5 points harshalone | 1 comments | | HN request time: 0.222s | source

Introducing Odd Circles – A Platform That Even Seth Godin Swears By!

Hey everyone! After years of dreaming, learning, and iterating, I’m thrilled to introduce OddCircles.com – a project close to my heart. It’s an innovative community-building platform designed to connect people, create thriving groups, and discover events happening around you.

But here’s the kicker: Seth Godin, the legendary marketer and author, is one of our biggest advocates. He uses Odd Circles to manage his worldwide audience across 200+ groups, leveraging it to foster meaningful connections and vibrant communities. If Seth sees its value, I hope you will too!

What’s Odd Circles About? Odd Circles is built for creators, organisers, and anyone who wants to bring people together.

Here’s what you can do right now:

Create groups, host events, and gather RSVPs – no fuss, no fees for small communities. Explore groups in your area.

Why Did I Build Odd Circles? Years ago, I tried to make a similar platform but failed spectacularly. I hired a budget developer to “build an MVP” while knowing little about software myself. The results were… less than ideal. Instead of giving up, I pivoted, learned to code, and built Odd Circles from scratch using Ruby on Rails.

I was driven by one question: Why isn’t there a platform that connects all kinds of groups and events, big or small, with a focus on discovery and community?

Why Not Just Use Meetup or Eventbrite? Good question. Here’s where they fall short:

Meetup.com:

- No free tier for small or non-profit groups (which make up a huge chunk of communities). - Poor search and discovery features. - “Meetup” as a name doesn’t resonate with modern, dynamic communities.

Eventbrite:

- Excellent for ticketing but lacks the community and group management aspect. - Discovery? Almost non-existent.

The Odd Circles Difference - Odd Circles is for everyone – big groups, small groups, and everything in between. Whether you’re a local knitting club, a tech meetup, or someone like Seth Godin managing global audiences, we’ve got you covered.

Our vision is simple: Capture the real-world activity happening around us and make it accessible to all.

Join the Movement Odd Circles is in its early stages, but the feedback so far has been fantastic. I’m opening the doors wider to invite YOU to try it out and share your thoughts.

Here’s how you can help:

Explore: Check out OddCircles.com and see how it fits your group’s needs. Feedback: Let me know what works and what doesn’t. Your insights are invaluable. Request Features: Tell me what would make it even better.

Start creating your community today at OddCircles.com!