How to Build a Movement, Not Just Grow Followers

There’s a big difference between collecting followers and building a movement. One gets you views. The other creates impact.

If you’re tired of chasing vanity metrics, if you’re craving deeper connections, and if you’re ready to lead something that actually matters—this post is for you.

Followers Watch. Movements Participate.

Anyone can grow a following with the right reel, trend, or tactic. But a movement? That takes intention. It takes trust. And it takes time.

A movement invites people into something bigger than the person at the front. It isn’t about the number under your handle. It’s about the number of lives transformed by your message, your mission, and the community you cultivate.

I recently sat down with Demiree Suanne , founder of EmpowHer, Michigan’s largest women’s empowerment event, for an honest conversation about what it really looks like to build a movement from scratch.

Here’s what I learned—and what you need to know if you want to stop just growing followers and start building something that lasts.

1. Stop Treating Your Audience Like an Algorithm

Movements don’t begin with strategy. They begin with people.

Demiree didn’t set out to “go viral.” She created a local boutique where women felt seen, safe, and supported—and those women kept showing up. Not because she had the perfect funnel or polished brand photos, but because she made them feel human in a world that constantly pushes perfection.

Ask yourself:

• Do your people feel seen in your content?

• Are you talking to them or talking at them?

• Are you solving their real problems or just recycling trends?

Start there.

2. Make Human Connection Your Business Model

It’s not about you. It’s about what you unlock in the people who follow you.

Demiree said something that stuck with me: “If you want to be the center of attention, you're an influencer. If you want to create impact, you're a community leader.”

Movements are rooted in relationships. That means creating space for others to connect—not just with you, but with each other. In person, online, in the comments, in the DMs, in the app—wherever your people gather.

The most powerful communities are the ones that survive without you in the room.

3. Show Up When No One’s Watching

This part isn’t glamorous, but it’s essential.

In the early stages of any movement, you’ll have moments where you’re creating for an empty room. Demiree talked about showing up for coworking sessions where not a single person logged on—but she still hosted them. Why? Because she knew consistency builds credibility.

Movements are not born in the spotlight. They’re built in the quiet moments where you choose to lead anyway.

4. Let Your Community Shape the Experience

One of the biggest mistakes creators make is building something for their audience instead of with them.

Ask questions. Watch how they engage. Notice what they’re asking for—even when they’re not using the “right” language. Demiree’s most successful membership offer came from pivoting a group call no one showed up to into one-on-one 15-minute mentoring slots that sold out.

You don’t need to have it all figured out. You need to be willing to evolve.

5. Show the Cracks

People don’t connect with perfect. They connect with real.

From plunging a toilet the morning of a podcast shoot to admitting when nobody showed up for a live event, the real moments are the movement. Every time you let people see the messy middle, you give them permission to do the same in their lives.

If you want people to walk with you, you have to be willing to let them see where you’re walking from.

Final Thoughts: A Movement is a Mirror

A real movement reflects the values, challenges, and dreams of the people inside it. It’s not about building a business around yourself—it’s about building a space that includes others, grows with them, and gives them something they want to share.

The next time you feel stuck trying to increase your followers, zoom out. Ask yourself:

• What am I really trying to create here?

• Who is it for?

• What will they walk away with that has nothing to do with me?

Then start building that.

Because the truth is, you don’t need millions of followers to make a massive impact.You just need the courage to build something real—and the patience to let it grow.

Want to hear the full conversation with Demiree?

Watch the episode on YouTube