First Members

Finding Your First Members

Your first 5-10 members define your community’s culture. Choose carefully — it’s easier to maintain a good culture than to fix a bad one.

Where to Find Founding Members

Your existing network — Colleagues, friends, professional contacts who share your community’s focus
Adjacent communities — People active in related groups who might want something different
Events and conferences — People you’ve had good conversations with
Online forums — Contributors in spaces aligned with your mission

What to Look For

The best founding members share three traits:

Reliability — They show up when they say they will
Generosity — They share knowledge and help without keeping score
Curiosity — They ask questions and seek understanding

Expertise is less important than character. A curious generalist adds more than an expert who only lectures.

The Personal Invitation

Don’t broadcast. Invite individually:

“I’m starting a small group of [audience] who meet [frequency] to [purpose]. I think you’d be a great fit because [specific reason]. Would you be interested?”

Personal invitations create commitment. Mass announcements create spectators.

Critical Mass

You need at least 3 people for a group to feel like a group. Below 3, it’s a conversation between friends. Aim for 5-8 founding members — enough for diverse perspectives, few enough for deep discussion.

Don’t wait for the “perfect” group. Start with who you have and iterate.

Setting Expectations Early

Before the first meeting, be clear about:

Time commitment — How often you meet, for how long
Participation — This isn’t a passive experience
Confidentiality — What’s shared stays in the group
Duration — “Let’s commit to 4 meetings and then decide whether to continue”

A trial period reduces the stakes for everyone.