#4. Jona Azizaj. The story about Open Source communities & working ambassador programs. Albania 🇦🇱

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. 

Jona: I absolutely love ambassador programs because I started as an ambassador myself in Fedora, which was one of the first communities I got involved with. When you join a program, you progress step by step, following all the stages, and eventually, you find yourself designing these programs.

Jona's ambassador profile on the Fedora website

I designed the first ambassador program at Kiwi.com; it was an internal one and involved three main areas: 

1. Writing

2. Speaking

3. Promotion on social media profiles

In terms of the first two areas, I helped them with topics, gave them resources on becoming better speakers, and helped with self-promotion. It was great to see the growth, especially because some people initially hesitated. Many were uncomfortable with public speaking or afraid of putting themselves out there, especially since English wasn’t their first language. This hesitancy was particularly noticeable with engineers, so it was a bit challenging to involve them in the program, but it was also very rewarding. 

I reached out personally, inviting them to coffee chats where I shared opportunities and learned more about their preferences. Some members preferred writing, while others were more interested in speaking. These conversations helped me identify community members who started writing articles, speaking at events, or designing internal Python courses for their colleagues.

We also introduced a system to recognize active contributors. Every month, we would highlight and reward those who were particularly active. It was rewarding to see people coming to me directly, eager to contribute. 

I also started the same program at GoodData, and now in my current company, it's more like an external, which is very similar to Fedora’s. CrowdSec’s Ambassadors Program already existed, but I rewrote it and changed a few things to see how we could improve it. And created opportunities for community members and encourage them to:

• Write articles

• Organize lectures for students 

• Attend and speak at events

• Help other members on Discord

• Help with the documentation 

• Fix issues on GitHub

Sometimes, I see what ambassadors publish on their blogs, as I follow them on LinkedIn and share updates about it with the community. It’s nice to be up-to-date and see what they are working on. And I’m also waiting for the next time they will come to me and say: “Hey, I want to do something cool! Can I write an article?” 

Yesterday, during our Ambassadors' bi-weekly meeting, it was great to hear their feedback and ideas, like requests for another big event. It’s crucial to make the community feel valued for their contributions. Recognizing their efforts, like saying, 'Great article!' and sharing it on socials or in the newsletter, helps keep them motivated and engaged.

Alla: What could be the benefits of being in an ambassador program besides experience and personal brand development?

Jona: Besides experience and personal brand development, ambassadors can benefit from several perks. When they join, we send a welcome package with a thoughtful postcard. Every quarter, I organize a meeting where they can connect with the Tech team to get updates or ask questions. They also get free access to the product’s paid features. These small gestures show our appreciation for their contributions. It’s important to note that finding active ambassadors can be a process, but the value they receive - along with the recognition and resources - keeps them engaged.

"As a Community Manager, you need to be everywhere, keeping track of what community members are posting and collecting that content to share in one place. For social media, we use LinkedIn, Twitter, Reddit, and Mastodon".

Alla: Jona, as well as you mentioned that communities are a part of Marketing. So, maybe you can tell more about the team you are working with. 

Jona: It's interesting that the community sits under different teams in different companies. In my current setup, the Community (just me) is part of the Marketing team, and we work closely together on community content, events, etc. However, I also collaborate quite a bit with the Tech team, especially when we receive feedback from the community or when ambassadors need assistance from our side. The three core teams I collaborate with as a Community Manager are Marketing, Tech, and Customer Support.

Alla: And what were other teams in which you worked and people with whom you collaborated the most?

Jona: When I was at Kiwi.com, the Community team was initially under Engineering. Over the years, the team moved to Marketing and HR, but it still felt disconnected from the tech teams. We eventually moved back to Engineering, which made more sense since our work was always closely connected with the Developers. We were also closely in touch with HR/recruitment, as the primary goal was hiring devs.

At GoodData, I worked under the Product and Product Marketing teams. Being in that team made sense since I was building a community around the product. I was also in close touch with the Customer Support and Marketing teams.

Here at CrowdSec, where the company is smaller, it’s less of an issue where I sit. I stay connected with all teams through weekly company-wide meetings or 1:1s, so I’m always in the loop and can share updates with the community.

"It’s key for a Community Manager to be in the right spot to stay informed and aligned and to engage with other teams to ensure smooth collaboration regularly".

Alla: Can you remember some memorable milestone, situation, or case within your Community Management career? Or recent activities that you did or maybe your community achieved that you celebrated together.

Jona: I have a folder on my computer with mentions from community members who appreciate the work I do. I love keeping it close because I can read those messages on days when I'm not at my best and remind myself that just as we appreciate what others do, they also appreciate our efforts. Sometimes, those little highlights are exactly what brighten my day.

As for milestones, it’s hard to pick just one. If I had to choose, I’d go with Machine Learning Prague. It’s a conference that takes about a year to prepare for, so when it's finally over, you get a brief rest before diving into preparations for the next one. Organizing conferences and events is exhausting, and as Community Managers, it takes up a significant part of our time. 

Last year, at Machine Learning Prague, we had 800 attendees. You can imagine the stress! Waking up early at 6 AM to be at the venue and ensure everything’s ready. But once the event is done, the best part is when people come up to thank you, tell you how much they enjoyed the program, and how amazing the speakers were. That’s the moment when all the stress fades away. 

“Being a Community Manager, it's like always having your heart full of excitement when the event is finished and you hear all these nice things about it.”

In another community, attendees of our educational events later applied to the company for junior positions. A year later, I met one of them who had already become a Senior Manager. Thinking about the entire journey and realizing you had a part in that growth is truly amazing. I absolutely love that.

Alla: And I think this is a great way to wrap up our conversation about Community Management and about your experience, Jona! I'm extremely glad that you agreed to participate in this project and to share your story with the fellow community managers. Thank you. 

Jona: Thanks for having me. I really enjoyed it, and it was nice to reflect on all my community experiences. I’m still involved in many of them or stay in touch with, so I can see what new things are happening. I truly believe that community is everywhere, and once you join, there’s no going back.

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Jona was the first Community Managers with whom I recorded an interview for this project. I gave all guests and participants a choice to either pick interaction with questionnaire or with me during the Zoom call. Jona picked the call. I was so excited and nervous thinking repeatedly: "How will it be? Will we click? Will she find this conversation interesting...". I was spinning, but it was such a great conversation. I was constantly thinking: "That's exactly how I saw the interview!" and "There is true value in such stories for other community people".

And she put so much effort into that article; it will always be memorable.

Learn more about my Community Managers' Strories project to gather insights from Community people from 42 European countries here. 

Do you have a story, and I haven't "visited" your country yet [check the map of countries here]? Drop me a line on LinkedIn, then!