This drop made me realize how different the actual job is depending on whether you’re starting something new or stepping into something that already exists. Most people treat both the same way, and that’s probably why a lot of CMs struggle when they switch between the two.
The zero state one feels more exciting on paper, but it’s actually much more demanding in the beginning. You’re not just managing a community, you’re basically part of the marketing engine. If you’re not in those early conversations about where users are coming from and how they’re being onboarded, you’re already behind. I liked how it emphasized being ready before the first person joins, because once things start moving, you don’t really get time to fix the basics.
The inherited side feels more common in crypto, and also more dangerous if you don’t handle it carefully. The advice about spending the first 48 hours mostly observing and learning the history instead of posting immediately makes a lot of sense. I’ve seen people come into projects and immediately start changing things or making big promises, only to lose the trust of the people who were already there. The part about not badmouthing the previous CM publicly also stood out, it’s easy to think you’re being honest, but it usually just makes you look like you’re trying to look better than someone else.
Between the two, I think I’m naturally better suited for the inherited type. I’m more comfortable taking time to understand what’s already there before trying to change anything. Starting from complete zero feels like it would stress me out more because of how much you have to get right in the first few days with almost no room for mistakes.