This interview is with Alex Saiko, CEO & Co-founder at MiraSpaces.

Alex Saiko, CEO & Co-founder, MiraSpaces

Can you tell us about your background and your current role in the digital community space?

As a co-founder of MiraSpaces, my journey has been driven by a singular mission: to empower digital creators and influencers with the tools they need to transform their audience into meaningful growth and revenue opportunities. What inspired me to build this platform was recognizing a critical gap in the market—talented creators often struggle to fully engage their communities and monetize their influence effectively. That's why we designed MiraSpaces as more than just a content-sharing space, but as an ecosystem where creators can foster deeper connections through paid memberships, exclusive content, and interactive features—ultimately turning their creativity into sustainable income streams.

What inspired you to focus on building digital communities, and how has your journey evolved over time?

It has long fascinated me how technology creates conditions for people to gather and pursue shared purposes. I began by hoping to develop a space where creators could do more than post their work; they could also foster tight-knit communities. As time went by, I realized that online spaces give creators a genuine opportunity to interact with their audience and generate income. Focusing on nurturing meaningful links within a community through content has pushed MiraSpaces forward, and the journey's progress is truly energizing.

Based on your experience with MiraSpaces, what's the most effective strategy you've implemented for creating a thriving digital community that adds value to both the business and its members?

We have found that the best strategy to implement at MiraSpaces has been to encourage real interaction between creators and their audience. Our approach of letting creators post paid content and provide exclusive access benefits both creators and their audiences. As a result of this strategy, our platform has become both more interactive and centered on community involvement. Making content is important, but our main goal is to help members feel they truly belong, which leads to ongoing engagement and loyalty.

How do you approach developing an authentic brand identity within digital communities? Can you share a specific example of how this has driven long-term engagement?

Creating a reliable brand presence online requires approachable transparency as well as true, authentic interactions. Our brand at MiraSpaces is established on foundational values, chief among them being trust, creativity, and a strong sense of community. We motivate creators at MiraSpaces to talk about their struggles and experiences, as well as their successes. As a result, a more intense relationship has formed between creators and their audience. Our authentic approach has created a community that remains both engaged with us and attached to the brand after a significant period.

In your opinion, what are the top three digital assets that are crucial for modern communities, and how have you seen them impact community growth?

1. User-generated Content: This type of content makes members feel that they do have a real share in the community, thereby encouraging participation.

2. Interactive Features: Polls, challenges, and live chats enhance a feeling of being part of the community in real-time.

3. Personalized Content: The personalized content based on users' interests is inculcating greater engagement and building up brand loyalty among this community.

The deployment of these assets fosters the development of a more participatory and committed community, which is easy to retain and grow through member retention and continued growth. Those who feel recognized and appreciated will be better disposed to promote the community in other people's interests and embrace its expansion.

You've mentioned leveraging user-generated content in your 'Community Workout Lab' initiative. How did this strategy strengthen relationships within the community, and what lessons can other community builders take from this experience?

We launched the Community Workout Lab to give our members a chance to contribute by describing their fitness experiences and suggestions. By encouraging members to generate their own content, we made the community feel both warmer and more inclusive. Making the space available for members to share their lives and assist one another helped strengthen more genuine relationships within our community. A central takeaway for those building community platforms is that giving members opportunities to share content increases their investment and fosters extended engagement.

When creating content for online communities, what's one unconventional approach you've found particularly effective in keeping members engaged and attracting new users?

I have found that the call to direct action with interactive content is a very effective engagement point. Rather than, for example, just showing videos or static articles, we decide to create interactive challenges, quizzes, or polls that actively engage our members in the conversation. We regularly publish content that invites members to add their thoughts and share their answers. By doing this, we make the community itself a comparably lively exchange as opposed to a one-sided stream of content, leading to higher engagement and attracting new users who look for a place to join the conversation, not observe.

How do you balance personalization with scalability in your digital community strategies? Can you provide an example of how you've successfully navigated this challenge?

For a balance between personalization and scalability, tool selection plays a role. Our approach at MiraSpaces is to implement automation for mass delivery of personalized experiences, for instance, through adaptive welcome notes and customized content ideas. Although the power of automation is great, we make sure our platforms are made to be platforms for genuine human interaction with community forums and live gatherings. For example, although we can automate parts of our content delivery, our community managers stay in touch with users to deliver a personal and meaningful experience. Our combination of automation and being personally involved lends us the power we need to expand our community without losing that personal touch, which entails every engagement.

Looking ahead, what emerging trend or technology do you believe will significantly impact the future of digital communities, and how are you preparing for it?

One of the interesting things happening in the digital community space is the use of AI and machine learning in an attempt to even more personalize the experience for users. Such advancements in technology will enable community platforms to display content that is not only more personalized but also tailored to each user. Our team at MiraSpaces is in the process of researching how we can use AI toward higher personalization, automated functioning, and better interactions with our members. During this preparation for this change, we'll provide a more engaging and member-led platform for continued growth and engagement.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise. Is there anything else you'd like to add?

I wish to repeat that building a vibrant digital community will require long-term, hard work. The goal is to create a space in which people do indeed count, their voice matters, and they belong. What is important is promoting real relationships as opposed to mere transacting and listening to feedback, and changing accordingly. If people in the community feel like their opinions are heard, the community grows on its own.