Finding the Overlap: Building Stronger Communities, Partnerships, and Relationships with Baily Hancock

mgraziano45
Jun 13
4 min read

What happens when you combine career pivots, thoughtful community-building, and an unshakeable belief in collaboration? You get the powerhouse that is Baily Hancock.

In this episode of Adventures in Business, we catch up with Baily, a Connection Strategist, Keynote Speaker, and Founder of Overlap Collective, to talk about where her career has taken her, what most businesses are missing when it comes to their community platforms, and Baily’s thoughts on friend (and client) breakups.

Meet Baily Hancock

Baily Hancock is a Connection Strategist, Keynote Speaker, and Host of the “Seeking the Overlap” Podcast. She helps entrepreneurs and membership organizations excel through community, connection, and collaboration – the 3Cs she believes are essential to building meaningful, supported lives surrounded by people who want to see us thrive. Learn more at OverlapCollective.com and connect with her on LinkedIn and Instagram.

From Collaboration Consultant to Connection-Centered Strategist

When the world turned upside down in 2020, so did Baily's business. She had just returned from maternity leave and was excited to dive back into speaking engagements as a collaboration consultant, helping service providers grow their businesses through partnerships.

But then the pandemic hit.

Her career pivoted into an in-house role with Mighty Networks, where she spent two years helping hundreds of community leaders build, grow, and manage online communities. That experience revealed one major insight: most businesses don’t actually need a community platform – at least not in the way they think they do.

Now, Baily is back to running her own business, Overlap Collective, as a connection-centered strategist, speaker, and facilitator. Her mission? To help people connect better with themselves and others to achieve their goals – through her three Cs: community, connection, and collaboration.

Why Most Businesses Don’t Need a Community Platform

Having worked closely with top-tier clients at Mighty Networks, Baily learned that launching an online community can be exciting, but sustaining one takes real work and intentional strategy.

Here’s what she found:

Many brands launch communities without asking if their audience even wants one
Engagement usually drops off a few weeks post-launch
Keeping a community alive requires consistent effort, not just content

One place where communities do shine? Events. Whether virtual or in-person, a community platform can provide a space for pre-event networking, real-time engagement, and post-event connection. That sense of continuity is what turns a one-time attendee into a lifelong advocate.

How to Actually Make a Community Work

For community builders who do have a solid reason to exist, Baily shared some tried-and-true tips to foster engagement:

App Placement Matters: Replace the spot on your phone where you’d normally check Instagram with your community app. Make it a habit.

Build Community into Daily Routines: Use browser tabs or habit stacking to integrate check-ins.

Don’t Drown Members in Content: Instead, create regular, interactive touchpoints – think weekly calls, engaging prompts, or buddy systems.

Support Accountability and Connection: Help members connect with each other, not just with the host or facilitator.

How Community Fuels Her Business

For over a decade, Baily has leaned into community-driven business development. Her network, built through genuine relationships and consistent engagement, has been her greatest asset.

“People saying my name in rooms I’m not in – that’s how I’ve gotten every opportunity.”

But she’s quick to admit: relying solely on referrals isn’t scalable. That’s why Baily is now challenging herself to tackle the parts of business she’s historically avoided – like recurring revenue and sales strategy. She’s moving beyond dopamine-driven projects to build a more sustainable foundation.

When It’s Time to Let Go

Baily shared her thoughts on the delicate art of friendship (and client) breakups. After turning 40, she’s experienced several friendship shifts, which she sees as a natural part of evolving into a more aligned version of herself.

“You don’t owe it to anyone to keep showing up for them if it’s not aligned anymore.”

Sometimes, relationships fade naturally. Other times, they call for an honest conversation. Either way, Baily believes that intentionality, kindness, and communication are key – and that people can always circle back into your life down the road.

Baily Hancock’s Vision for 2026

As the conversation wrapped up, Amani asked Baily where she wants to be by June 1, 2026. Her answer was writing a book – something she’s dreamed about since she was nine. She’s hoping all the writing she’s been doing on Substack will lead to that goal.

Baily also shared her business vision: working more with membership organizations and associations to help their communities connect more meaningfully. Whether through her consulting, speaking, or her 6-week Three Cs Accelerator program for entrepreneurs, her mission is to teach people how to build real, lasting relationships that matter.

Because, as Baily says, if the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that we need each other. And most of us still need help figuring out how to do that well.