Belonging is the Moat: Why Community-First Startups Win
In this kick-off session with community builder and brand strategist Daniel Ross, we’ll explore what makes people care — deeply — about the brands they follow. You’ll learn what cult brands have in common, how devotion gets built, and why community is more than just a nice-to-have in the early days of a startup.
Daniel will share lessons from his own journey designing communities from scratch, and we’ll break down how “belonging” can become a powerful tool for customer insight, early traction, and long-term defensibility. Together, we’ll explore how to build community before you build product, how to design for emotional connection, and how to make your early audience part of the roadmap.
Founders will reflect on:
• What kind of community your startup could spark
• What people would need to believe, feel, or share to belong
• How to flip customer development into co-creation
You’ll leave with a sharper understanding of community as strategy — not a side project — and a clearer sense of how to activate yours from day one.
About Daniel Ross:
Daniel is a creative strategist, brand builder, and community architect. He’s helped scale early-stage ventures and global brands alike, with a focus on turning audiences into believers. His work spans consumer, media, and tech — always rooted in one question: why do people care?