Who do you need to build a community?
People think "community" is a product.
In coworking, we use wanky business terms like "customer acquisition."
But, at the same time, we want people to "join our community."
Think about it: are you building a community or acquiring customers? - It's confusing these days.
(TBH, I don't want to be acquired by anyone or anything.)
However, co-creation is the most critical part of a community.
Your community starts after all those customers you acquired decide how to act and relate to each other after their acquisition process.
You can't just open a box and get out of a community like you can an electrical device.
Humans are complicated people with trauma, goals, personal agendas, emotional needs, political views, record collections, weirdo habits and other people depending on them.
That's why your first community members are essential—they are the seed of the whole thing.
A very high percentage of people who end up in coworking spaces get there through personal referral.
Community is a co-created experience in online and offline communities.
Community is not a product where you flick a switch and here we go.
It's an ever-evolving emotional relationship thing.
