By Chris Heivly, Managing Director at Build The Fort and Startup Community EIR @ Techstars

Seth Godin shared once on his blog that “unintended consequences . . . are still consequences.” Today, I want to augment that notion with the thought that “just because the consequences are unintended doesn’t mean we get a pass.” That line sticks because it’s so easy to assume we’re off the hook if our communities are not growing to the level that was part of the plan. But life — and especially community life — doesn’t work that way.

Startup communities are complex systems. They’re not just a collection of founders, investors, and programs. They’re living, breathing networks where every action sets off a chain reaction. Whether we realize it or not, and whether our role is small or large, we are participants in those systems, shaping them with every coffee meeting we take, every introduction we don’t make, and every decision about who gets included — or left out.

And here’s the hard truth: our actions have consequences, even when they’re unintended.

In startup communities, that can look like:

• Exclusivity by accident – Hosting an “open” event but scheduling it during a time that excludes parents or people working two jobs.

• Hero worship gone wrong – Focusing all attention on a breakout founder and unintentionally signaling to early-stage entrepreneurs that they don’t matter until they “make it.”

• Capital distortion – Measuring community health solely by dollars raised, which can pull resources toward a few companies and starve the rest.

• Silent endorsement – Failing to speak up when a founder, investor, or program behaves badly, which allows harmful norms to take root.

None of these outcomes are usually intentional. But that’s the point. If we’re part of the system, we’re also part of the system’s outcomes. You don't get a pass.

Step one is understanding that you are part of a broad, complex system and that even your small actions have an effect on the whole system.

Step two is to see the system (insert Caddyshack reference - “see the ball, be the ball, Danny”). You can’t address what you don’t notice. Look for patterns in who’s always at the table and who’s missing. See which founders could use a little boost in storytelling. Question current leaders in how they are measuring progress. 

The third step is to act. Once you recognize then see the system, you can choose how you show up. If your role is as an investor, understand that your meeting habits set the tone for accessibility. If you’re a founder, your openness to newcomers influences whether others feel welcome. If you’re a program manager, your selection criteria shapes the future diversity of the ecosystem.

And here’s the kicker: changing tomorrow doesn’t require a giant leap. Complex systems respond well to small, consistent actions. That might mean:

• Making one introduction a day to connect people who should know each other.

• Showing up to an event where you’re not the main character.

• Offering mentorship without gatekeeping.

• Asking “who’s missing?” in every planning meeting.

We can’t claim innocence because we “didn’t mean it.” In a startup community, good intentions are just the start. Real leadership is taking responsibility for the ripples you create — and adjusting your actions to make those ripples positive.

So here’s the question: knowing that your actions shape your startup community, what are you going to do differently tomorrow?

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