More on my site: http://whenihavetime.com/2015/01/27/what-ive-learned-as-a-serial-community-founder-the-community-life-cycle/ I focused on the various stages of community and how the leadership roles and individual member roles change and shift over time. As you'll see in the three examples I mention below, I have founded communities which still live today. They live without me, a founder, and they are successful and thriving, even. One of the most important lessons as a founder is preparing for and learning to let go as a natural part of your community's success.

1. T H E L I F E C Y C L E O F A
C O M M U N I T Y
S A R A R O S S O @ R O S S O
W O R D C A M P PA R I S 2 0 1 5

2. W H Y M E ? W H Y C O M M U N I T Y ?

3. W H Y M E ? W H Y C O M M U N I T Y ?

4. W H Y M E ? W H Y C O M M U N I T Y ?

5. W H Y M E ? W H Y C O M M U N I T Y ?

6. A C O M M U N I T Y ’ S
L I F E C Y C L E

7. I N C E P T I O N

8. • Information
• Support
• Recreation
• Relationships
I N C E P T I O N
A N E E D

9. • Founders critical
• Validation
• Consensus
• Division of roles
I N C E P T I O N
L E A D E R S H I P

10. • Few; founders
• Tightly aligned
• Not participatory
• Foundation work
I N C E P T I O N
C O M M U N I T Y

11. G R O W T H

12. • Actively
participating
• Sharing &
Reinforcing vision
• New roles &
ownership
created
• Empowerment at
lower levels
L E A D E R S H I P
G R O W T H

13. • Interaction
• Attract new
members
• Consumption of
information
• Members begin
to create and
contribute
C O M M U N I T Y
G R O W T H

14. M AT U R I T Y

15. M AT U R I T Y
• Individuals’ impact
lessened
• Vision and mission
sustain community
• Macro-level activities
• Continuity
L E A D E R S H I P

16. M AT U R I T Y
• Self-sustaining
• Culture and identities,
relationships
• Subgroups and specific
topics
• Continual cycling of
members
C O M M U N I T Y

17. W H AT N E X T ?

18. M I T O S I S
• Separation or division from original
community
• New leadership
• New separate life cycle

19. D E AT H
• Decline of engagement & membership
• Needs of community met
• Technology enables; doesn’t define
• Leadership must empower community
• Members ultimately decide fate

20. T H A N K Y O U !
S A R A R O S S O
@ R O S S O
Images by Sara Rosso & Death to the Stock Photo