In 2020, young entrepreneur Jasmine Douglas started Babes on Waves, a digital networking space for women of colour navigating the creative industries during lockdown. But as restrictions were lifted, the power of IRL connection came into sharp focus. It was through real-life moments — partnering with Size? on an International Women’s Day event, hosting a flower arranging workshop with Beats to support domestic violence charity Sistah Space — that the community deepened. In 2024, she launched social wellness club Busy Babes, a new arm to her business that organises wellness meetups “for busy babes”, including international retreats and sauna and ice bath socials.
Douglas is part of a growing market. From run clubs and reading groups to sober socials and ceramics collectives, micro-communities are increasingly gathering offline, transforming shared interests into shared experiences for consumers. With them, a different kind of cultural capital is taking hold, which is not focused on traditional influencers and social reach. And brands want in.
