Welcome to The People Behind the Programs, a blog series celebrating the voices, stories, and impact of the community professionals powering connection and belonging across the globe.

Today, we meet Nate Brown, the Executive Director at CX Accelerator in Nashville, USA, where he fosters a vibrant community of customer experience professionals.

I was lonely in the work of Customer Experience, longing for a sense of connection with like-minded individuals. This realization led me to bring together a few dear friends, and thus, CX Accelerator was born! Let’s hear more about this journey in my own words.

‍

How It Started

‍My journey into community work began with a simple desire: to find a community of peers within the customer experience field. I realized there was a void, a community waiting to be formed, and so a small group of us took the plunge to fill it. As we grew, it became clear that many others felt similarly homeless in the CX world. What started as a gathering soon evolved into a nonprofit professional association, and I embraced the role of Executive Director. Watching this community grow has been an incredible experience, and the feeling of just beginning persists as we tackle new challenges and opportunities.

‍

A Day in the Life

‍My role now is heavily focused on volunteer management. We are in the thrilling process of expanding our in-person meetup network which requires a lot of coordination. On a day-to-day basis, I make connections, celebrate promotions, aid in content development, and strive to uplift voices throughout the CX space. It's a mix of celebrating the triumphs of our members and supporting them through their endeavors.

The Tools that Power My Work

‍Slack is our magical tool for community communication. It's where ideas come to life, and members connect meaningfully. For behind-the-scenes tasks, I rely on Asana for project management—it's my organizational backbone. For content creation, Visme is my secret weapon, helping me craft compelling visuals and presentations with ease.

‍

Advice for Newcomers

‍If you're considering jumping into community development for personal gain, let me save you some time—it's not the path for you. Community building is all about serving and uplifting others. It's about creating something greater than yourself, fueled by a genuine love for the mission and the people you are gathering. Start creating alongside people you love and trust. Focus on developing volunteer management skills because they are critical. Initially, invite the right people to shape your community's culture and tone before eventually expanding your reach.

‍

Resources I Suggest

‍Without hesitation, I'd recommend diving into everything by Mark Schaefer, particularly his book, "Belonging to the Brand". It's an invaluable resource. Additionally, The Business of Belonging by David Spinks is, in my opinion, required reading for anyone in this field.

‍

💬 Let’s connect on LinkedIn — I’d love to hear from fellow community builders.

💡 The People Behind the Programs is a blog series that shines a light on the community professionals powering impactful programs around the world. Want to share your story or nominate someone doing incredible community work? Submit your spotlight here.

‍

Are you passionate about building communities?

‍Join the movement, start a CMX Connect chapter in your city or virtually and become a local leader in the global community industry. 👉 Apply to become a chapter director