Lately, online communities have become a solid business option, offering perks like reliable income, easy scalability, and great chances for promotion. Todd Kunsman, an experienced entrepreneur in B2B and SaaS marketing, has explored a range of online ventures, from media platforms to service-oriented startups.
He has a track record of founding and launching successful ventures, including an investing and personal finance site in 2018 that was acquired in 2021. Since then, he has embarked on several other projects:
- Remote Work Junkie, a media platform and job board focusing on remote work opportunities;
- RevFoundry, offering "marketing as a service" tailored for SaaS startups from pre-seed to venture-funded stages. His expertise in marketing is largely self-taught, complemented by valuable experience gained from working in a marketing agency specializing in SaaS businesses.
Recently, Todd and a business partner acquired Tech Workers Club, an established online community tailored for tech professionals looking to advance their careers.
What is Tech Workers Club?
With over 20 000 global members, Tech Workers Club facilitates job hunting, networking, and professional growth through specialized channels, exclusive discounts, and interactive events like AMAs and virtual job fairs.
Key activities within the community include:
- Accessing job channels tailored to various tech sectors, engaging with recruiters and hiring managers, and accelerating the interview process;
- Seeking advice and receiving feedback from peers on job-related matters such as applications, resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and more;
- Participating in interactive sessions like Ask Me Anything (AMA) events, virtual job fairs, and career workshops led by industry experts. These sessions provide invaluable insights into navigating the tech industry and fostering career growth;
- Enjoying exclusive discounts on essential tools and resources;
- Connecting with like-minded professionals based on customized criteria using a partner app, thereby enhancing networking opportunities crucial for career progression and project initiation.
Acquisition and strategic vision
Todd's journey with Tech Workers Club began when he recognized its potential on Acquire.com, having been an active member since 2023. The decision to acquire the community stemmed from a shared passion for tech and a strategic opportunity to enhance its value proposition. The acquisition offered access to a robust member base comprising individuals from Fortune 500 companies, startups, and FAANG firms, presenting a fertile ground for expansion and refinement.
Why online communities?
Among the many online business options out there, Todd picked communities because they're great at bringing people together to share knowledge directly. Having been part of these interactive communities himself, Todd really saw how valuable they are for tech pros to connect, learn, and grow. Plus, he liked how scalable they are — once you set them up, they can keep going strong with just a bit of oversight.
Key elements of success
Todd and his team are actively implementing strategies to ensure Tech Workers Club thrives:
- Active presence: Maintaining a visible and engaged presence within the community to foster trust and participation;
- Clear guidelines: Establishing transparent community guidelines to uphold standards and enhance user experience;
- Value-driven initiatives: Introducing valuable content such as AMAs, workshops, and exclusive job opportunities to enrich member engagement and satisfaction.
Challenges in re-engagement and trust building
Since taking over Tech Workers Club, Todd has been laser-focused on getting people more involved.
The community kicked off in 2022 during some shaky economic times and started strong, but things slowed down when some early promises didn't quite pan out. Todd's main goal right off the bat was to regain trust by delivering fresh content and perks, keeping the community running smoothly, and showing they mean what they say. And it's paying off — recent efforts have sparked an impressive 80% jump in member activity after rolling out new plans and announcements.
Setting the right price point
Transitioning from a free to a paid model posed another challenge. The community's previous model had been free for nearly two years, complicating efforts to introduce a fee without alienating existing members. Todd opted for a competitive pricing strategy, lower than industry standards, to incentivize upgrades and foster community growth while demonstrating ongoing value delivery.
Strategies for community growth
Todd's growth strategy revolves around enhancing job opportunities and exclusive content to energize existing members as advocates. Future plans include strategic marketing initiatives like website redesigns, Product Hunt launches, and partnerships with industry leaders. A planned affiliate program aims to further incentivize member engagement and community expansion.
Maintaining community cohesion
To keep our community strong as it grows, Todd focuses on active moderation and clear guidelines. They've set up rules for how everyone should behave, ways to report misuse, and quick responses to keep things supportive. Spam and disruptions are challenges, but introducing membership fees has made a big difference, creating a more orderly and supportive community space.
Tech stack and operational simplicity
Tech Workers Club operates on a streamlined tech stack comprising:
- Slack;
- Trello;
- Intros.ai for networking;
- Zoom for workshops;
- WordPress for content management;
- LaunchPass for memberships;
- Stripe for payments;
- Google Drive for collaboration.
This setup prioritizes operational efficiency and simplicity, supporting the community's current needs while allowing flexibility for future scalability.
Metrics tracked for measuring community success and health
In the early days of owning Tech Workers Club, they're closely watching essential areas to gauge how well the community is doing. Using Slack's basic analytics from the free plan, they keep an eye on:
- Active weekly and daily community engagement levels;
- Participation metrics such as member posts across public channels and direct messages;
- Observation of new posts initiated by members across various channels;
- Reviewing feedback, thread discussions, and the volume of direct messages exchanged among founders to gauge community interaction.
Additionally, they closely monitor the influx of new members and the conversion rate to paid subscriptions.
Future plans for tech workers club
Looking ahead, Tech Workers Club is expanding its offerings and introducing new features for paid members. Among the upcoming initiatives are:
- Ask Me Anything (AMA) events: Hosting industry professionals including tech recruiters and business leaders for interactive sessions on industry insights, career advice, and job-seeking strategies;
- Career workshops with special guests: Live workshops featuring recruiters, coaches, and experts to assist members in advancing their tech careers, with recorded sessions available for on-demand viewing;
- Networking and introductions: Facilitating connections among members through integrated tools, promoting collaboration and mutual support in job searches and project ventures;
- Virtual job fairs: Showcasing job opportunities from various companies, offering insights into roles, company culture, and hiring processes to expedite members' job placements.
Apart from these initiatives, Tech Workers Club is launching a free newsletter covering tech trends and job-related content, aiming to provide value to both existing and potential members. They are also developing a partnerships program for companies and recruiters interested in engaging with their large community audience.
Moreover, they're gearing up for a complete website makeover aimed at boosting user experience, clearly defining membership perks, and reaffirming Tech Workers Club's dedication to supporting the tech community.
To dive deeper into Tech Workers Club or to become a member, check out their website.
