Building member-led communities

How can you build a thriving member-led community in the events industry? Francisco Opazo, founder of Led by Community, joins Lee to share his journey of creating a B2B community for event professionals, focusing on making community initiatives member-driven rather than top-down. Francisco founded Led by Community to help B2B community leaders grow, share resources,…
Lee Matthew Jackson

Lee Matthew Jackson

December 3, 2024

How can you build a thriving member-led community in the events industry? Francisco Opazo, founder of Led by Community, joins Lee to share his journey of creating a B2B community for event professionals, focusing on making community initiatives member-driven rather than top-down.

Francisco founded Led by Community to help B2B community leaders grow, share resources, and support each other. In this episode, he discusses his experience in launching Led by, starting as a simple newsletter that eventually grew into a vibrant community of over 600 members. Francisco highlights the importance of involving community members in decision-making processes, ensuring that the community grows in a way that serves its participants, rather than trying to dictate everything from the top.

Lee and Francisco explore the differences between online and in-person events, the challenges of running a bootstrap project, and how to foster an environment where members feel empowered to lead initiatives. Francisco also discusses the concept of “Communiteers,” volunteers who help facilitate events and contribute to the community’s growth, and how being member-led helps Led by thrive.

If you’re looking to understand how to build a community that’s led by its members, not just for its members, this episode is a must-listen.

Video

We recorded this podcast with video as well! You can watch the conversation with Francisco Opazo on YouTube.

Key Takeaways

Here are some of the key takeaways from our conversation with Francisco:

  • Build with your members: Successful communities are built with their members, not just for them. Involve members in the creation and decision-making process to ensure the initiatives resonate with them.
  • Online vs. in-person events: While online events are less resource-intensive, in-person events create deeper emotional connections and memorable experiences. Francisco shares his lessons from organising both.
  • Leverage volunteers: Francisco introduced “Communiteers,” volunteers who help run events and support the community. By empowering others, Led by has been able to grow and sustain itself without overwhelming any one person.
  • Focus on sustainability: Building a community is about more than rapid growth. Francisco’s approach involves creating a model that is sustainable, making use of existing resources and allowing room for organic expansion.
  • Iterative growth: Start small and build gradually. Led by started as a newsletter, expanded to online events, and eventually grew to include in-person gatherings. This iterative approach ensured that every step added value to the community.

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Event Engine Podcast Artwork

Speakers

An image of our guest Francisco Opazo

Francisco Opazo

Led by Community
Lee Matthew Jackson

Lee Matthew Jackson

Event Engine