The Overlooked Growth Lever
Staying Close to Customers Means Building Community
There’s a strange irony I’ve noticed: everyone agrees that companies need to stay close to their customers. It’s practically a business commandment—the closer you are to your customer, the more valuable your product becomes, the more in-tune you are to market shifts, and the more likely you are to succeed.
John Chambers championed this customer-centric mindset as CEO of Cisco, where he increased revenue more than 600% during his tenure, and Vans is now undergoing the same process, reconnecting with its core audience of skateboards after multiple quarters of tumbling sales. Yet when it comes to the idea of community, so many still write it off as a nice-to-have, or worse yet… a total waste of time. That got me wondering… do people really understand community led growth?
The Importance of Staying Close to the Customer
With the surge of low-code and no-code tools and the evolution of generative AI, it’s easier than ever to start a software company, but perhaps harder than ever to build an enduring business. According to the National Venture Capital Association, in 2013, there were approximately 12,000 venture backed startups in the United States. Today, that number has surpassed 50,000.
The times of “if we build it, they will come” are long over. There are dozens of companies all solving for the same problems, leveraging the the same technology. Excellent, effective execution is what separates the winners from the rest, and a key part of that execution is deeply understanding your customer.
This means listening to your customers, understand their buying journey, involving them in the product’s development and creating a sense of belonging that keeps them engaged, even in a crowded market.
The most successful companies don’t just stay close to their customers—they build ecosystems where customers feel valued, heard, and empowered. And this is where community becomes the secret weapon. Community isn’t just a support group for your product; it’s a living, breathing network of advocates, collaborators, and loyalists who can drive your business forward in unexpected ways.
Community Led Case Study
Take Figma. Their entire early-stage GTM strategy was rooted in community. The team at Figma knew that to gain credibility and trust with designers—people who would spend hours immersed in their product—they had to do more than market features. They needed to create genuine relationships and a sense of belonging for Figma within the design community.
It started small and scrappy. They had conversations with designers, showed them early versions of the product, and took their feedback—no matter how harsh—seriously.
One of their first GTM hires was a Designer Advocate, someone focused not only on fostering personal connections but also on creating momentum within the design world. In those early days, they hosted pizza nights at Figma’s SF office and organized Friday design challenges. These weren’t marketing gimmicks; they were authentic opportunities for designers to connect, share their work, and celebrate their craft (which the team at Figma knew was deeply important to designers).
Figma’s approach wasn’t just about solving problems for designers—it was about understanding who they were, what they cared about, and what they wanted to achieve. By creating a community that celebrated designers and their aspirations, Figma didn’t just grow its user base; it built a loyal, passionate network that championed its product from the ground up.
Even today, the Design Advocate team is still an important part of Figma’s community-led-marketing strategy. The team organizes events, manages advocate communities, develops educational resources, and creates social content, all with a strong emphasis on user-first initiatives. Their work supports sales, marketing, and product development efforts, ensuring that Figma stays deeply connected to its users. For more insight, Clara Ujiie shared a glimpse into the day-to-day life of a Designer Advocate.
The Intersection of Purpose: Aligning Your Goals with Your Customers’ Aspirations
When thinking about building community in the early days, it’s essential to start by reflecting on the intersection of your business’s ambitions and the goals, aspirations, and identities of your potential customers.
Community is most powerful when it’s built around a shared purpose—one that aligns your mission with what truly matters to the people you’re trying to serve.
Take Figma, again. Their mission is to revolutionize the design process by empowering creative individuals and making design accessible to everyone.
They understood their audience deeply—designers who are not only highly invested in their work but who also view their craft as an extension of their personal identity. Designers strive to master their tools, solve problems, and stay ahead of trends while seeking connection with peers who inspire and challenge them. At the same time, many designers feel undervalued or misunderstood when their work is reduced to aesthetics rather than being recognized as a strategic asset.
Figma built their community at the intersection of these insights—a space for designers to learn, connect, celebrate their craft, and try Figma’s world-class multi-player design tool.
As you think about your own community, take the time to reflect on what your business is trying to achieve and how that aligns with the deeper needs, ambitions, and values of your audience.
Reflection Template:
Use these prompts to start shaping your own community strategy:
Your Business Goals:
What is your mission or purpose?
What transformation are you trying to create for your customers or industry?
What is more important right now? Getting product feedback? Sales?
Your Customer’s Aspirations:
Who are your customers, and what are their goals?
What problems are they trying to solve?
What do they take pride in or value deeply?
What are their biggest frustrations or challenges?
The Intersection Point:
Where do your business goals align with your customer’s goals or values?
How can your community help your customers achieve their aspirations?
What shared purpose or vision can unite your business and your audience?
Hopefully, this quick overview highlights how community is an often-overlooked but incredibly powerful growth lever. Even in the world of B2B SaaS, we’re still people selling to people. There’s a lot of power in creating a sense of purpose and belonging—allowing your potential to feel like they’re part of something bigger than themselves and engaging beyond the product.
I’d love to hear your feedback—what resonated with you, what didn’t, or any thoughts on how this could be more helpful. See you next time.