Substack: Storytelling is the ultimate community-building tool with Managing Editor, Hannah Ray

This week I speak to Loux Rutherford, Community Manager at x+why , a new type of co-working space focused on supporting purpose-driven organizations and using business as a force for good. We talk about:Their approach to building community in the physical co-working spaces, including hosting events, facilitating connections between members, and tracking "meaningful interactions" to nurture relationships.The challenges of measuring the value of serendipitous interactions and organic community growth in a physical space.The role of X+ Why in amplifying their members' work through content, campaigns, and partnerships.Loux's perspective on other inspiring brand communities, such as the B Corp movement, and advice for community builders.This is the last episode in this series of Bunch - we hope you've enjoyed it!

This week Clare chats to Michelle Sims Community Manager, Finimize's global community lead, about building a thriving community to support the company's mission of making financial information accessible. We talk about how:Finimize started as a newsletter and expanded to a mobile app and events, with the community playing a crucial role in teaching and learning. The pandemic led to a shift to virtual events, further growing the ambassador program. Retaining ambassadors through status, education, and belonging is key. Adapting strategies based on feedback to build a successful community.

This week Clare chats to Adrian Singer Community Manager at Waze (at the time of recording - Adrian has since left Waze and relocated from tel Aviv to London).We talk about how a community can achieve a goal collectively and the joy of indulging in a niche interest like mapping your local area. Adrian managed a global community who created a huge amount of value for Waze and then Google when it was acquired - with out the community the product wouldn't exist. That is what I call community at the core!

This week Clare talks to Christie Fidura Director Global Developer Programmes at Saleforce - thats right probably the most famous Software community ever built! Christie takes us through personas within the community, their focus on collaboration and customer enablement. Check out Trailblazers and say hi to Christie on Linkedin.

This week, I had the pleasure of speaking to Hannah Ray, a seasoned community builder with an impressive background at The Guardian, Instagram, and Vogue. Currently the Managing Editor at Substack (a tool for publishing newsletters and podcasts), Hannah shared her passion for storytelling and its pivotal role in fostering communities for independent creators. Our conversation delved into how bigger brands can learn valuable lessons from these independent communities by embedding storytelling into their community and brand building. 

Clare talks to Lottie Unwin, founder and CEO of UP World and BrandHackers. We talk all about how and why she set up a community of start-up marketers and the business ecosystem that she's built around it. We chat about how community is the ultimate long game and how they deal with any concerns over revealing information with a professional community you share with competitors. Check out UP World at https://up-world.co/ and find Lottie on Linkedin

This week Clare talks to Naaman Brown, community manger at Multiverse an edtech unicorn founded by Euan Blair that up-skills people through apprenticeships. Naaman takes us through the way Multiverse views community as a moat, how it works and how they measure their success. 

This week Clare chats to colleague and friend Taavi Kotka about collective-ownership models, the software Koos.io has created to make the process of generating ownership contracts quick, easy and risk free.Plus, why collective-ownership is the key to long-term loyalty and sustainable community-led growth strategy.This episode of Bunch is sponsored by KOOS.io . Brands that focus on engaging stakeholders generate a self-sustaining cycle of growth and loyalty.KOOS is a community reward and motivation tool to fuel community-led growth through virtual shares that grow inline with the company's performance. Check them out!

This week, Clare talks to Sofia Ilyas Chief Community Officer at Beatport about her work bringing diversity to the world of dance music through the Beatport community. We talk about:How big companies can support community focussed organisations who are often exhausted to amplify their work.How interesting it is that a community of people so often in a the same physical space don't have a close community. How diversity in dance music is important for all aspects of the ecosystem from DJS, record labels, listeners and producers. SponsorThis episode of Bunch is sponsored by KOOS.io . Brands that focus on engaging stakeholders generate a self-sustaining cycle of growth and loyalty.KOOS is a community reward and motivation tool to fuel community-led growth through virtual shares that grow inline with the company's performance. Check them out!

This week Clare chats to Max Pete, Head of Community at online code and design school Super Hi.  They talk about finding and leveraging the most active members of your community to the benefit of the rest of your members,  the dreaded platform switch and how with a little though you can surprise and delight your members too.This episode of Bunch is sponsored by KOOS.io . Brands that focus on engaging stakeholders generate a self-sustaining cycle of growth and loyalty.KOOS is a community reward and motivation tool to fuel community-led growth through virtual shares that grow inline with the company's performance. Check them out!