Breaking the buzzword of community — ft. Nourhan Wahdan

Somewhere along the way, “community” became one of the most overused words in marketing. Every brand wants one, every founder claims to build one, but what does it actually mean? In this episode, Jesse, Biz, and Romain are joined by brand strategist and creative director Nourhan Wahdan to unpack the buzzword and get closer to a real definition. Is community about scale or intimacy? Is it built around shared ideology, mutual support, or simply a sense of belonging?

The conversation explores why community has become such a powerful aspiration for brands and people alike, and whether the term has started to lose its meaning through overuse. They introduce the idea that real community often requires friction. Instead of frictionless convenience, you sometimes need effort, exposure to new perspectives, and moments of discomfort to create the conditions for deeper connection.

From belonging and shared values to the tension between access and intimacy, the group debates what actually holds communities together and what brands consistently get wrong when they try to manufacture them. Did they crack it? Check it out!