Building communities
that drive change
that shape policy
that forge coalitions
that generate deal flow
that set you apart
Enduring connection & meaningful impact are the result of strategy, not serendipity.
what we do
We help organizations turn community into a strategic advantage.
Communities aren’t one-size-fits-all, and neither are our services. However, most of our work fits into one of three buckets:
Community Strategy
Getting to the bottom of what will make your community tick and stick.
Programming
What to talk about, and how to talk about it.
Event Design
End-to-end curation of events — from week-long summits to one-off dinners.
our clients
We partner with communities of all shapes and sizes —
Philanthropies building ecosystems of grantees, researchers, and lawmakers to shape policy.
Tech companies growing customer communities to accelerate product adoption and solicit continuous feedback.
Political exiles organizing across their diaspora to affect change and promote democracy.
VCs developing platform strategies for their portfolio companies to add value and ignite growth.
Universities building alumni cohorts to foster lifelong learning.
Nonprofits convening grantees to break down siloes across issue areas.
com·mu·ni·ty — A group of people connected by a shared goal, sustained by reciprocity. A term that’s overused, but under-realized.
core principles
Whether we’re designing a standalone event or an end-to-end partnerships strategy, we’re often asked whether there are “rules” for effective community design. There are no shortcuts, but we find ourselves sharing a few core principles:
1
Focus on who's in the room.
Well-designed programming rooted in deep research and participant expertise — and moderated by peers — moves the needle. (Almost everything else could be a podcast.)
2
Events are means, not ends.
An event is a tool, not a silver bullet. Every gathering we work on is meticulously crafted to fit into a larger strategy for lasting impact.
3
Don't get fuzzy.
Community sounds feel-good (and it can be!), but that doesn’t mean its impact is un-measurable. We collaborate to define success metrics, iterate on what’s working, and change what’s not.
Testimonials
What our clients are saying
about us
Back Pocket is Annabel Ostrow & Jason Connor.
We founded Back Pocket because we believe in the transformative power of community, conversation, and shared experience.
Annabel Ostrow
- Former Director of Programming & General Manager at Dialog — an invite-only community of global leaders for off-the-record conversations
- Stanford University B.A.
- Currently reading Doppelganger by Naomi Klein & The Pretender by Jo Harkin
Jason Connor
- Former Director of Membership at Dialog — an invite-only community of global leaders for off-the-record conversations
- Cambridge University M.A. (Law)
- Currently reading Breakneck by Dan Wang & Exhalation by Ted Chiang