To make his life easier, English set up an online community so that his extended circle could communicate with one another more easily.

Since then, English's community has grown to thousands - nearly all of them New Yorkers.

There's a catch: You can only become a "friend" if a current member recommends you. "This may sound corny, but everyone in Quentin's Friends is really nice. There's a real feeling of community," says English, who regularly hosts parties for his members at downtown bars.

English makes sure his community doesn't lose its personal touch. Sure, it grows by 10 to 20 members every day - and each party he throws usually generates at least 50 new members - but he's keeping an eye on quality control.

"The way to do this is to constantly remind people to only refer people who share our core values." he says...