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a16z Podcast | You Just Thought You Were Building a Software Company. It's a Community.
7 segments available
For Jim Gilliam, the founder of NationBuilder, community is everything. When he needed a double lung transplant, Gilliam turned to the Internet and to his online community to make it happen. He's organized political campaigns, made documentary films, and built his company NationBuilder by tapping into the power that large scale communities on the internet provide. Community at internet scale is a deep reservoir of people, ideas and yes, money, that Gilliam believes changes how we do almost everything - and makes almost anything possible.
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Community is Everything
Jim Gilliam, founder of NationBuilder, emphasizes the centrality of community in his life and work. He shares personal experiences, including how he organized support for his double lung transplant and political campaigns, illustrating that community is a powerful mechanism for achieving diverse goals.
"welcome to the a 16z podcast I'm Michael Copeland I'm here today with Jim Gilliam who is the founder of nation builder all the way from Los Angeles downtown Los Angeles all right representing Jim you ..."
The Evolution of Community
Gilliam discusses the transformation of community from physical proximity to a digital landscape. He explains how the Internet allows for both strong and weak ties among individuals, creating diverse and extensible communities that can achieve things previously thought impossible.
"lung transplant we organized community to kind of help me do that political campaigns the Obama campaign so all this was community organizing and and so for you I mean community was a sort of tools th..."
Building Companies Through Community
Exploring how community influences business models, Gilliam highlights examples like Airbnb and Lyft. He argues that successful companies are built on the foundation of community engagement, where users are not just numbers but integral parts of a collaborative ecosystem.
"ever so what is and how community changed because ever since there's been people there's been community right yeah so it used to be the community was very sort of physical had it be in physical proxim..."
Integrating Community into Company Culture
Gilliam shares insights on embedding community into the culture of NationBuilder. He recounts a powerful moment of connection among employees and emphasizes the importance of storytelling in fostering a sense of belonging and purpose within the organization.
"technology world didn't approach it that way technology well users right like it wasn't and so I think that's what's the interesting shift happening now is that you in particular and you're sort of pe..."
The Power of Storytelling
Highlighting the role of storytelling in community building, Gilliam explains how employees at NationBuilder craft their narratives. This practice not only strengthens internal connections but also enhances external relationships with customers and partners.
"that you've learned along the way about how to build a community the sort of boundaries of like these kinds of communities and also sort of kind of building a business around it one of the big lessons..."
Unlocking Untapped Potential
Gilliam discusses the untapped potential within corporate environments, where individuals often feel trapped in unfulfilling jobs. He believes that community can empower people to pursue their true passions and create meaningful projects, leveraging the Internet's capabilities.
"out from the staff and so it radiates to our customers to our designers and how when they talk to folks right all right yeah those stories both internally and externally um it's everybody we talk abou..."
The Future of Community and Creation
Concluding the conversation, Gilliam expresses excitement about the future possibilities of community-driven initiatives. He acknowledges the uncertainty of what lies ahead but is optimistic about the transformative power of community in enabling individuals to create and innovate.
"don't have to ask for permission you basically just need to have a community that cares I mean so you must have a lens on this daily if not hourly right and then what kinds of things you see happening..."