Community is at the heart of everything Jocelyn Ramirez and Mike Pak do. Ramirez is the founder of Todo Verde, which provides healthy and delicious plant-based, culturally relevant dishes, and Pak is the co-founder of Koreatown Run Club, a thriving running group in Los Angeles.

Both creators have scaled up: Ramirez has published a cookbook, launched a catering business, and is working on opening a restaurant, and Pak’s running group has grown into a popular, five-day-a-week operation.

During Eventbrite’s RECONVENE summit, Ramirez and Pak described the ways they’ve been able to try out experiments and connect with a new audience, while remaining true to their mission and values.

Read on for a teaser of key takeaways from Jocelyn Ramirez and Mike Pak’s talk. For more in-depth insights, watch the full video below: 

Cultivate resilience

As you expand, you’re going to need access to capital and other opportunities. There will inevitably be times when someone says no or the door slams shut in your face, Ramirez said. But, “you gotta find the open window and crawl through sometimes,” she noted. 

Be consistent, and adopt cultural rituals and customs

Koreatown Run Club meets five days a week, and attendees start and end every event with a chant. At the beginning, for example, they might chant: “1, 2, 3, KRC.” And then later: “4, 5, 6, family.” The group meets so often that members often see each other more than they see their actual relatives, Pak said. Creating a sense of family, and intentionally weaving special language and customs into a chant, plays a significant role in community-building.

Get advice from other people

Pak recommends seeking out a mentor who can advise you on the do’s and don’ts of expansion. Having someone in your corner who has been there, done that, can be invaluable.

For example, Ramirez hasn’t worked in restaurants before, so as she’s started planning how to open one, she’s leaned on others for advice with her fundraising deck and pitching efforts. Look for people who “want to see you succeed because they believe in what you’re doing,” she said.

Build up leaders in your community

Koreatown Run Club has captains: official titles and roles conferred upon group members who lead daily runs. “When you’re a captain, you have so much responsibility, and people look up to you,” Pak said, noting how rewarding it is to cultivate leadership skills among people who have always wanted such a position.

Ramirez, meanwhile, has hired an “amazing core team of managers,” who go on to hire and train other people. She recommended putting in the time to learn who your leaders are as individuals, what they need to feel happy and fulfilled, and how you can help them maximize this stepping stone on their career path.

For additional tips from Eventbrite’s ongoing RECONVENE events series, visit our recaps hub.