Comunev: Tony Sheldon on Building a New Age Interest-Based Social Network
In a world dominated by giants like Facebook and LinkedIn, is there still room for a new social network? Tony Sheldon, Co-founder of Comunev, believes the answer is a resounding yes. But Comunev isn't trying to be another platform for status updates and photo dumps. Instead, it aims to solve a fundamental problem of modern digital life: superficiality. Comunev is an interest-based social network designed to connect like-minded people through shared passions, moving beyond mere "connections" to build genuine, lasting communities.
Tony's journey began with a simple observation: existing platforms are great for maintaining relationships with people you already know, but terrible for finding new people who share your specific interests. "Facebook connects you with friends and family. LinkedIn connects you for jobs. But where do you go if you want to find people who love hiking in your city, or are passionate about indie music?" Tony asks. Comunev started as a series of offline community events in 2019, growing rapidly from 5 to 50 members per meetup, validating the deep human need for interest-based connection.
The 'Interest Graph' vs. 'Social Graph'
Tony distinguishes Comunev by its focus on the "Interest Graph." While traditional networks map your social connections (who you know), Comunev maps your interests (what you love). This allows users to discover communities based on passions rather than proximity or pedigree. "We want to help you find your tribe," Tony explains. "Whether it's a book club or a tech meetup, the glue is the shared interest, not just a mutual friend."
Bootstrapping a Social Network
Building a B2C social platform is notoriously difficult, especially without massive venture capital backing. Tony and his team took a unique approach: they started offline first. By organizing physical meetups for various interest groups, they built a loyal community and understood user behavior deeply before writing a single line of code for the app. This "community-first, product-second" strategy allowed them to bootstrap effectively.
"We ran 40 to 50 community meetups ourselves," Tony recalls. "This gave us invaluable insights into what actually brings people together and keeps them engaged. We didn't just guess features; we observed real human interactions." This grassroots approach helped them survive and thrive even with limited initial resources.
The Challenge of Content vs. Connection
One of the key critiques Tony has of modern social media is the shift towards content consumption over connection. "Platforms like Instagram and TikTok have become media companies," he argues. "They are about entertainment, not networking. You scroll, you watch, but you don't connect." Comunev aims to bring the "social" back to social media by prioritizing interaction. The goal isn't to keep you scrolling for hours but to facilitate a meaningful conversation or an offline meetup.
Tony's Lessons for Young Entrepreneurs
- Start Small & Offline: Don't rush to build an app. Validate your idea with a WhatsApp group or a meetup. If you can't build a community offline, an app won't fix it.
- Be Patient: Building a network takes time. Overnight success is a myth. Prepare for a long grind.
- Co-founders Matter: Tony met his co-founders at his own events. Shared passion is the best foundation for a founding team.
- Hire for Culture: In the early days, skills can be learned, but attitude cannot. Hire people who believe in the mission.
Building for Bharat
Tony emphasizes that while global giants exist, there is a massive opportunity in building for the unique needs of the Indian audience, or "Bharat." Cultural nuances, local languages, and specific community behaviors create gaps that Silicon Valley apps often miss. Comunev is positioning itself to fill these gaps by being hyper-local and culturally relevant.
Looking ahead, Tony envisions Comunev as the go-to platform for anyone looking to pursue a hobby or passion. Whether you are a painter looking for a critique group or a coder looking for a hackathon team, Comunev wants to be the bridge that connects you to your people.
Key Milestones
- Community First: Started with 40+ offline meetups before launching the app.
- Organic Growth: Grew user base through word-of-mouth and community engagement.
- Remote Culture: Built a fully remote team, leveraging talent from across India.
About the Guest
Tony Sheldon is the Co-founder of Comunev. An engineer by training, Tony is a passionate community builder who believes in the power of human connection. He started Comunev in 2019 with a vision to create a social network that fosters genuine relationships through shared interests. Before diving full-time into entrepreneurship, he gained experience in the startup ecosystem, learning the ropes of building and scaling a venture. Tony is a strong advocate for bootstrapping and sustainable growth.
Comunev is an interest-based social networking platform that connects people with similar passions. It started as a series of offline communities and has evolved into a digital platform that facilitates discovery, conversation, and meetups for various interest groups, from arts and culture to technology and sports.