1) My first move would be to ask the founder two important questions.
What type of people do you need in your project? And what vision do you have for your project in the next two years?
I would ask these questions because I genuinely want to hear their vision first. Once I understand where they see this project going, I can align my own ideas with theirs and immediately take action in the first 24 hours to bring real value to the community.
A little about myself
Back in 2020 during the COVID period I used to run Facebook ads for clothing and hair businesses just to survive. At the time I did not even realize I was building a real skill. I once ran an ad for a hair business that had only 45 members on WhatsApp. Within 13 hours that grew to 370 members. 25 people patronized the brand that same day from the ad alone, and within two days the WhatsApp group grew to 780 members.
I am not saying this to brag. I am saying it to show what I can actually do within 24 hours with the right platform and zero outside help. My ad skills would genuinely be what saves me if I ever found myself in a position like building a community from zero.
2) I am the definition of read the room before you speak.
Stepping into an existing community where people already have their own mindset and way of doing things requires real observation first. I would start by identifying the "mini bosses," the people in the community that others naturally flock around and pay attention to. I would watch what they do best to get that kind of attention.
Before making any major changes, I would spend time understanding the culture of the community first. I do not believe in rushing into a room and trying to change everything immediately. People trust what they are already familiar with, so my first job would be to understand what is already working before deciding what needs improvement.
Then I would speak with the moderator privately. I genuinely believe they would have a lot to share if asked the right way. I would ask what is currently going on in the community, how long the community has existed, whether their followers have increased in the last month and how the engagement has been overall.
As for the so called trouble makers in the room, I honestly do not worry about them. I know how to turn them into productive members of the community. Most of the time people become difficult when they feel unheard, overlooked or disconnected from the bigger picture. Once you understand what drives them, it becomes much easier to channel that energy in a positive direction.
That is it. I could go deeper but the character limit will not allow it, so I am keeping this short.
3) If I am being honest, I can handle both. One requires money and the other requires strategy.
I am good at running ads on YouTube, Facebook and TikTok, so building a community from zero is something I can genuinely do. I already understand how to get attention, bring people into a community and create awareness around a brand.
And when it comes to an existing community, I am good at adapting quickly to new environments and observing things fast. I naturally take time to understand how people think, who the key voices are and what is already working before trying to make changes.
So yes, I believe I am a right fit for both. If I had to choose, I would probably lean slightly towards building from zero because my advertising background gives me an advantage there. But I am confident I can add value in either situation.