What Does Community Mean to You?

Everyone has their own definition and understanding of “community,” and we all may have different reasons for why we join them, but one thing that remains universal—community membership is a valuable tool that can help your career, business—even life.

Eric Anthony, director of MSP evangelism at Egnyte, asked several CompTIA members and staff what community means to them at CompTIA’s recent Year-End Planning Meeting. He compiled answers into a video, embedded below, with popular themes including a sense of belonging, networking, common goals, connections, resources, supporting each other, and fellowship.

Perhaps the best answer—certainly the longest—came from Juan Fernandez, global channel chief at HacWare and CEO of MSP Growth Coalition. Flipping the original question, Fernandez said people should focus on what they’re doing for the community, not what they’re getting out of it.

“How am I participating in the community, and how am I empowering a community to be successful? What are the things that I’m doing to help challenge others to rise up to the point where we’re making a difference in the world? It’s all about what differences are we making. What are we trying to push the envelope for and what are we trying to improve?”

To the video’s creator, the answers reveal one more thing—that despite the size and complexity of the IT industry, being in a community can make it feel much smaller, Anthony said.

“I have spent three decades in this awesome space and today the community is better than ever,” he said. “The friendships, mentors, and shared experiences have shaped not only my career, but my life.  We are truly better together.”