond our control, including your financial situation, experiences, skills, effort, education, and external market changes over which we have no control. Running any business involves substantial risk, and your use of the information we provide is at your own risk. We provide all information, materials, and content without any express or implied warranty. By using our website and accessing our content, you agree that we are not responsible for any decisions you make based on the information presented, or from purchasing any of our products or services. Any claims of actual earnings or examples of results can be verified upon request. Contact us at any time.
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