Designing for Depth: What Humanize HQ Can Teach Us About Traction
We all know the startup culture highlight reel: explosive growth, all‑nighters, “hustle harder” mantras. At Pollen8, we’ve lived that story – celebrating the wins while building in the trenches. But, as startup founders, we’ve kept a lot of our conversations around doubt, fear, and burnout closer to our chests. That’s the space Larissa Carrera is intentionally designing for – where the hard parts of entrepreneurship aren’t hidden.
Larissa is creating a community centered around vulnerability with Humanize HQ – a space built for early stage founders who don’t have the privilege of prestige networks or startup pedigree. Her focus? Underrepresented builders who are often navigating the hardest parts of entrepreneurship.
When we sat down with Larissa, what really struck us was her insistence on depth over numbers. Instead of chasing thousands of sign‑ups, she’s actively looking for real connections that move the needle. Here’s how she does it, and what it taught us about building communities that actually work:
“I am speaking to founders, meeting them in a “grassroots” way, and trying to understand their needs and issues…I’m bringing together a group of individuals who can speak toward these needs and provide them with solutions. So it’s very curated.”
Larissa runs Humanize HQ solo, on top of a full‑time job. What impressed us was her ability to still carve out time for a quick 1:1 with new members. And making sure these new members were the right fit for relationship-building at her events. That high‑touch onboarding is her way of ensuring every invite serves the integrity of the space. For us, that hit home: no email blast can replace a ten‑minute chat that surfaces someone’s real pain points.
“I am being really strategic about who I’m inviting and being purposeful of who’s going to be in the room and making sure that I’m making the introductions. I’m not looking for volume, I’m looking for these people that can walk away with value because they were meant to be put in the room together.”
The first Humanize meetup may have been small with only 50 attendees, but it was mighty in impact – two panelists (a founder and an executive) received angel investment checks for their respective companies. Intentional curation is Larissa’s north star – and it’s very obviously working. If community leaders can hand‑pick attendees whose challenges and skills align, this can fast‑forward conversations that can produce effective outcomes. Larissa got us thinking:
- Are community-building or networking events leaving outcomes to chance?
- Are we engineering those “aha” moments through thoughtful matchmaking? Can we do more to form intentional relationships between attendees?
“It’s really about people just feeling comfortable conversing and talking and exchanging ideas, but also being vulnerable and speaking on the issues they’re having. So I think this has a lot to do with emotional intelligence and trying to incorporate that into venture and entrepreneurship.”
As a team that’s spent a lot of time in community spaces, we’ve all been to those events that look great on paper but once you’re there, something just doesn’t click. Maybe it’s too big, too performative, or you just don’t feel like you’re connecting with anyone in a real way. Humanize HQ reminds us that curation gets people in the room, but emotional safety is what keeps them there. Larissa creates space for founders to feel seen and not just sized up. And when people feel that kind of safety, they show up more honestly and form the kinds of connections that actually move the needle.
So, here are 3 takeaways:
- Manual work builds stronger foundations. Larissa takes a high-context approach, connecting intentionally with founders individually before they join. The grassroots method is very manual but it is deliberate. This can create clarity, trust, and momentum especially in the early days of community building.
- Curated environments drive faster outcomes. Humanize HQ doesn’t rely on chance interactions. The curation means every attendee has a reason to be in the room, and that alignment makes the right conversations happen sooner.
- Emotional safety can create space for real growth. The absence of performance pressure makes room for honesty. Founders talk about what’s actually hard and not just what looks good.
As we continue to better understand how to empower community organizers, Larissa’s work reminds us to be sharper in what and who we’re designing for. Scale does not always need to be top of mind; but excellent community managers design for traction and care. If you’re trying to build a community and feeling like you’re “too small” or “not there yet”, getting wrapped up in the numbers can be misleading. You could be laying the groundwork for something more impactful than you realise.
PS: At Pollen8, we’re learning and taking notes from community builders like Larissa. And we know there are more of you out there. We’re excited to hear more stories from other great community builders.
What’s Next?
We’re fired up for what’s ahead and looking forward to seeing our Dot Connector community grow over the coming year. Our vision is to get sharper and closer to building something that truly works and transforms the work of community leaders/builders across the board.
Create a Dot Connector profile with us to stay updated with our launches.
Even better, Schedule a Dot Connector Convo with our team;
we want to hear from you if you’re a community leader/organizer.
Our content rollout is coming! Stay tuned for more in-depth content, including interviews, insights from our recent events, and upcoming opportunities to collaborate directly. Follow us, keep an eye on our newsletter, and join us at future events where we’ll continue these conversations. Your stories and involvement is what makes this all possible.
Onward and Upward,
The Pollen8 Team
