In today’s digital age, dissatisfaction with traditional social media platforms is on the rise. The millennial and Gen Z audiences are seeking something deeper – spaces that foster meaningful interactions, prioritize mental well-being, and enable genuine connections. For individuals frustrated with algorithm-driven and performative social spaces, building or joining intentional online communities offers a transformative alternative.
This article dives into insights shared by two of India’s most successful community builders: Aditya, co-founder of The Product Folks (TPF), and Tanish, founder of the Indian Startup Community (ISC). These two experts have collectively built communities that have revolutionized the Indian ecosystem for product managers, entrepreneurs, and investors. Drawing from their experience, this piece explores how to create an intentional and thriving online community, offering practical advice and actionable steps for those looking to follow in their footsteps.
The Essence of Community Building
At its core, a community is more than a gathering of people – it’s a shared vision. Both Aditya and Tanish emphasize that successful communities are built for the long term, driven by a genuine intent to add value.
Why Communities Matter
- Support and Growth: Communities provide knowledge, mentorship, and connections that can supercharge careers and businesses.
- Access: They create unique opportunities to connect with peers, industry leaders, and investors.
- Belonging: Communities offer safe spaces for members to exchange ideas, share struggles, and celebrate wins.
As Aditya explains, "The only job of a community manager is to curate the right room. When the right people are together, engagement happens naturally."
Step-by-Step Guide to Building a Thriving Online Community
1. Start with a Clear Intent
When Aditya started The Product Folks in 2019, it wasn’t with grand ambitions of creating one of the world’s largest product management communities. Instead, it began as a simple effort to organise weekend events for product managers to connect and learn.
Tanish echoed a similar origin story: "I didn’t have a seat at the table in the startup ecosystem. I decided to build the table myself."
Key Takeaway: Focus on solving a specific problem or addressing a community need. The clarity of your intent will determine your success.
2. Build Gradually But Consistently
Great communities aren’t built overnight. Both leaders highlight the importance of consistency. Whether through offline events, online courses, or curated meetups, the goal is to show up month after month.
Practical Tip:
- Start small. Aditya’s first event had just 10–12 attendees in Mumbai and Bengaluru. Over time, The Product Folks grew into a global community of over 200,000 product enthusiasts.
- Run events regularly, even during challenging times. Tanish remarked, "There hasn’t been a single month in five years where we haven’t hosted an event."
3. Curate the Right Mix of People
Curation is the cornerstone of a successful community. A random mix of members won’t lead to meaningful engagement. Instead, filter members based on their intent, goals, and ability to contribute to the group.
How They Do It:
- For Tanish’s ISC: The community screens applicants to ensure they align with the group’s values. The result? A thriving network of over 25,000 founders, creators, and investors.
- The Product Folks: While their larger Slack community is open, sub-communities like "Women in Product" or "Fintech Folks" are highly curated to foster impactful conversations among peers.
Aditya explains, "When people are at a similar stage or share a similar context, the value of their interactions multiplies."
4. Offer Value Beyond Networking
Networking is just one aspect of community-building. To ensure longevity, focus on providing meaningful value in the form of education, mentorship, and access.
Examples of Value Creation:
- Free Educational Cohorts: The Product Folks runs free cohorts where members learn from global experts like the VP of Product at Instagram or the Director of Product at YouTube.
- Exclusive Events: ISC organises intimate leadership dinners, connecting founders and investors in curated settings.
- Career Opportunities: Both communities have helped members land jobs, secure funding, find co-founders, and make crucial connections.
Aditya sums it up, "Your community should be a launchpad for members to create their own journeys."
5. Foster Engagement Through Intentional Design
Communities thrive on engagement, but forcing interactions rarely works. Instead, design environments that naturally encourage participation.
Ideas for Driving Engagement:
- Segmented Events: Host events tailored to different experience levels (e.g., beginner workshops, leadership dinners, or founder retreats).
- Shared Identity: Use visual cues like coloured ID cards for different roles (e.g., product managers, growth leaders) to spark conversations.
- Consistency: Regularly organise activities, whether they’re workshops, meetups, or online challenges.
6. Embrace Technology, But Don’t Automate the Heart
While automation can streamline operations, both Aditya and Tanish caution against over-reliance on AI for community interaction. "A community thrives on human connections", Tanish explains. "Members don’t want to talk to an AI agent; they want to talk to someone who genuinely understands them."
Instead, leverage AI to manage repetitive tasks like event registrations, mass communications, or member onboarding, and save the human touch for fostering deeper relationships.
Lessons for Aspiring Community Builders
Building an online community is both an art and a science. The following lessons from Aditya and Tanish provide a practical roadmap:
- Start Small but Think Big: Begin with simple meetups or online groups, but keep scalability in mind.
- Be Consistent: Show up regularly to build trust and momentum.
- Curate Relentlessly: Focus on quality over quantity to ensure meaningful engagement.
- Provide Tangible Value: Offer education, mentorship, and networking opportunities that solve real problems.
- Build Relationships, Not Transactions: Create a culture of helping one another for the collective good.
Key Takeaways
- Communities Thrive on Intent: Build your community for the right reasons – authenticity and value.
- Curation is Key: Filter and segment members to ensure relevant, high-quality interactions.
- Consistency Builds Trust: Whether through events or online engagement, show up regularly.
- Value Creation is Non-Negotiable: Focus on education, access, and support to keep members invested.
- Engagement Happens Organically: Provide the platform and the right group of people, and connections will follow.
- Leverage Technology Intelligently: Use AI for operational efficiency but retain the human touch for personal interactions.
- Anyone Can Build a Community: Being from a tier-two or tier-three city isn’t a barrier; showing up with the right intent matters more.
Final Thoughts
The stories of The Product Folks and the Indian Startup Community show that meaningful online communities can change lives – not just of their members but of entire ecosystems. If you’re looking to build one, remember that the journey starts not with grand ambitions but with the simple desire to create a space where people can connect, grow, and thrive together.
Whether you’re a product manager, a budding entrepreneur, or simply someone curious about the world of communities, the lessons shared in this article are a testament to the power of collaboration. As Aditya aptly puts it, "It takes a village to build anything of substance."
Source: "Why Most Community Building Fails (And HOW TO WIN) | TLL26 | Yash Sanghavi" – Yash Sanghavi, YouTube, Aug 22, 2025 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZYhJF5FJU8
Use: Embedded for reference. Brief quotes used for commentary/review.
