The community builder's dilemma

The Community Builder’s Dilemma

Follow along @NicoleGravagna

My first book

My second book

This one is about you.

Visits this year

Not interesting for this book

Economic Downturnaka 2008

Decimated2008-2010

Regeneration2010-2012

New trees2012-2014

Rainmakerthis is your part

A Startup Event(pretty darn standard)

A Startup Event(pretty darn standard)

Clarissa SteinhöfelCofounder of Startup Safary

Help me tell itThis is my ask.

Brad DenenburgPhiladelphia Region

Michael SitarzewskiBoulder, Denver, Dallas

Toma BedollaHouse of Genius

Andrew HydeStartup Week, Startup Weekend, UpGlobal

Enoch ElwellCo.Starters, The Company Lab

Mary Grace StockerNow with Field Squared

Mike BradshawThe Company Lab

Nicole GravagnaRockies Venture Club, Venture Capital for Dummies

Nicole GravagnaAvailable fall 2015

Xxxx Xxxx:

Nicole Gravagna, PhD

The community builder’s dilemma

Brad FeldThe Boulder Thesis:

!•Entrepreneurs as leaders •A long-term view •A philosophy of inclusiveness •Events that engage the entire

entrepreneurial stack

Richard FloridaThe Creative Class: !

•There are better cities than others for your thing.

•The creative-class follows a new way of living.

•Gay Index

Extracting Talent

• Currently doing other things

• Entrepreneurial spirit

• Learn comfort with ambiguity

Visible Opportunity

• A little blight is a good thing

• People seem to need reminders

Training Angels

• Educated dealflow must be present first

• Gather angels to learn from each other

• Simply share what’s normal

Role of the community builder

• The super-connector

• The know it all

• The natural impact finder

Prescription for local governments

• Cheer loudly

• Get out of the way

• What Else?????

Community growth

1. One or two meetups

2. Competing events

3. Some expensive infrastructure

4. Tipping point - when you can’t point to all the community builders anymore

Connect with mengravagna@gmail.com

@NicoleGravagna NicoleGravagna.com