The Community Tech Stack

Why every company needs to build more than just a user base.

Apr 16, 2025

∙ Paid

Welcome back to another edition of NEW ECONOMIES, rooted in my experiences working in venture. From inside the venture world, one thing is clear: we’re not just in a tech boom—we’re living through a full-blown economic rewrite. New platforms, new business models, and evolving public market strategies are reshaping everything.

Join us on this journey—subscribe to NEW ECONOMIES to stay ahead of the curve. We’re just getting started.

THIS WEEK’S SPONSOR: ATTIO

Attio is the CRM for the AI era. Connect your email, and Attio instantly builds your CRM—with every company, every contact, and every interaction you’ve ever had, enriched and organized.

You can also build AI-powered automations and use its research agent to tackle some of your most complex business processes, freeing you to focus on what matters the most: building your company.

Join industry leaders such as: Flatfile, Replicate, Modal, Union Square Ventures and more. Try the CRM that’s built for the future—loved by customers.

When I first opened Attio, I instantly got the feeling this was the next generation of CRM.
—Attio Customer.

START A FREE ATTIO TRIAL NOW

The best companies today don’t just have users—they have communities. People who want to be there, who help each other, who stick around long after the initial onboarding email. Community isn’t some nice-to-have Discord server or a quarterly AMA—it’s a living, breathing extension of your product and brand and it can make a profound impact on a company if they crack the community code.

THIS EDITION COVERS:

Why you should start a community.
The impact of community.
The community tech stack—the tools to help you succeed.
Bonus: How to start a community.

Let’s dive in!

COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY, COMMUNITY…

For companies, community is leverage. It’s product feedback without the survey. It’s support that scales without adding headcount. It’s your marketing flywheel, recruiting engine, and customer retention strategy rolled into one. When done right, it turns users into advocates and advocates into contributors. That’s not just engagement—that’s ownership.

And here’s the thing: community compounds. The more people contribute, the more valuable it becomes. That’s why the smartest teams are investing early—not just in tools, but in rituals, roles, and real relationships. Because a strong community doesn’t just help you grow. It protects you. From churn. From competition. From irrelevance.

So yes, community matters. Not because it’s trendy, but because it builds moats, engages your customers and makes them feel part of something.

THE IMPACT OF COMMUNITY

For many companies, community isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a core pillar of their business model. Take Starbucks, for example: their loyalty program incentivizes repeat visits, creating a sense of belonging and loyalty. Airbnb connects travelers not just to homes, but to hosts—fostering a global community rooted in trust and shared experiences. In gaming, community is everything—millions of players engage in real-time with each other, forming vibrant, interactive ecosystems.

Fitness platforms like Peloton and Strava go beyond individual workouts, enabling users to connect, compete, and motivate one another. These platforms have transformed solitary activities into shared, community-driven experiences.

Then there are companies like Monzo, whose customer community thrives as a self-sustaining hub of peer-to-peer support. Users help each other troubleshoot, share tips, and explore features—effectively becoming community managers themselves. This not only empowers users, but also reduces the load on customer support teams.

The examples go on, but the message is clear: community, when done right, becomes a powerful engine for growth, engagement, and retention.

The great aspect about community? There are many great tools out there to help you get started and you can start today, you just need a few super-users.