🧠 Inside the Mind of a Forum Veteran: Shawn Gossman Interview
Online forums have been a cornerstone of internet communities for decades—and few people understand them better than Shawn Gossman. From launching Another Admin Forum to managing multiple niche communities like Talk Whatever, Shawn has built, lost, rebuilt, and learned from years of experience in the forum world.
In this interview, he shares valuable insights into community building, lessons from failures, and why life outside the screen is just as important as what happens online.
🎤 Interview with Shawn Gossman
Forum Owner of Another Admin Forum & Talk Whatever
Q: You’ve been involved in online forums for many years—what first got you started in community building?
Shawn Gossman: When I was a teenager, probably late ‘90s, I was creating static HTML websites and really enjoying it. I met other webmasters and one of them suggested I check out a forum. I did and loved the concept of it. The first software I used was phpBB version 1, but then version 2 came out and I used it more than the first one.
Q: What inspired you to create Another Admin Forum, and what makes it unique in today’s landscape?
Shawn Gossman: I initially created AAF in 2011 using SMF. It got up to nearly 1,000 members and over 50,000 posts by 2015. I wasn’t in good health (both physically and mentally) back then and needed a break. I gave the forum database to The Sandman on The Admin Zone.
If you look at the members, you can see that my old AAF account is the second user with the most posts on TAZ. Sandman eventually sold the forum off, and it changed hands again after that.
The original AAF domain became available again, I bought it, and relaunched the forum. I truly missed and regretted giving up AAF over the years. It’s been my favorite forum to have. Even though it’s not as busy as it was back then, I’m really happy to have it again.
Q: With multiple projects like Talk Whatever, how do you decide which ideas are worth turning into a full community?
Shawn Gossman: I have a lot of forums—I won’t lie. I typically make one for every major hobby or passion I have. I also have the strategy of accepting any sort of community size.
If my hiking forum just has four people who come every day and post, I’m fine with that. It’s about the people, not the vanity metrics.
Talk Whatever originally was made to test out vBulletin 6. I decided I wanted to keep the general forum going but had to migrate to XenForo because it’s a better platform right now. It’s my most challenging forum because it’s not passion-specific, but I’ve been able to keep it successful so far.
Q: Over the years, what are the biggest lessons you’ve learned from running forums?
Shawn Gossman: I love this question! One big lesson is that vanity metrics—total members, total posts—don’t really matter when it comes to building a real community.
If you focus too much on those, you’ll neglect your community and the chance to grow something meaningful. People and onboarding are what matter.
Another lesson: you don’t need a million categories. Keep it simple and make sure your main niche content stands out.
Q: Have any of your past projects not gone as planned? What did those experiences teach you?
Shawn Gossman: For sure—I’ve had many failures. But I don’t see them as negative, I see them as learning experiences.
I once ran a big board and even bought out my competition. But I didn’t prioritize backups back then. That backfired when a database catastrophe happened. I lost everything, including a $2,000+ investment. The forum couldn’t be recovered.
Lesson learned—it’s part of life.
Q: What do you think makes a forum truly successful in 2026?
Shawn Gossman: Community. A forum is just a platform—what matters is the relationships between people.
You need to focus on onboarding and building connections from day one. A real community will always matter more than marketing.
Q: How do you balance managing multiple communities without burning out?
Shawn Gossman: Honestly, I enjoy it because it keeps me busy. Otherwise, I’d waste time on things like endless YouTube scrolling.
But I avoid burnout by unplugging on weekends and getting out into nature. Back in the old AAF days, I didn’t do that, and it contributed to me stepping away for a few years.
Q: How has the rise of social media impacted forums, and where do you see forums fitting in today?
Shawn Gossman: It’s generational. People who grew up with forums still love them. Newer generations grew up with social media.
Forums aren’t as mobile-first and aren’t the same as social media. To be honest, when the current generation of forum users fades out, forums might fade with them too.
Q: What advice would you give to someone launching their first forum?
Shawn Gossman: Know your niche and your audience. Post something valuable every day, even if it’s just you.
Start small with a few boards and build relationships with members from day one. Focus on community, not quick success. It takes time.
Q: When you step away from the screen, what are some of your favorite offline hobbies besides hiking?
Shawn Gossman: I enjoy blogging and run several blogs that make money. I also love cycling—road, gravel, and mountain biking.
I’m into kayaking, caving, and even looking for snakes to observe. I also value spending time with my wife, kids, and close friends, and I enjoy traveling around the country.
Q: How does hiking help you recharge or influence your mindset?
Shawn Gossman: Nature isn’t man-made—it’s raw and uncontrollable. I like being in wild places and just embracing it.
The fresh air, natural sounds, and overall environment help me escape the chaos of technology. It’s grounding and healthy.
Q: Are there any hobbies or activities you’d like to explore more?
Shawn Gossman: I’ve recently gotten into trail running and I’m doing my first ultra this summer. I’d love to get deeper into that scene.
I’m also interested in bicycle touring and bikepacking trips.
Q: Do you find that taking time offline improves your creativity or decision-making?
Shawn Gossman: Absolutely. People need breaks, whether they admit it or not. Taking time offline helps you reset and think more clearly.
Q: How important is it for digital creators to maintain a healthy offline life?
Shawn Gossman: It’s extremely important. When I didn’t, my health and mental state suffered badly.
Living only online isn’t healthy—you need real-world experiences. Making that change is hard, but it improves your life in every way.
Q: Looking ahead, what are your goals both online and offline?
Shawn Gossman: Online, I want to grow my communities by focusing on discussion rather than adding features. I want people who genuinely want to connect.
Offline, I want to stay active—run more, bike more, and improve my health. As I get older, I need to adapt and take better care of myself.
🚀 Final Thoughts
Shawn Gossman’s journey highlights a powerful truth about forums: it’s not about numbers—it’s about people. From rebuilding Another Admin Forum to managing multiple passion-driven communities, his experience shows that long-term success comes from genuine connection, consistency, and learning from failure.
Equally important is his emphasis on balance. In a world dominated by screens, stepping outside, embracing hobbies, and prioritizing real-life relationships can make all the difference—not just for your well-being, but for your creativity and success online.
Whether you’re launching your first forum or running an established community, there’s a lot to take away from Shawn’s story.
Great interview, with very useful advice and lessons, well done Shawn.
This is a great interview, and I feel it touches on a lot of issues that forums face today when going up against social media and the domination forums face.
One of the parts that I liked is what Shawn said about chasing numbers. Sometimes, it is better to have some real active users that connect that chasing millions of posts that won’t matter in the next one year. He’s an experienced forum administrator and I agree with you on that notion.
Thanks for interviewing me! I loved telling my story!
I’ve been anticipating this interview for a while now so I’m glad you were finally able to interview Shawn! I think forums are pretty easy to navigate on phones these days, most are responsive out of the box. Though he might be right about forums dying with those who still use them, but who knows right? I really found this interview to be very informative, and I’m glad Shawn is doing better these days! I think his approach of focusing on his forums throughout the week and then taking a break on weekends is a good way to navigate and manage multiple forums, I might start doing this myself!
I found the interview with Shawn Gossman very valuable because it shows how the experience of building forums goes beyond the technical aspects and connects with personal life. He explains that managing communities requires patience, consistency, and a clear vision of what you want to achieve, but he also emphasizes the importance of maintaining a balance between the digital world and life offline. I was struck by his focus on learning from mistakes and transforming each challenge into a lesson for growth as an administrator and as a person. He also highlights that the true success of a forum lies not only in the number of users but also in the quality of the relationships that are formed. Ultimately, he conveys passion and commitment, reminding us that behind every online community there is a human effort seeking connection and purpose.
Thank you so much Shawn for this great interview.
A lot of people who pose as forum owners don’t really know what it entails to run an online community but it sure looks like you’ve found the right path to doing this.
Also, you’re right the need to take some time off forums because that’s definitely going to keep you refreshed always.
I have known Shawn for many years in the forum world, I have posted on his multiple forums, including Another Admin Forum. There is a so much to learn from him regarding running, managing, and growing online communities.
This is a great interview. Shawn Gossman is my boss the way I see him and he’s a great guy when it comes to how he runs and manage all his forums. He’s calm and collected at all times in doing his things.