Hello all! I hope you enjoy today's feature with Ha Nguyen, Sidebar’s very own Head of Community. Before we dive in, here are some quick opportunities:

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Feel free to reach out at [email protected].

Ha’s Community-Building Journey

Ha Nguyen’s journey into community building started with a powerful realization: at eBay, people were doing more than trading items, they were forming bonds. It was a vibrant ecosystem where individuals not only found what they were looking for but also found each other. As Ha’s career evolved, from product executive roles to venture capitalist, she experienced firsthand the growing isolation that often accompanies leadership. The higher she climbed, the lonelier it became.

These two pivotal experiences - witnessing the power of human connection at eBay and the stark contrast of executive isolation - drove Ha to make community building her mission. Her goal was simple but profound: to create spaces where people, especially those in leadership, could form genuine, supportive relationships. From co-founding Women in Product to shaping Sidebar, Ha’s journey has been about bridging the gap between professional success and personal fulfillment through authentic community.

Fast Forward to Today: Ha's Impact

Ha co-created the VP Product Community, a network designed to support VP-level product leaders navigating the unique challenges of their roles. This effort led to the launch of the Product Leader Summit, an annual, highly curated gathering for these leaders and founders. Far from just another networking event, it became a trusted space where participants could connect, share candidly, and learn from one another. It embodied Ha’s belief that intimacy breeds authenticity, a principle that guided her next big project.

Building on her passion for community, Ha began hosting events for Women in Product, a network dedicated to supporting and elevating female product leaders. Over time, her contributions and leadership led to her being invited to join the board. Today, Women in Product has grown to 30,000 members, fostering representation, visibility, and mentorship. Ha understood that for real change to happen, women needed to see each other and be seen, breaking barriers collectively.

These experiences paved the way for Ha’s next big step: joining Sidebar as Chief Evangelist & Head of Community. Today, she fully embraces the mission and vision set forth by CEO and founder Lexy Franklin.

Ha’s Mission at Sidebar

When Ha met Lexy Franklin, Sidebar’s visionary founder, it was destiny unfolding. "Lexy had me at hello when he said that his mission was to positively impact people in his lifetime," Ha recalls. They shared a vision: creating a haven where leaders could connect authentically, shedding the masks they wore in their professional roles.

Having navigated the loneliness of senior leadership herself, Ha understood the profound need for genuine connection. "As a former VP of Product, COO, and even in VC roles, it can get very lonely," she says. Sidebar wasn’t just another networking space; it was a lifeline - a personal board of directors where leaders could be vulnerable, share openly, and find unwavering support.

Building Genuine Connections

Stepping into her role as Chief Evangelist & Head of Community, Ha's mission was clear. She aimed to build a foundation not just of members, but of kindred spirits open to growth and real connection. She knew she could make it happen, not because of a vast network, but because she had spent years being a "go-giver".

She reflects, "When I chatted to Lexy about this role, I told him, 'When I call people, they pick up the phone.' And I don’t think he quite understood what that meant at the time, but I think he understands now." Ha had cultivated relationships rooted in generosity, offering her time and support without expecting anything in return.

Reaching out to her network, she extended a sincere invitation. "I reached out to my VP Product community and said, 'It’s crickets in between our annual conferences. Imagine Sidebar connecting you with your VP Product peers in a small group circle where you build deep trust, rapport, and relationships throughout the year,'" she shares. The idea resonated deeply. Over 400 leaders joined, not because of a hard sell, but because they trusted Ha and craved that authentic connection.

Co-Creating Culture

But Ha's vision went beyond building a network; she wanted to co-create a culture with the members themselves. She facilitated workshops to develop Sidebar’s guiding principles. "It wasn’t about setting rules," Ha explains. "It was about capturing who we were and what we wanted Sidebar to be. A place where people could be themselves and support each other." This collaborative approach ensured that Sidebar reflected the collective values of its community.

From Virtual Bonds to Transformative Experiences

Understanding the power of both virtual and in-person interactions, Ha worked to blend these experiences seamlessly. "Virtual groups are fantastic because they allow us to stay connected from anywhere, even in pajamas on a Saturday morning," she says with a smile. "But in-person gatherings are irreplaceable. When we can be in the same room, give each other a hug, and share a meal, it just elevates that magic to a whole other level."

Events like Friendsgiving, intimate dinners, and the Sidebar Summit weren’t just meetings; they were shared experiences that deepened bonds and elevated connections formed online.

Redefining Leadership Through Authentic Connection

Ha Nguyen isn't just building a community, she's reshaping the landscape. Through Sidebar, she offers people a sanctuary, a place to be themselves, to find support, and to grow together. In a world that often celebrates facade over authenticity, Ha's mission is a breath of fresh air.

Ha’s Community Building Playbook

Ha Nguyen’s Playbook is a synthesis of powerful principles for building communities that genuinely resonate with their members. Her insights, born from decades of experience and the challenges she faced as an executive, offer an approach that makes communities more than the sum of their parts, they become life-changing networks of support, inspiration, and growth.

1. Identify the Emotional Gap

The best communities fill a real, emotional need. Ha saw at eBay that people were forming real connections, and later, she felt the stark isolation of executive life. Sidebar became her solution to that emotional gap - offering support and true connection for leaders.

Example: Sidebar’s "personal board of directors" groups were designed to turn isolation into support networks, where members could openly share and uplift each other. It wasn’t just professional growth, it was about belonging.

Reflection for Community Builders: What unfulfilled emotional needs exist in your community? Is it isolation, a need for mentorship, or support during challenging times? Pinpointing that need will help make your community indispensable.

2. Be a Go-Giver

Leading with generosity transforms relationships from transactional to authentic. Ha spent years giving without expecting anything in return - mentoring, making introductions, and sharing insights. When Sidebar needed founding members, her network responded because they trusted her and saw her genuine intention.

Example: Ha didn’t try to sell people on Sidebar. Instead, she invited them to be part of something she knew they needed. "I reached out to people and simply shared what this community could mean for them," Ha says. The result? Over 400 leaders joined based purely on her invitation and trust.

Reflection for Community Builders: Think about how often you give without expecting anything back. People remember and trust generosity. Build a culture of giving and support within your community.

3. Collaborate to Expand

Communities grow stronger through collaboration. Ha co-founded Women in Product with Gid Biddle and Dan Olson, knowing that partnering with others who shared her mission would amplify the community’s reach. Similarly, at Sidebar, she brought in community members to help lead and expand the community.

Example: At Sidebar, Ha couldn’t create the entire culture alone. She empowered others to take leadership roles, host events, and run initiatives. This decentralized approach helped Sidebar grow organically, while giving others ownership over the community.

Reflection for Community Builders: Who in your network shares your vision? Find partners who bring different strengths and perspectives. Collaboration breeds resilience and amplifies impact.

4. Small Scale, Big Impact

The quality of connections matters more than the number of members. Sidebar focusses on small, intimate groups. Each group has 8-10 people, allowing deep bonds to form over time.

Example: Instead of focusing on expanding Sidebar rapidly, Ha prioritized creating “personal boards of directors” for small groups that met regularly. These groups were about openness, trust, and real relationships - qualities that can only be fostered at a small scale.

Reflection for Community Builders: Are you prioritizing numbers over true connection? Start with smaller, curated groups that allow for trust and depth. True growth begins with meaningful relationships.

5. Embrace Co-Creation

Communities are more engaged when members help shape their direction. Ha didn’t dictate Sidebar’s culture; she facilitated workshops that allowed members to collaborate on defining core values and guiding principles.

Example: Sidebar’s mission and values were developed with its members, not handed down from above. By co-creating the guiding principles, Ha ensured that members felt invested in Sidebar's success.

Reflection for Community Builders: Are your members active participants in shaping your community, or are they just passive observers? Involving them in decision-making helps create a culture of shared ownership and engagement.

6. Cultivate Hybrid Engagement

True engagement requires a blend of virtual and in-person touchpoints. Ha ensured Sidebar had a mix of both, consistent virtual meetings for connection and in-person events for deep, transformative experiences.

Example: Sidebar’s Friendsgiving and annual summit were designed to go beyond traditional networking. These events included activities that allowed members to bond more deeply, combining professional growth with personal connection.

Reflection for Community Builders: How are you balancing virtual and in-person engagement? Virtual meetings keep members connected, but in-person gatherings build emotional ties that are irreplaceable.

Final Thoughts

Communities thrive when built with intention, generosity, and shared purpose. Whether it's inviting members to co-create, giving freely without expectation, or creating small spaces for meaningful connection, take a page from Ha Nguyen’s Playbook to craft a community that matters - not just in numbers, but in the real, human connections it creates.