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The “Loneliness Economy” is one of the fastest-growing markets in the world right now, and this week on the Mike & Blaine Podcast, we look at the surprising number of companies building massive revenue streams around the simple fact that people don’t want to be alone anymore. From Bumble BFF helping strangers become friends to Discord servers replacing physical hangouts and coworking spaces like WeWork recreating the offices we all said we hated, connection has quietly shifted from a social byproduct to a premium product. 

We break down the business strategy and market tactics behind this shift, exploring why modern life made everyone more isolated and why brands are rushing to solve the crisis with subscription-based communities. Is belonging the most valuable asset a company can offer in 2026? We discuss how businesses are moving beyond the “follower” model of the early social media era and into the “belonging” model, where the strategic moat isn't just a product, but a culture. 

Turns out the internet gave us followers, but now we’re paying for friends. Whether you’re a founder looking at community-led Growth or a Finance leader analyzing the ROI of human connection, this episode dives deep into the monetization of Intimacy and the future of community-driven commerce.

If you enjoyed this episode and want to help us keep the conversation going, head over to mikeandblaine.com to buy us a beer!

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kvnHURCT0Hw

Featured Beer: @903Brewers @wrenhousebrewing

Mike: 903 Brewing “Troop 903” Cream Ale

Blaine: Wren House “Forty-Two Buckets” Czech Pale Lager 

Thanks to our Beer Sponsors: 

• Karen Hairston from 3S Smart Consulting: 3ssmartconsulting.com

• Neighbor Pat

• Devin

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Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kvnHURCT0Hw

#LonelinessEpidemic #LonelinessEconomy #CommunityCulture #CreatorEconomy #BusinessStrategy #Entrepreneurship #MikeAndBlaine #CommunityBuilding #FutureOfWork #SaaS #MarketTrends #WeWork #BumbleBFF #Discord #Starbucks #Meetup #HumanConnection #StartupGrowth

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Blaine Bertsch Podcaster

Blaine is a co-host on Business, Beer & BS with Mike & Blaine. He's also Co-Founder and CEO at Dryrun, a business cash flow forecasting and modeling software company, and author of "Chronic Cash Flow". Blaine's co-host, Mike Milan, also known as "Cash Flow Mike", is a serial entrepreneur, author and finance coach for business owners and CPAs.