A warm welcome to our summit by our host Margaux A. Miller.

As community professionals, we’re practically allergic to saying ‘no’ and will almost always strive to find a way regardless of the complexity, challenges, and the headaches. The mantra of ‘yes, I can’ or ‘I’ll figure it out’ prevails. However, this session led by Jillian Bejtlich of Calendly and Rachael Silvano of Zapier challenges the conventional agreeable default by exploring when saying “I think not” might be the more strategic (and self-preserving) choice.

Drawing on very real world experiences spanning Jillian and Rachael’s combined careers, we’ll delve into real scenarios where community wasn’t the answer - sometimes not now, sometimes not ever. Some of their stories include doing the work of ten with a team of negative five, building dynamic programs overnight, and the fairytale of immediate ROI.

Attendees can expect to gain insights into: Assessing organizational readiness; is this a want, need, or a fever dream? Understanding driving values and alignment with potential community purposes Recognizing potential pitfalls that would send the best intentioned communities into a deep unrecoverable pit of failure

Come for story-time; leave with actionable advice on how to best navigate the shifting sands of all things community building.

Why do so many brand advocates struggle to achieve their goals? It’s not the customer’s fault, it’s because many organisations are using an outdated playbook. What worked so well a decade ago doesn’t work well today. We’ve entered a new community-driven era of advocacy - and it’s time we update our playbooks.

In this talk, FeverBee’s Richard Millington will explain the key drivers of the new era of advocacy, how community programs can nurture advocates in the modern era and why is a tremendous opportunity for anyone with a community to emerge from the shadows, deliver better support to advocates, and drive tremendous growth for organisations.

The talk will include:

Why so many brand advocacy efforts fail to hit the mark (hint - it’s not their fault). What the data shows really motivates advocates. The three strategic approaches you can take to nurturing advocates. Proven examples and templates you can follow to build your advocacy program. How to measure the incredible results of brand advocates

More than ever, community professionals are either reporting in to Marketing or having to align much more closely. In this session, Michelle Goodall will share a brand new framework to help community and marketing professionals work together much more effectively.

In a world where connection is key, creating in-person experiences that lead to an engaged and committed community are vital for communities to thrive. Come along to this session to receive practical tips for building an engaged community through mostly in-person experiences and fostering belonging within community members!

How You Can Successfully Build Yours\n\nSilicon Valley, Silicon Fen, Silicon Roundabout...so much talk and resources thrown towards recreating the celebrated Valley success. But perhaps the secret is not the focus or money but building the right communities along the way. And no, we're definitely not talking about houses...\n\nHailing from 191-Billion-Dollar Cambridge, the very home of European Silicon, let community strategist Ilker Akansel make a case on how communities could make the next great ecosystem work, and dissect past and present success stories through a community builder's lens. And who knows, you might leave with a tip or two on how you can help turn where you are into the next...Silicon thing!"

Nikki Thibodeau will delve into the strategies Calix implemented to restore customer trust. She will explore the various programs and processes built, detailing the rationale behind each initiative and providing tangible examples of their impact. Attendees can expect an honest look at both the successes and challenges, including a few spicy threads that highlight real-world applications. This discussion aims to equip you with actionable insights to rebuild and maintain customer trust effectively.

1 hour to recharge, eat delicious food and connect with fellow community professionals.

1 hour to recharge, eat delicious food and connect with fellow community professionals.

Let’s meet for a quick stretching pause to move our bodies and invite some fresh energy, preparing us for the second part of the event! Giving the body some attention helps us take in more information and feel more relaxed, centred and grounded during the day.

Delve into the strategies employed by The Barefoot Planter to champion sustainable cultivation, culinary practices, and dietary habits, catalysing a wave of positive change.

In this panel, we will explore actionable strategies to scale community-building efforts on a global level, focusing on creating inclusive environments that transcend geographical and cultural boundaries. We will delve into the significance of global growth and its return on investment (ROI) for businesses, highlighting the symbiotic relationship between inclusivity and economic success. Incentive programs designed to enhance engagement and participation will be examined, showcasing how they can foster a sense of belonging and active involvement among diverse community members. Additionally, we will look ahead to the future of global communities, discussing the transformative role of artificial intelligence and emerging trends in shaping more interconnected and inclusive societies. Join us to discover how to build bridges that unite people from all walks of life, fostering a global community where everyone can thrive.

Building a highly engaged community is something we all strive for. But have you been facing challenges with member activity? Perhaps things are a bit quieter than usual? Join Paz Pisarski, Co-Founder @ The Community Collective from down under Australia, to learn about the power of co-creation to build a mind blowing community. Discover why building a community WITH your members, rather than for them, can transform engagement and foster a sense of ownership and deep commitment. In this keynote, you will leave with: How to implement co-creation into your community The actions to absolutely avoid whilst co-creating Actionable steps to refine your engagement strategy Real-life examples of success Whether you’re launching a new community, managing an existing one or reviving a dormant one, this raw and relatable session is for you.

Are you finding it challenging to turn RSVPs to attendees? Do you have a strategy to ensure they show up to your events? In this session, you'll learn how to keep your attendees engaged pre-event and find them waiting at the door on event day!

When we try to solve a community problem we turn to tools to magically sprinkle solution fairy dust. Whilst the data we can capture can be amazing, often it's overwhelming and leads us to not actually taking action. At Ministry of Testing we went back to basics and created a human driven hub of community insights. In this talk we'll show you what we've done and how it helps us with our day to day community activities.

In this thought-provoking session, we'll explore the powerful lessons from "Darmok" on bridging cultural and communication gaps to overcome isolation in our human connections. Just as Picard and Dathon had to transcend their linguistic differences, we often face challenges in understanding and connecting with those who have different backgrounds, experiences, and modes of expression. Whether you're a leader, team member, or simply someone who values effective communication and meaningful human bonds, we will navigate complex interactions with empathy and resilience.

Arfah Farooq will present a talk on her strategic approach to community building, which she describes as "centralized decentralization." This strategy balances structured guidance with autonomous community action. Drawing on her extensive experience with diverse communities, such as the global reach of Muslamic Makers and the strategic development of its chapters, she will discuss the creation of this model and framework. Arfah will share what has worked, what hasn't, and key lessons learned.

Her talk will delve into the successful integration of a fellowship program that boosted community engagement on Slack and facilitated in-person chapter formations. For the Impact VC community, she developed advocate roles to enhance community involvement. Arfah will provide insights on fostering a sense of ownership and independent decision-making within a centralized framework, ensuring that each community chapter thrives while aligning with the overarching goals and values of the parent organization.

Examine how communities can drive product development and innovation. Strategies for stakeholder buy-in and collaboration with product teams to gather and integrate community feedback, co-creation initiatives, and the benefits of community-driven innovation.

Content is Queen, but how do you create a content framework, enlist subject matter experts, and consistently deliver engaging content to their members? In this session, Brian will take you from 0 to 1 to build the beginnings of your content program.

Closing Remarks to show appreciation to our attendees, sponsors, and speakers. And a few special announcements!

Join us in one fantastic place we have reserved for all attendees to hangout after the summit. Keep the conversation going with drinks and fun!