When scaling a tech business, a critical question arises: Should you build a passionate community around your product, or focus on nurturing a loyal customer base?

This was the central discussion in a recent episode of Wisdom From Wizards, where I sat down with Nalin Senthamil, CEO and Founder of Storylane, to explore this strategic choice.

The Case for Community Building

According to Nalin, if your company follows a product-led growth (PLG) model, where users can self-serve and adopt the product without extensive sales intervention, then community-building should be a priority.

“Community helps people learn how to sell your product to themselves,” Nalin explained. When users engage with each other, share best practices, and offer feedback, your company benefits from organic advocacy and deeper product adoption — all of which can accelerate growth at scale.

When Customer Loyalty Takes Center Stage

On the other hand, if your business model relies more on enterprise deals, high-touch sales, or long-term contracts, then prioritizing customer loyalty makes more sense. While community can still play a role, investing in personalized support, exclusive resources, and customer success strategies may yield better results in driving renewals and expansions.

Key Takeaways for Tech Scaleups

1. For PLG companies, build a thriving community to fuel organic growth and customer-led sales.
2. For high-touch sales models, double down on customer loyalty to drive retention and expansion.
3. Understand your motion and optimize accordingly — the best strategy depends on how your users adopt and scale with your product.

This episode of Wisdom From Wizards is brought to you by Caribou Strategic, where we help tech scaleups stand out and succeed.

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