Jeremy Schultz, CEO of Community, is a transformative leader with a distinguished career in SaaS and technology. He has held executive roles at companies like Savo, Salesforce, Modus, Uberflip, OfficeMax and DexMedia, where he led strategic growth initiatives, enhanced operational efficiencies, and elevated customer engagement to new heights. Known for his ability to create impactful growth strategies, Schultz has expanded market share and strengthened brand positioning across several competitive markets.
Outside of his professional endeavors, Schultz is deeply committed to philanthropy. He serves as Chair of Concerts for Cancer, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting cancer patients and their families through the healing power of music. His philanthropic work reflects his passion for giving back to the community and making a meaningful impact beyond the business world.
Tell us a little bit about your background and what brought you to Community.
I’ve spent much of my career leading and scaling software companies, particularly in sales enablement and marketing content intelligence, driven by a passion for how technology connects people in meaningful ways. When I had the chance to join Community, I saw an opportunity to take that to the next level. The team had a bold, noble vision—creating an alternative to social media that empowers public figures and brands to connect with their audiences directly and authentically. Unlike traditional platforms where algorithms dictate reach, Community puts creators and brands in control. By leveraging zero-party and declared data, users can segment their audiences and tailor messaging in a way that feels personal, not just transactional—a real game changer for engagement.
As a CEO, how do you strike a balance between innovative thinking and practical execution while leading Community?
Innovation is key to staying competitive, but it must be paired with disciplined execution. I encourage my teams to experiment and stay ahead of the trends – particularly in emerging technologies like AI – but we also stay grounded by maintaining a strong product roadmap. As CEO, my job is to align these ambitions with clear priorities, ensuring every initiative we pursue has a measurable impact on short-term growth and long-term scalability. We constantly ask, “Does this drive more value for our Community members and their audiences?”
As you look ahead, what are your top priorities for growing Community over the next year? How do these goals align with your long-term vision for the next five years?
This year, our top priorities are deepening our AI-driven capabilities, expanding strategic partnerships, and refining the user experience to maximize engagement. We’re investing heavily in AI-powered personalization, ensuring brands and creators can deliver even more relevant, meaningful interactions at scale—without sacrificing authenticity. By enhancing automation and data insights, we’re making it easier than ever for our customers to connect directly with their audiences in a way that feels natural and impactful.
At the same time, we aim to harvest and amplify the art of the possible by expanding partnerships with high-profile creators, brands, and organizations that demonstrate the power of direct messaging. Our goal is to showcase Community as the go-to platform for engagement beyond algorithm-driven social media—where real relationships, not just reach, drive success.
Operational discipline and customer experience are focal areas that I obsess over. We are laser-focused on creating the processes, structure, and habits that enable our teams to consistently drive value for both current and future customers. By leveraging insights from our most successful customers, we’re identifying and sharing best practices that help others maximize engagement and unlock new opportunities.
Ultimately, everything we do now—and everything we’ll do over the next five years—is about empowering our customers to build more valuable, direct, and lasting relationships with their audiences. Community is here to help them turn those relationships into real business outcomes, shaping the future of authentic digital engagement.
In a world filled with platforms for brands and creators to connect with their audiences, including social media, what makes SMS a uniquely powerful tool for engagement?
Unlike social media, where algorithms determine who sees your content, direct messaging ensures guaranteed delivery. SMS, RCS, MMS, and WhatsApp provide an immediate, intimate connection that cuts through the noise. With far higher open rates than email or social media, direct messaging fosters trust, loyalty, and authentic engagement. It’s not just about reaching more people – it’s about reaching the right people, building deeper relationships that drive real retention and growth.
How do you define a successful ‘community,’ and how does Community empower its users to engage and grow their ‘communities’?
A successful community is built on two-way conversations where members feel seen, heard, and valued. It’s not just about broadcasting messages–it’s about fostering genuine engagement. Community’s platform makes this possible by giving users tools to interact directly with their audience, ask questions, and receive meaningful responses. With data-driven insights, brands and creators can continually refine their strategies, ensuring that their communities remain active, engaged, and personal.
The business world is constantly evolving. How does Community adapt to emerging trends in networking and collaboration?
Staying ahead means keeping a pulse on shifting consumer behaviors and technological advancements. AI is rapidly changing how people expect to engage with brands and we’re investing in tools that allow for hyper-personalized interactions at scale. We’re also focused on seamless integrations with other platforms, ensuring Community becomes an essential part of our users’ communication ecosystems. Agility is key to our approach – we embrace innovation while maintaining focus on delivering tangible value.
Have partnerships played a significant role in Community’s growth? If so, could you share an example of a meaningful collaboration?
Absolutely. At Community.com, we believe in the power of connection to drive real change. Partnerships are a cornerstone of our growth, creating high-impact opportunities for brands, nonprofits, and mission-driven organizations. A recent example is our collaboration with FireAid, a new 501(c)(3) focused on wildfire relief. In partnership with the LA Clippers and the Intuit Dome, we provided a dedicated text line—(310) 359-0579—to engage fans, friends, and supporters, enabling them to come together to rebuild lives and support communities affected by the devastating L.A. wildfires.
On January 30, iconic artists including Olivia Rodrigo, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Stevie Nicks, and Billie Eilish took the stage at the Intuit Dome and Kia Forum for an unforgettable night of music and hope. Thanks to our platform, FireAid was able to mobilize their fundraising efforts in real time during the event broadcast and continue their outreach with ongoing messaging campaigns. This initiative showcases how Community empowers mission-driven organizations to maximize engagement and impact through meaningful partnerships.
Looking ahead, we’re relaunching our partner program to focus on high-value collaborations across agencies, music labels, and nonprofits. By aligning with organizations that share our values, we empower partners to deepen audience connections while ensuring Community continues to innovate and scale.
A key differentiator is our ability to help partners collect and leverage zero-party, first-party, and declared data, giving them full control over audience relationships. Notable collaborations, like our work with Verizon and J Balvin at Super Bowl LVII and Stand Up America during the 2024 election, highlight how direct engagement drives both social impact and business success.
Looking ahead, what’s next for Community? Are there any exciting developments or projects on the horizon?
We are living in the era of the superfan – where a small, highly engaged segment of an audience drives the majority of success for brands and creators. Research shows that 80% of outcomes are often driven by just 20% of the most loyal supporters – individuals who crave direct, authentic, and meaningful engagement. This shift is reshaping how relationships are built in the digital space, and Community is leading the charge in enabling these connections.
Looking ahead, we’re doubling down on AI-driven capabilities to improve personalization and enhance campaign creation and segmentation. Our technology will help brands identify and deeply understand their most engaged fans while delivering tailored interactions at scale. Our roadmap also includes developing enhanced engagement tools and refining data insights to provide organizations with actionable intelligence about their audiences.
At its core, our mission is simple: to help brands and creators build lasting, high-impact relationships, not just grow their reach. And we’re not doing it alone. Community is backed by a powerful network of customers, partners, and shareholders who believe in our mission and amplify our impact. We continue to seek opportunities to collaborate with organizations that share our vision.
This is just the beginning. The future of Community is about combining cutting-edge technology, a scalable business model, and an unwavering commitment to customer success. Together, we’re redefining what direct communication looks like in the digital age, empowering brands and creators to thrive in a world driven by deep connections and meaningful engagement.
