WeAreDevelopers World Congress comes to San José, CA — September 23–25, 2026. 10,000+ developers, 500+ speakers, and the full software development lifecycle under one roof, in the heart of Silicon Valley.

Kelsey Hightower. Thomas Dohmke (fmr. CEO, GitHub). Christine Yen (CEO, Honeycomb). Mathias Biilmann (CEO, Netlify). Olivier Pomel (CEO, Datadog). The people actually building the tools you use every day — all on one stage.

AI, cloud, DevOps, security, architecture, and everything real builders ship with. Workshops, masterclasses, and the official congress party.

Tickets from $599. Use code GITPUSH26 for 10% off.

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Read time: 4 minutes

I’m writing this from Frankfurt.

And something hit me again this weekend.

Not a new strategy.

Not a new hack.

Something deeper.

Community.

Every year, I come here for a special event with my DeFi circle.

This time feels different.

Because now I’m part of the Startup Team behind it.

We spend a full weekend together.

There are talks.

There is great food.

There are drinks.

And there are long nights at the bar.

The kind of nights where conversations go from business…

To life…

To dreams.

And back to DeFi strategies again.

What makes it special.

Most people here only knew each other from the internet.

From Discord.

From YouTube.

From voices and usernames.

Now suddenly.

You see the faces.

You feel the energy.

And everything changes.

The excitement before the event was insane.

People were hyped for weeks.

Because they finally get to connect in real life.

And you can feel it.

Within hours.

Strangers become something else.

Not friends yet.

But close.

Like a tribe forming in real time.

And I realized something again.

If you build this right.

Your community becomes your biggest asset.

Not your product.

Not your content.

Not your strategy.

Your people.

Most “communities” today feel empty.

They look good on the outside.

But inside.

There is no real connection.

Why?

Because they focus on the wrong things.

They chase numbers.

They chase followers.

They chase likes.

But they ignore vibes.

And vibes are everything.

You can have 10,000 people.

And still feel alone.

Or you can have 50 people.

And feel like you built a movement.

The difference is simple.

One is an audience.

The other is a family.

Let’s clear something up.

When I say “cult-like”.

I don’t mean weird behavior.

I mean deep connection.

I mean shared identity.

I mean loyal energy.

This weekend showed me exactly how it works.

Inside our community.

We don’t just talk once a week.

We connect constantly.

We have:

And something powerful happens.

People grow together.

Fast.

You don’t just learn.

You evolve.

Together.

You start recognizing voices.

Then personalities.

Then stories.

Then struggles.

Then wins.

And suddenly.

You don’t want to leave anymore.

Because it feels like home.

Here’s where most people mess up.

They try too hard.

They force hype.

They fake energy.

And people feel it instantly.

You can’t fake real connection.

So what works?

Let me break it down for you.

People bond through moments.

Not through content alone.

Our live calls are not just teaching sessions.

They are experiences.

People show up.

They talk.

They laugh.

They share wins.

They share struggles.

That’s where trust is built.

This is big.

Everyone wants to feel recognized.

Not as a follower.

But as a person.

Call people by their name.

React to their stories.

Acknowledge their progress.

That’s how you build loyalty.

Random activity creates weak connection.

Consistency builds momentum.

Our schedule is clear.

People know when to show up.

That creates rhythm.

And rhythm builds trust.

A strong community is not one-way.

It’s not just you talking.

It’s everyone participating.

Ask questions.

Invite opinions.

Let people teach.

That’s how ownership grows.

Energy is contagious.

If you show up with passion.

People feel it.

If you show up tired.

People feel that too.

Your energy sets the tone.

Always.

Here’s what most people don’t see:

A strong community gives you leverage.

But not in a cheap way.

In a powerful way.

You get:

And something even bigger.

You don’t feel alone anymore.

The entrepreneurial journey can be tough.

You know that.

But with the right people.

It becomes something else.

Something fun.

Something meaningful.

Something you actually enjoy.

If this opened your eyes.

Good.

Because this is just the surface.

Inside my MindLeader Circle, I go deeper.

I break down exactly how to turn your community into a high-performance environment.

Where people don’t just connect.

They grow fast.

They take action.

They win.

For paying members, I share 5 advanced strategies to engineer powerful community dynamics.

You will learn how to increase engagement.

How to create loyalty loops.

And how to build a system that runs even when you step back.