When Blake from Web Tools sent out a message one and a half years ago saying he was going to step down from hosting the UXCHCH meetup, Andrew and Marjolein faced a choice. They could let an awesome community initiative fade away, or step up and take over.
They chose to step up, and their leadership and dedication offers valuable lessons for anyone looking to build or sustain professional communities.
The Power of Shared Leadership
“We didn’t really know what it would look like or how it would be or how much time or effort it would cost,” Marjolein reflects. “We were just like, yeah, let’s just try it and see how we go.”
Not letting this uncertainty slow them down, the duo, who previously worked together at MadeCurious, found that shared leadership creates natural accountability. Planning events every six weeks (working slightly ahead but not so far that speakers forget their commitments!) has helped them maintain a solid calendar of events throughout the year. “If it’s just yourself, it might be a bit harder to keep that consistency going,” Marjolein notes. “Because it’s two of us, it’s a good flow.”
Growing Beyond Your Comfort Zone
While both Andrew and Mar admit that running meetups pushed them outside their comfort zone, the experience has been transformative. For Andrew (who describes himself as “more on the introverted side of the scale), “it’s forced me to get out and get to know more people. The more you do it, the more comfortable you are with it, and it’s now at the point where you really enjoy catching up with everyone again and meeting new people.” This genuine passion and openness shown has a huge impact on attendees, providing a space that welcomes veterans and newcomers alike.
Building Inclusive, Diverse Communities
The meetup attracts roughly 60-70% UX professionals, with the remainder coming from adjacent fields like business analysis, project management, and development – with this diversity being intentional.
“We don’t only want to cater for UX people, we want a diverse group,” Marjolein explains. This is achieved by choosing topics that span the broader discipline and collaborating with other meetups like Agile and Product Tank.
The approach recognises that UX work rarely happens in isolation. As Andrew puts it, “UX is a broad discipline that pulls together a wide range of people, skills and perspectives.”
Sharing sessions on YouTube for those who can’t attend in person
Recognising that not everyone can attend in-person events, UXCHCH have started recording sessions for YouTube release. The decision came after consistent feedback from people who wanted to engage but couldn’t make it due to location, timing, or family commitments.
Their approach is thoughtful: they release videos a week after events, preserving the unique value of in-person attendance while extending their reach.
The Real Value of Community
Perhaps most importantly, Andrew and Mar understand what their community really needs. “There’s a lot of people who are working as a team of one or they’re working remotely,” Andrew observes. “People really like to come and just talk to people face to face, have that actual feeling of community.”
They actively seek speakers who share real challenges rather than polished success stories. This approach resonates with their audience, many of whom are grappling with similar issues in their day-to-day work. Andrew elaborates, “Sometimes it’s the people working in the small teams that have come up with a really gnarly problem that they’ve figured out a way through.”
Rather than showcasing perfect case studies, the meetup provides a platform for honest discussions about the complexities of UX work.
“We’re not really looking at how experienced you are as a speaker,” Marjolein adds. “We would like to have a diverse range of speakers. As long as you have an interesting topic to tell, please come and chat with us.”
This openness to different experience levels and perspectives ensures that the meetup remains grounded in the realities of UX practice – creating an environment where attendees can learn from both seasoned professionals and those just starting out, each bringing valuable insights to the table.
Whether you’re building a professional community, organising industry events, or simply trying to connect like-minded people, success often comes down to consistency, shared responsibility, and genuine understanding of what your community needs.
MadeCurious can offer space for other tech meetups – get in touch with Andrew for more information
