Startups with a Community-Led Growth Model

he other day, we talked about ‘community-led growth.’ This trend involves companies leveraging their community to create value by fostering environments where people see themselves as members, not customers. If that concept isn't clear yet, let me refresh your memory with the previous article: Communities Will Be the Main Asset of Future Companies.

‍Today, I’m here to share 4 examples of companies that have embraced this strategy—and it works for them.

‍Very well, in fact.

Duolingo

Duolingo, the world’s leading language-learning app, has adopted a community-led strategy that has allowed the company to scale to 90 courses and 300 million users.

‍How did they achieve this?

Duolingo’s courses are created, edited, shaped, and expanded by its user community. In 2021 alone, they launched 39 online courses with a team of fewer than 40 people.

As Laura Nestler, former Duolingo Community Head, explained:

“Community isn’t just a vague buzzword for Duolingo; it’s the superhighway that drives what we do, why we do it, and who we do it for.”

Initially, the team was small, and user demand for new courses was growing rapidly. This led to the creation of The Incubator, a tool that allowed community members to become volunteers and empowered them to teach what they know.‍

The keys to Duolingo’s community program success can be summarized in 5 points:

1. Different levels of engagement: Multiple ways to participate ensure members can contribute at their comfort level.
2. Strong leadership: Effective leaders guide the community and foster a sense of belonging.
3. They don’t overburden their members: Contributors focus on areas of interest, with minimal technological barriers.
4. Sub-communities: Groups divided by language and nationality create a more personalized experience.
5. Collaborative rewards: Incentives are structured to reward group achievements, not just individuals.

This approach is cost-effective for the organization and fosters a community fueled by self-expression and meaningful engagement.

Notion

Notion is project management and note-taking software designed to help employees and organizations coordinate their work. What might seem simple at first glance has grown into a $10 billion business—thanks to its community-driven approach.‍

As Olivia Nottebohn, Chief Operating Officer at Notion, explained:

“We built a community of champions from different companies using the Notion platform. They could exchange ideas and best practices, and most importantly, we gave them access to ask thought leaders about the product and what they believe should come next.”

One of the most significant takeaways is that while embarking on a community-led growth strategy, they never lost sight of the glue that holds the company together: their product. By focusing on it and its various offerings, they reached the right audience, which ultimately built the right community.

People passionate about the product began creating templates (earning up to $35,000 for them) or providing feedback. In doing so, they started interacting with one another, forming networks that often turned into genuine friendships. This took their relationship with the app to the next level.

This trend led Notion’s creators to establish an ambassador program: ordinary people who genuinely enjoy creating for the platform and sharing their knowledge to help other users—just like any other community.

The platform’s job here is to make this happen in the simplest and most intuitive way possible. For instance, by creating communication channels, hosting in-person events to generate international impact, and assisting those building businesses with guides, one-to-one advice, and connections to similar enterprises.

This creates a self-sustaining ecosystem where the app’s survival doesn’t heavily depend on external factors or its executives' management but on the people who actively use it.

Roam Research

Roam Research is a linked note-taking system that functions like a neural network. It boasts a vibrant Slack community and connects users through the hashtag #RoamCult.‍

Many people credit it with significant transformations in their lives:

“For some, it’s almost as profound as religion. Imagine being deeply transformed by the knowledge gained through Roam. If that experience happened in a church, you would probably associate the two. That’s the level of passion seen."

In fact, the highest financial tier you can purchase in Roam is called "Believer."

The founder also draws attention. It could be said that Conor White-Sullivan has a strong personality—he’s willing to argue and fight for his ideas. Similar to Elon Musk, he refreshes the concept of personal branding, which is closely tied to a digital community.

Morning Brew

Morning Brew is a business newsletter whose engagement with its audience inspires some readers to include a coffee cup emoji in their Twitter bios.

This is to show they’re part of the club.

Compared to a traditional newspaper, Morning Brew’s content is more engaging and fun. It features a conversational writing style covering the latest news, from Wall Street to Silicon Valley, without corporate jargon or dry commentary.

But the page’s success isn’t just about its content. The “secret sauce” that accelerated its growth is its referral program.

Morning Brew includes a section at the end of every edition called "Share the Brew."

Clicking on it takes you to Morning Brew’s referral hub, offering potential subscribers a seamless onboarding experience. In short, they make it incredibly easy to subscribe without overthinking the process.

The "Share the Brew" section uses positive reinforcement. It shows:

• How many referrals you need to earn your next reward.
• Referral prizes you can earn by referring others.

Morning Brew is a masterclass in referral program implementation. Just look at the landing page for referring friends:

“You owe your friends big time.”

Final Thoughts

Humans have always sought a sense of belonging through community—whether it’s based on where we are, our experiences, or what we want. But most importantly, it’s about what we believe in.

When startups allow us to shape a product and decide who it reaches, they can influence how we interact with it. It brings technology back to being more collective and opens the door to more innovative forms of interaction.

Would you like me to discuss valuation and funding of these types of companies? Or should we change the subject? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments! 😊

Additional Content

• Roam: Being a Part Of a Community.
• Community-led growth: How Duolingo, Figma, Notion and Hubspot leveraged the power of community to scale fast.
• Community-Led Growth: Brand Community as a Growth Lever.
• How Morning Brew's Referral Program Grew to 2.5 Million Subs.

Where to find me

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/NachoLucea
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nacholucea/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6vRcumzUfp1vL55aUdlmtg
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/ignacio-lucea

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