Building an online community is can be the most challenging, yet fulfilling job for a Community Manager! I'm sharing some learnings, hits & misses while building TheRodinhoods for 5 years!

1. Asha Chaudhry – Co-founder & Editor
@ashaonthebeach @therodinhoods
What I learnt while building an online
community: some hits, some misses!

2. Want to build a community?
First ask yourself WHY?
Be clear about the purpose!
Don’t re-invent the wheel.
Don’t build a community just because
you have thousands of users.

3. The Power of SHARING

4. Communities offer a wealth
of KNOWLEDGE to tap into.
Alok Rodinhood Kejriwal (Founder) started sharing
his startup experiences on TRH in November 2010.

5. TRH tries to make an entrepreneur’s
journey, a little LESS LONELY.
June 2016
11,600+ members
6000+ articles
Startup stories
Showcases
Resources/Insights
Lessons
Problems
Queries

6. Communities offer the
Power of MANY!

7. PURPOSE & PEOPLE
Alok meets & mentors one
entrepreneur every week
day.
Together we’d like to help
people and foster
entrepreneurship through
TRH!

8. You’ve started a community.
Now keep it RELEVANT & ENGAGED!

9. Identify your ROCKSTARS!
Writers
Early Adopters
Experts from different verticals
Validators & Devil’s Advocates
Networkers/Connectors
Event Organizers
Startup Evangelist

11. REWARD them!

12. SURPRISE them!

13. EMPOWER them and
always be INCLUSIVE!
(They are your BRAND Ambassadors!)

14. Rodinhooders ORGANISE Open Houses & Meetups
We create a new
organizing team every
time for an Open House
and every volunteer
has a unique role!

15. 45+ EVENTS across 11 CITIES!

16. Live #RodinChats
We all are each other’s
mini mentors!

17. Tim Draper was interviewed
by a Rodinhooder at
Draper University!

18. Understand your MEMBERS!

19. “You don't have to be an expert
in startups to succeed at one”
“The way to succeed in a startup is not to be an expert
on startups, but to be an expert on your users and the
problem you're solving for them. Mark Zuckerberg
didn't succeed because he was an expert on startups.
He succeeded despite being a complete noob at
startups, because he understood his users really well.”
~ Paul Graham

20. Engage, Engage, ENGAGE!

21. Stay CONNECTED!
Send out an interesting & unpredictable weekly newsletter!

22. CONNECT offline through meaningful EVENTS!

23. LISTEN and Keep your Eyes & Ears Open!
Read & Retain all Startup & Funding news
Be a Social Media Observer
Give People Shout-Outs!

24. Be the CONFIDANT and never break TRUST

25. Your COMMUNITY becomes
your extended FAMILY!
There’s a Rodinhooder in every city!

26. Your family becomes a part
of this EXTENDED FAMILY!!

27. DON’T try to do EVERYTHING YOURSELF!
Use tools & templates + how-to-dos
SEEK HELP from committed volunteers
Hire interns & build a small team!

28. You’re not Wonder Woman!
(look after your health)

29. Community
Management
is NOT A
PART-TIME JOB.

30. Be PATIENT and COMMUNICATE well!
Be lucid in your online communication
Share candid feedback & give useful suggestions
ALWAYS HELP!

31. Never compromise on QUALITY.
Have POLICIES and stick to them.
Be polite, but firm!

32. You can’t keep everyone HAPPY!
(and you are not responsible for people’s issues.)
People come in good, bad, ugly & awesome!
Each with their own perspective. Respect that!

33. It’s gonna take LONGER
than you think…

34. TRH Open Houses started from
3-7 Rodinhooders…

35. Reached different CITIES…

36. And the tribe kept GROWING!

37. My parting gyan…
“The only way to grow a
vibrant and engaged online
community is to invest
yourself in it; keep your head
down and build.”

38. asha@rodinhood.com
@ashaonthebeach
@therodinhoods
http://therodinhoods.com
I’m an EMAIL or TWEET away!

39. Thank YOU!