Alla: So Jona, I'm glad to see you and meet you in virtual mode. Maybe sometime I can go to Albania again, and maybe we could meet there or in Prague. I don’t know if it would be possible, but I’m very happy to meet you. Jona Azizaj is an Open Source Community Manager who also drives Partnerships and Communities within ML conferences. So, Jona, how are you, and what is your way in Community Management?

Jona: Well, thanks a lot. I really appreciate that you found me on the map of the Community Managers. My way into the community world started around 2012 when I studied business informatics in Albania. I joined the first Open Source conference called OSCAL, liked the ideology behind Open Source, and started getting involved with the community.

The first community I joined, actually, was the OpenLabs community. Being part of OpenLabs, I got involved with Fedora and became the first Fedora ambassador in Albania, creating Fedora Albania. That was, I think, my starting point into Community Management. I was learning how to make a community, what things I had to do to get more people to join, and how I could also retain the people who are already here.

With time, we became 5 Fedora ambassadors in Albania. We would go to different university classes and speak about Open Source or Fedora Linux specifically. Plus, I became part of the OSCAL organizing team after being an attendee.

“Open Source was also really new in Albania, so trying to make more people understand what it is and why they should join was like a whole learning curve.”

In the meantime, I joined Nextcloud as part of the Rails Girl Summer of Code, which was focused on coding contributions. After the internship, I joined Collabora Productivity as a Marketing Specialist. So, my journey so far was quite a mix: coding, non-coding, and tech skills…I didn't see myself as just in one of those, I realized that I needed something in the middle to find that sweet spot. I felt that if I coded all the time, I would miss interacting with people and talking with them. When leaving Collabora, I still remember saying to my team, 'Hey, now I want to focus fully on the community. I know what I want to do!' And since then, this has remained my path. :D

In 2019, I moved to the Czech Republic and gained valuable community experience there. In Albania, the concept of Community Management was (and still is) quite new, and companies don’t always realize its importance. In contrast, the Czech Republic had a different approach. Companies understood the value of community and were investing heavily in it. My first experience was at Kiwi.com, a company in the travel tech industry, and it was rewarding to see how the community played a central role in increasing the company’s visibility and impact.

I’ve worked in various companies and industries; each community is unique—the approach you take and the tools you use depend on the community’s specific needs. Community managers wear many hats, and it’s not about doing the same job daily. Some days are about one set of tasks, while others focus on something entirely different. That variety is one of the things I love most about community management.

Alla: You mentioned that you are wearing different hats, so maybe you can tell more about the responsibilities that you are doing and that are different from one community to another.

Jona: There are two types of communities I’m involved in: those related to my full-time job and those I contribute to in my free time. For my full-time role, I definitely want to highlight Kiwi.com, which holds a special place in my heart due to everything we achieved there. The community was focused on hiring needs, and I had various roles.

Regarding the events, we organized different initiatives like JS Weekend and Python Weekend. My role involved collaborating with the tech team to ideate the event, creating the agenda, and handling all the logistical tasks such as venue setup, registration, and catering.

Content creation was another key aspect. At Kiwi.com, we kept the community informed through a monthly newsletter, and I also contributed content for our Twitter account. Additionally, we produced articles for our blog, code.kiwi.com, while supporting developers in the internal ambassador program.

After joining GoodData following my time at Kiwi.com, the focus shifted toward gathering product feedback and attracting new users. At CrowdSec, where I work, I’ve revamped the ambassador program, created a referral program, supported community members on Discord, developed content for CrowdSec Academy, and organized community webinars. I also send swag to show our appreciation to the amazing community!

Different communities serve different purposes, and that’s one of the things I love most about them—you're always working on new and exciting things.

Alla: Sounds so right, I truly agree. What other responsibilities did you have or do you have now?

Jona: One of the key projects I’m focused on is the ambassador program. This is especially exciting because these champions, already passionate about our work, are the perfect community representatives. Since you can't be everywhere at once, I always give them an exclusive sneak peek of new updates before they are released, allowing them to test and provide feedback. They are my go-to people for community insights, and I maintain regular communication with them.

“You need to ensure that the most active contributors are well-supported. I highlight their work, provide support from our tech team, and help them share their experiences. This empowers them to represent the community effectively.”

Another thing that can be very important in a Community Manager’s responsibilities is to analyse community metrics. There are many things to focus on in Community Management, but it’s crucial to prioritize 2-3 key areas to avoid becoming overwhelmed. Tracking metrics helps me identify what’s working best and prioritize efforts accordingly.

Alla: You mentioned the ambassador program several times, and I'm intrigued to learn about it because I feel that you are proud of it and it's something you like.