HBR On Strategy

How to Turn Your Customer Base into a Community

47 snips
Apr 23, 2025
Matt Mullenweg, co-founder of WordPress and CEO of Automattic, dives into the pivotal role of community in business. He emphasizes hiring for cultural fit over traditional resumes and discusses the impact of genuine engagement on customer loyalty. Mullenweg compares community building to hosting a dinner party, where authentic connections thrive. He also explores the freemium model's effectiveness and shares insightful strategies for enhancing customer feedback. Tune in for valuable lessons on turning your customer base into a thriving community!
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INSIGHT

Community Drives Long-Term Success

  • Building and prioritizing a community benefits both users and the company long-term.
  • Short-term profits may suffer, but cultivating a healthy ecosystem ensures sustainable success.
ADVICE

Culture Formed by Actions

  • Culture forms through repeated actions and example-setting from leadership.
  • Small behaviors, like how expenses are handled, signal what is acceptable in a company.
ADVICE

Maintain Culture Remotely

  • In a distributed workforce, maintain culture via virtual examples and rituals.
  • Small initiatives like "trash pickup day" help keep quality and culture aligned remotely.
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