As we grow, and evolve, we’ve realised something. We aren’t a community for all men. And it feels difficult writing that - Dan and I set this community up because we are passionate about creating connection amongst men, and leaving certain men ‘behind’ feels wrong. 

But here’s our take. 

Our values sit front and centre of everything we do. But often, these values just exist as words. They don’t mean anything until you really take some time to drill down into them and think about how they don’t just apply to the community as a whole, but to all of our members too. 

Ambition

We don’t look at ambition through the lens of making money or having status. It’s an ambition to make our lives as joyful and fulfilling as possible. It’s about having agency or responsibility for your own life, about finding purpose and giving back to others. And that’s one thing we want all of our members to feel - understanding that you need to take accountability for your own ambition. The community can play a big role in that, but ultimately that responsibility is an individual one too. 

Authenticity

We work hard to create an environment where every man is embraced for who he is, which allows our members to turn up as they are, not feeling under pressure to perform or act a certain way. But as we’ve grown, that responsibility also sits with our members too. Because the only way this value works is if every single member aligns with it. The experience someone new will have is solely dictated by the members they interact with - so as a member, it’s your responsibility to sit outside of the ‘man box’ and be more open minded to different types of men. 

Connection

This value is the cornerstone of our community. We believe everyone will live happier, healthier lives when they have meaningful connections with others. But what we also realise is that this is about personal accountability - we’ve had numerous examples of men who have shown up to their first meet-up feeling nervous, or anxious, but shown up anyway. Their desire to connect has led them to that meet-up. And six months later, they’re thriving and play an integral role in the community. We do everything we can to make new joiners feel welcome, but ultimately, you get as much from the community as you put in - as a member, you have to keep showing up. Connections aren’t made immediately. 

Growth

This is about having a willingness to learn and grow, both individually and together. We have so many incredible men in this community, some of whom I’ve personally learnt a lot from. The only way we can grow is having the willingness to absorb information from others and understand their POV. It makes us better humans. 

Respect

We aren’t a community that aligns with any political ideologies, but we do ask our members to live and breathe this value. It’s about treating everyone with dignity and respect, regardless of gender, race, sexuality, background or belief. I believe that this is the reason we get such positive feedback from our members, and why as we’ve grown we’ve maintained such a special culture. 

So in summary, the reason we’re not for every man is because not every man aligns with our values. This idea of being part of something which is bigger than your own individual experience isn’t for everyone. By being a member of S2S, we do ask you to align with these values, and consider what value you can bring to the table, whether that’s to other members or to the community more broadly. 

Tom

A reminder all of these events are hosted on our dedicated S2S platform: shoulder.mn.co 

Brand Partner: We are very fortunate to officially announce Sons as our first S2S brand partner! 

Over the coming months, we'll be working closely with Sons to bring the male hair loss conversation to the forefront of our community. They’re a brand whose values closely align with ours. 

S2S members get 50% off Sons three and six months plans, with free biotin and a welcome pack with any order. 

If this sounds like a bit of you, head over to sons.co.uk and use S2S50 at checkout. 

Without support from brands, this community would not be sustainable. You can read out brand partner policy here:

S2S Brand Partner Policy

AND FINALLY…

PLEASE remember to complete our member survey. This feedback is so useful to us, it’s your opportunity to feed into the longer term growth strategy of the community and we (confidentially) read every single response. Q2 Member Survey

Thanks

Dan and Tom