People yearn for connection

How to build a community that brings people together

Starting a community can feel daunting, but it’s one of the most rewarding things you can do. For the past two years, I’ve been running a tech event called Silicon Mingle that’s grown steadily every month. When a regular attendee moved cities, they told me how much they’d miss the events and the community.

My advice? Take our brand and start your own.

They did—and within six months, their community was just as big as the “original”.

This approach isn’t new for me. When my wife and I moved to South Korea, we couldn’t find an active art community—but we discovered a defunct one. Instead of starting from scratch, we contacted the original creator, got their blessing, and reignited it. It thrived, bringing in new artists, hosting exhibitions, and creating the space we’d been searching for. You can read a little bit about it in The Korea Times.

In London, I found a tech meetup called Silicon Drinkabout that brought people together beautifully. After many years of attendance, I connected with the organizers and even started a branch in Surrey (they had branches all over Europe by that time).

After many years both events and communities ended organically. I moved up North after the pandemic and couldn’t find a similar community to join. So, I did what I always do. I reached out to two people who seemed to represent the local scene and started again—but not from scratch.

I contacted the current owner of Silicon Drinkabout’s defunct brand, got their blessing, and brought the magic back under a slightly new name—Silicon Mingle was born.

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel—sometimes, you just need to pick up where others left off.

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What Makes a Great Community?

Starting a community isn’t about throwing people into a room and hoping for the best. The most successful communities have structure, purpose, and a clear identity that draws people in and keeps them coming back.

From my experiences—reviving defunct communities and starting new ones—I’ve found these elements to be essential:

• An explicit brand: A clear name, vibe, or mission gives your community an identity to rally around.

• A reason to gather: There must be a compelling reason to come together—shared interests, a cause, or simply a space to connect.

• A shared purpose: It’s not just about what people do together—it’s about what it means to them.

• Charismatic leadership: Communities thrive when someone steps up to set the tone and keep the energy alive.

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Why Communities Matter

At its core, community is about connection. People want to see and be seen. They want to feel like they’re part of something bigger. After all;

you can only truly know yourself in contrast to others

But too often, communities fail because they’re built around sales pitches or transactional relationships. That’s not what people want. What they crave is authenticity—a space to belong without feeling like they’re being sold to.

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You Can Do This Too

Starting a community isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about creating a space where people can connect, learn, and grow.

You don’t always need to start from scratch. Look for defunct communities that once thrived. Reach out, get their blessing, learn what made theirs a success, and pick up the mantle. Sometimes, the groundwork has already been laid; you just need to bring it back to life.

If you can’t find a community that feels like home, build one. It doesn’t need to be perfect—it just needs to exist.

You’ll not only bring people together, but you’ll also change lives—including your own.