The Dave Gerhardt Show Should You Invest in Community?
Nov 27, 2025
In this conversation, Dave Gerhardt, founder of Exit Five and former CMO, shares insights on transforming a Slack group into a thriving community. He discusses the importance of treating community as a product and warns that not all companies should launch private communities. Dave emphasizes measuring community impact through qualitative signals rather than relying solely on data. The chat also covers the current mixed sentiments around AI in professional settings and practical tips for its adoption, proving both energizing and daunting.
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Side Project Became A Product
- Dave Gerhardt turned a Patreon side project called DGMG into Exit5 after years of organic growth and demand from members.
- He rebranded, hired a small team, and treated the community as a product with roadmaps and a product owner.
Build Community Around Shared Problems
- Focus on the shared interest your customers have, not on your product features, to build community and trust.
- Create education and content around the broader job your customers do to become the steward of that conversation.
Don't Launch A Community By Default
- Most companies shouldn't launch a private community by default because many fizzle into noise or self-promotion.
- Community requires product-level care and only works when it starts from real audience demand and alignment.
