I'll get a Dalmatian one day :)

My journey into community building has roots that go way back to my early childhood. I've always loved building communities, and my very first experience was when I was just 4 years old, learning guitar with the Classical Suzuki Guitar association in Melbourne, Australia. We connected with fellow students, played guitar together & celebrated our efforts at an annual concert.

This sense of belonging and connection for 20+ years was a catalyst for my career in community building.

I’ve predominantly held various community-related roles in the Australian startup space including:
~ Managing Australia's largest startup community at The Startup Network
~ Growing a university’s entrepreneurial community from 500 to 5000+ founders over 3 years at RMIT Activator
~ Supporting asylum seeker women to build their own businesses at not-for-profit SisterWorks
~ Building an in person community at a local co-working space and automating 9 hours of manual onboarding tasks at Happy Spaces

This diverse experience eventually led me to accidentally becoming a founder myself!

I noticed so many community builders struggling in similar roles and wanted to support them. This led to co-founding The Community Collective, where I now focus on empowering community builders across the Australian and New Zealand startup space to build engage communities. It's been a rewarding adventure, filled with both challenges, amazing memories and incredible connections!

Honestly it’s been managing burnout, especially as a Founder. It's a common pitfall in the startup world, and I'm not immune to it. When you're deeply passionate about your community and business, it's easy to lose track of time and overcommit. I've learned the hard way that it's crucial to set boundaries, prioritise myself, and delegate responsibilities.

Building a supportive team and seeking mentorship has been instrumental in staying on top of my energy levels. It's an ongoing journey, but recognizing the signs and taking proactive steps to prevent burnout has been a vital lesson in my career.

What a fascinating journey it’s been! One of the key elements has been surrounding myself with great mentors and advisors. These seasoned individuals have been invaluable in providing guidance, insights, and a fresh perspective. They are the ones I call on when I need help. When I’m unsure. When I have doubts.

Their wisdom has helped me navigate the complexities of community management and building a business from scratch.

Choosing a favourite platform is like choosing a favourite ice cream flavour —tough to narrow it down! But, if I had to choose one, I'd say Butter is my current favourite. It's a fantastic online tool for video conferencing that makes hosting fun and engaging workshops online a breeze. What makes it even more special is that one of our members builds the community at Butter so we love supporting them.

One strategy that has proven to be a game-changer is championing existing members to be Ambassadors of the community.

Creating an Ambassador program empowers dedicated and passionate members to become advocates. They play a crucial role in building initiatives alongside the team and ensure we have an ear to the ground about what’s working and what’s not. They not only amplify the sense of belonging but also bring fresh perspectives and ideas to the table.

This collaborative effort fosters a dynamic and inclusive community environment where everyone feels heard and valued.

I like to think of community like a toolbox. In a community, each member is like an individual tool. Alone, tools may have limited use, but together, they enable the completion of a wide range of tasks and projects. Just as a plumber relies on their toolbox to get a job done, a community depends on each other to achieve their goals and reach greater heights. It's about creating a support system, a place to learn and grow collectively.

My advice would be to seek out fellow community builders to learn and grow with. Despite being surrounded by many people, community management can paradoxically feel lonely at times, but it's essential to find your people. Find the people who understand you. Find the people who are on the same journey. Find the people YOU can rely on.

You can discover like-minded community professionals in online forums, industry events, memberships just like Led By Community or even within specialised programs like The Community Collective's Community Cohort.

Connecting with others who share your passion not only provides valuable insights and support but also reminds you that you're not alone in this. Together, we can navigate the challenges and celebrate the successes that come with building communities.