that they can feel part of something. We are very aware that you are the sum of the people around you and this means that depending on the people who are involved in the community will determine if it enhances or detracts your life. Whenever you are part of a community or thinking about becoming part of one you need to be aware of the potential effects that it could have on you. INTRODUCTION
join a developer community is the chance to learn from one another. Joining a community of tech-minded people such as the GDG’s means that you have an increased chance of meeting someone who’s willing to take you under their wing and mentor you. Having a strong mentor who’s willing to guide you and give you the benefit of their experience means that you can avoid making costly mistakes that could potentially derail your startup and your career. In fact, it’s been proven that having a strong mentor can be the key difference between a failed and a successful developer. Knowledge
you’ll meet when you join a community, and how they can help you and vice versa. When you integrate into a community, you’re giving yourself the opportunity to connect with influencers and to raise your own profile. One of the most important things about networking is that you can get your name known by people who have the power to open doors for you. And ideally, you can return the favor for others. Connections
becoming isolated and losing their imagination. A fast way to failure in the startup world is never learning how to evolve and adapt, something that is very difficult to learn on your own. There are countless stories of people who thrive early on, but isolate themselves from others and stagnate creatively as a result. Communities, by their very nature, contain a diversity of opinion, ideas, and knowledge that you would never encounter alone. Just being in proximity of such a whirlwind of ideas means that you’re constantly challenging yourself to think creatively and constantly reconsider what you know. Inspiration and Motivation
you are, it is literally impossible to know and do everything by yourself. There will just be certain areas or skills that you don’t have, or aren’t good enough in, that will hold you back from achieving your goals. In order to combat this you’re going to need to find people who have the expertise and skills in the areas that you lack. This is where leveraging the power of community comes in. Who knows, you might even find your next business partner or cofounder within the community. Resources
else, is a support network of people who are going through the exact same journey as you. Even if they’re at different stages of the journey, they’ll understand what it is you’re going through and be able to give you the support you need to keep going. Being a developer is more than just having the sense to get a project up and running. It takes a lot of mental and emotional energy, and having someone, let alone a whole group of people, to talk to about your project can be all you need to keep plowing ahead. Support