Throughout our conversations with hosts in the last few months, we’ve seen many different models of monetization. Ticketing is essential, but not sufficient, and hosts across all different types of interests are getting creative with how they monetize.
Some types of communities make this easier than others. The community we feature today mirrors some of the monetization tactics of RummiKlub, a past feature of ours, tapping into a different type of brand budget.
On Connection is a community hosting dinner parties with local chefs and venues. But what began as small gatherings around the dinner table has grown into a community that proves in-person connection is still the most powerful medium we have, with each dinner bringing founders, creatives, and neighbors together alongside local chefs, small businesses, and brand partners.
Introducing On Connection, a community proving that the dinner table is the most powerful stage for brand building today.
Q: What is an On Connection dinner about? How does it work?
At On Connection we produce 2 different types of experiences.
1. Our public dinners: held throughout the year which are centered around making meaningful connections around the table while working with local chefs, iconic venues, and other small businesses. Anyone can buy a ticket to these dinners which is what makes it so special. No membership or prerequisite required.
2. Custom Experiences: We also produce custom experiences for companies or brands that are looking to have their own private On Connection experience. This can be anything from a team building dinner, influencer or brand activation, or a private event to attract new customers. While dinners are our specialty, we also do happy hours, panel discussions, conferences and more.
Q: You hire photographers for every dinner and provide content to brands – but also say the real value isn't the social media assets. What actually happens in that room that brands can't replicate with a traditional activation?
That’s right, for all of our public dinners we hire a local photographer to get shots for brands that are in participation. It’s a great asset for beverage partners, chefs, and venues, but I’ve noticed that the value comes from the relationships built at each event.
When you come to the event and you're able to see the types of people engaging with your product or your space or your food, it's just a way better judgment of how an audience feels about your brand rather than just getting social media assets.
Social media assets are great for a take-home for the brand to feel like they got something tangible out of it. However, most of the feedback that I get from working with brands is that they loved the experience of it all - the people they met, the relationships that they formed, and the other opportunities and doors that it has opened for them post-event.
Q: You mentioned not wanting a membership model, but you do seek brand sponsorships. How do you think about the right way to monetize community gatherings?
Yeah, the reason that we decided against a membership model is simply because we wanted to attract a wider audience and meet new people at every event. Financially, maybe that's not the best business decision, but we felt that a membership would limit us in connecting with more people.
When we created On Connection, the idea was always to create it with no prerequisites required. Meaning that you don’t have to be tied to a certain industry, a job, gender or any other typical membership requirement that most social clubs have.
We really wanted it to be a place where anyone that wanted to meet new people and make new connections can come (while highlighting local and small businesses along the way).
Q: You choose to work with brands that highlight "where food comes from" rather than just beverage sponsors. How do you navigate the tension between accessibility (keeping tickets affordable) and the kind of elevated experience that attracts premium brand partners?
One of our values is to give people more than they expect, so we think about this from both the guest perspective and the sponsorships/partnerships perspective.
For sponsors that are just making in-kind donations (like beverage partners or venues), we definitely want to give them more than what they thought they would get out of it. So that's the social media assets, connections that they may want to be introduced to, and highlighting them throughout our messaging leading up to the event.
For people that are coming to the dinner, when they buy a ticket, we want them to leave feeling like their money was well spent. We always are clear with what your ticket includes (how many courses, what drink pairings, and what additional experience elements are included) but we do also love to throw in a few surprises along the way. :)
That same thing goes for our premium brand partners. We really do aim to make all of our dinners intentional, custom and curated. No two events look the same. When a premium brand partner supports us, it helps all around. We are able to keep ticket costs lower for guests and also help support our other smaller partners like the local farmers, chefs, and winemakers.
Q: If IRL communities become the new marketing channel, what happens to hosts like you – do you become the new media moguls, or does the marketing world ruin dinner parties forever?
IRL communities are already becoming the new marketing channel. If your brand or company is not exploring in-person events, you are already behind.
As we know AI is reshaping how we work and people feel increasingly disconnected. Face-to-face experiences are one of the most powerful ways to build trust, gather real feedback, and create genuine connections.
Hosts like me and companies like On Connection act as a superpower for brands. We bring the expertise to design experiences that help you attract and engage an audience while also giving you the space to focus on your brand and learn directly from your community. That insight is invaluable.
When these gatherings are done thoughtfully, they do not feel like marketing. They feel like moments of connection. And those moments can become the foundation for loyalty, belonging, and long-term growth.
We hope you enjoyed edition #16 of Offline Weekly, a newsletter featuring up-and-coming offline communities.
We believe the future of brand marketing and community building is Offline.
