Niche Community Platforms

Andrew discusses finding and acquiring niche community platforms where dedicated groups of people gather regularly. He specifically mentions looking at Bridge Base and Chess.com as examples of these types of opportunities.

Key Points:

• Target Characteristics:

  • Dedicated user base that regularly visits the platform
  • Often has "nerdy cohorts" of people
  • Website may not be particularly good but has strong engagement
  • Similar to chess.com model

• Example: BridgeBase.com

  • Online bridge playing platform
  • Similar to chess.com in concept
  • Has consistent user base
  • Website isn't particularly good but maintains engagement
  • Gets approximately 8 million monthly unique visitors

• Business Model Appeal:

  • Finding places where dedicated groups gather
  • Looking for "off the beaten path" interesting businesses
  • Focus on platforms with established, committed communities
  • Opportunity to improve and modernize dated platforms while maintaining core user base

The strategy centers on identifying and acquiring established niche community platforms that may be underdeveloped but have strong, dedicated user bases.