millie rowley on why building authentic community is more than just a brand trend

In the whirlwind of mess brought on by the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, many facets of normality were left behind in the shadow of a world we once knew. One of those facets, regrettably, was the human need for social connection. Millie Rowley – founder of She Runs Club – noted this challenge and ran with it, turning a hurdle into an opportunity. In just 18 months, She Runs Club’s female community has transformed from a weekly Wednesday morning run into a thriving community of nearly 25,000 women – and it’s only just getting started. 

Describing She Runs Club as a community that “empowers, connects and uplifts women, providing a space for authentic friendships through weekly movement and social events,” Millie says the catalyst for this grassroots organisation was her own desire for community connection. “I was overcome by the challenge of making new friends as an adult, as well as the loneliness and void that followed this insular and strange period [of the pandemic],” she says. “I’d always dreamt of creating a safe and supportive third space for women since age 14, and seeing the boom of run clubs in Sydney – bringing together thousands of runners – inspired me to finally bring my vision to life!”Don’t be fooled, dear reader, for this isn’t any ordinary run club. She Runs Club is also a melting pot of curious folk interested in forming genuine connections. Attendees can run, walk or scrapbook their way through She Runs Club’s events, but what is really at the crux of these get-togethers is a desire for community – a desire that brims from both the participators and the brand. 

“Community isn’t a trend,” Millie says. “It’s an essential antidote to modern day disconnection and intensity. I intended to always uphold this mission from day one and hope to bring authentic connection to women everywhere. I strongly believe that community is so much more than just a hot buzz word for businesses and brands to throw around as a marketing tactic to drive sales and eyeballs. I believe that community is a feeling.” 

It’s this notion that explains the astronomical success of Millie’s run club. As someone who has been on the frontline of a friendship thirst, Millie understands not only why creating a sense of authentic community is important, but also how she – and the hoards of women and folk who are demographically aligned – would like to experience it.  

“More than ever – with value-conscious and knowledgeable consumers – the need for community is being recognised as the heart and soul of any successful business,” Millie explains. “As humans, we crave connection with one another – operating in a fast-paced, digital and commercial world, things can feel robotic, shallow and devoid of real emotion. Community is invaluable, contagious – it attracts you with a magnetism through its thriving energy. It has a positive pulse and is an asset that can’t just be bought or borrowed. Maybe it’s cringey and naive, but I strongly believe that by leading with my heart, trusting my gut, coming from a place of authenticity and a real desire for connection whenever I showed up both in real life or online, it all led to our organic growth.”Once the pillars and values that provided the foundation of Millie’s brand were in place, she got to work expanding the reach of She Runs Club. “In addition to having a background in marketing – which was really helpful – I think that actually being a part of the core demographic has helped me the most in decision-making, understanding what platforms to use, the type of content to post, or even how I wanted our digital presence to look and feel. I also took notes from other popular run clubs, social groups, influencers and brands in the space that inspired me and started to form our unique tone of voice, offerings and energy that I felt was missing. It was truly a trial-and-error process!” 

However, no business is without its barriers. For Millie, a challenge that she had to overcome was the incredible pace at which She Runs Club grew. “There were many occasions where I felt overwhelmed and stuck with my next steps. There were so many opinions, questions, voices, Instagram DMs, ideas and conversations with so many women, every week.” While she juggled wearing all of the hats in the running of She Runs Club, Millie learnt to listen to her gut. “What has served me best is pausing the noise and identifying the major priorities that I knew would bring the best possible outcome for everyone. You really can’t please everyone.” 

Embedding authentic community into the fabric of a brand isn’t something that is achieved with KPIs and spreadsheets. If you ask Millie, the way to succeed with community is working out the ‘why’. “I would say to someone seeking to build a community of their own, to honestly ask themselves why they are doing it, and to feel certain that they are super-passionate about their ‘why’,” she says. “It’s the kind of ‘why’ that should get you out of bed in the morning or on a bad day, no matter how tricky the journey might be. The destination might also not always be super-obvious at first, but if you persist it will become clear.” In other words – build it, and they will come.

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