A Casual Chat About My Coffee Club Journey

Today's article is brought to you by Stacy B., a Squirrel Wrangler™ dedicated to helping people wrangle their inner squirrels and find peace and joy in their lives.

The Birth of My Virtual Coffee Club

Ever had one of those "aha" moments when you realize you're onto something special? That's exactly what happened to me with my coffee club. Picture this: it's late, I'm on Zoom, and I just had this spontaneous idea—what if I invited people over for a virtual coffee? I wasn’t sure who would show up, but I thought, why not give it a go? Little did I know, this small idea would snowball into something way bigger and more amazing than I ever imagined.

I started simple—invited a few folks, set up a Zoom link, and created a landing page for sign-ups and reminders. It was a bit of an experiment. I honestly didn’t expect much. But then, something cool happened. People started showing up. It wasn’t just me hanging out alone at odd hours; others found value in it too. I was hooked!

The Move to GoBrunch

We began on Zoom, but I was eager to find something more flexible. That’s when I stumbled upon GoBrunch. Now, don’t get me wrong, the transition wasn’t smooth for everyone. Some were a bit reluctant to leave Zoom, but they eventually warmed up to the new platform. And man, was it worth it!

GoBrunch gave us a 24/7 space for our coffee chats. Imagine popping in at 3 AM because you can't sleep, and finding someone else working away—just as sleepless and eager for a chat. It was perfect for night owls and early birds alike. This round-the-clock availability became a key feature that made our virtual coffee club so unique.

Spontaneous Chats and New Friendships

One of the coolest things about our virtual coffee club was how organic the conversations became. I remember logging in one day and finding Cat and Trey deep in conversation. They weren't even scheduled to meet; they just happened to be online at the same time. It felt like walking into a cozy café and bumping into old friends.

Another great feature of GoBrunch was the multiple rooms. Initially, we joked about needing breakout rooms if our group grew too large for a single screen. Now, we had eight rooms ready to go! Whether it was for practicing NLP techniques or just a quiet spot for deep work, the flexibility was incredible.

Customizing Our Space

I’m a bit of a design nerd, so I loved the idea of customizing our rooms. We added little Easter eggs—hidden surprises like squirrels, Navigator logos, and brains, all reflecting my branding as the Change Navigator and Squirrel Wrangler. It added a fun, quirky touch to our space.

Then came the idea of embedding content. This was a game-changer. We could integrate anything we wanted—videos, documents, you name it. My friend RJ shared some neat tips about hiding things in the room, which added an element of discovery and play. It made our space feel alive and interactive.

Ideas That Kept Us Going

The creativity didn’t stop there. We tossed around ideas like a virtual scavenger hunt. Imagine solving puzzles and finding hidden items in a room to unlock the next part of a course or discussion. It was like an escape room but for our coffee club! This kept our meetings fresh and engaging, and everyone looked forward to what we’d come up with next.

The Magic of Connection

One of my favorite aspects of GoBrunch was the connectivity. We discussed the possibility of linking rooms directly. For instance, if I had a link to RJ’s space, you could jump straight to it from our chat. Or even better, you could see who’s online and teleport right to their location, no matter where they were. It reminded me of Blab’s feature where you could see friends popping online and instantly join their room. It made the virtual space feel intimate and spontaneous.

Exploring Our Coffee Club Rooms

We set up various rooms to cater to different needs. Here’s a quick tour of what we have:

●      NLP Room: For practicing neuro linguistic programming techniques.

●      Pomodoro QuietRoom: Perfect for focused co-working sessions.

●      Coffee Club Community Room: Our main hangout for threaded discussions.

●      Business Collaboration Room: A space for brainstorming and working together on business ideas.

●      Squirrel Wrangler Hangout Room: Featuring a fun YouTube channel with squirrel videos. Seriously, who doesn't love squirrels?

●      TFP Tech Room: For tech assistance and troubleshooting.

●      Store Room: Inspired by RJ, where you can get coffee mugs with our branding. Amy even showed off her color-changing mug!

●      Video Screening Room: A cozy spot for watching movies together.

Each room had its own vibe and purpose, making our virtual coffee club more than just a meeting—it was a community.

Building the Future Together

Being part of this journey from a simple Zoom chat to a vibrant, interactive GoBrunch community has been nothing short of exciting. It's still evolving, and I can't wait to see where we go next. Whether it's creating new rooms, embedding more interactive content, or coming up with fresh ideas, the possibilities are endless.

If you're thinking about starting something similar or just want a fun, engaging space to connect with others, I'd say go for it!Experiment, play around with different tools, and see what works for you. Who knows? You might just find yourself creating a thriving community of your own.

Final Thoughts

So, that’s my story of how a simple idea turned into a 24/7virtual coffee club. It’s been a wild ride, full of late-night chats, spontaneous connections, and creative exploration. And it’s not over yet. We're constantly growing, adapting, and finding new ways to make our space even better.

If you ever feel like joining in, our doors—or should I Say, virtual rooms—are always open. Just bring your favorite mug, a good conversation starter, and an open mind. See you in the coffee club!

Feel free to share your thoughts or ask any questions in the comments below. I'm always here to chat and help you get started on your own virtual community adventure. Cheers to many more coffee-fueled conversations!

About the Contributor: Stacy B. is a Squirrel Wrangler™ guiding others to joy. Connect on LinkedIn or visit her website.

You can get started at GoBrunch.com