Larissa Kutny didn’t plan on becoming a community builder, but after years in healthcare left her feeling burnt out, she decided to follow what lit her up instead. That decision led her into the startup world, where she’s now Head of Community at Spoony, leading a 40,000+ member network that’s redefining what authentic connection looks like at scale.
In our conversation, Larissa shares how she builds structure into her day while keeping room for creativity, the routines that help her reset when things get hectic, and why small, consistent acts of engagement matter more than grand gestures. She also talks about the power of being real in a world of marketing noise, and what it takes to create communities that people truly want to belong to.
What’s your usual morning routine? Do you have any habits that help you set the tone before jumping into a busy day with Spoony?
My morning routine is super important to me, and it really sets the tone of my entire day. I call it my ‘5-9’. I like to think of it as doing something for myself and filling my own cup, so that I can be the best version of myself that day. I’m super lucky to be able to work remotely and live on the coast of Northern NSW, so a typical morning for me looks like a sunrise walk, run or swim with my dog. This time for me is screen-free time, and I don’t typically listen to music or podcasts either.
It’s really nice for me to just have some quiet time and let my brain get into a calm yet focused state. After my sunrise session, I usually go home and make coffee and read a book or just sit in my garden. A few days a week I’ll go to the gym before work too. As it gets closer to jumping into the work-day, I find all of this helps my brain slowly switch into a calm focused state where I can clearly work out my priorities for the day.
You transitioned from healthcare into tech and startups. What drew you to community building, and how has that shift shaped your approach to work?
I did! It was very intentional for me. As it does for so many others, healthcare left me quite burnt out. I’ve also always been obsessed with tech and startups, and I’ve listened to way too many podcasts in the business, tech and startup world than I care to admit.
I always saw myself as someone who championed brands that were solving big problems and doing cool things from the sidelines, but I didn’t really know how to insert myself into this world. I didn’t have any technical skills, but my foot in was buying a better iphone and learning how to create engaging content. I did this for free for a while just to get experience, then built up a small client base, and kept expanding my skill set from there.
I really love brands that are authentic and tell a good story, so this led me to leaning into community building. I was burnt out from working in healthcare, and I was on an absolute mission to follow what I loved doing, and community building was just that. It’s totally shifted my approach to work – I used to be someone who got a massive case of the Sunday scaries, but now I bounce to my desk every morning because I honestly love what I do, and the community I get to interact with.
You’re leading a 40,000+ member community. What’s one thing that helps you maintain a real sense of connection at that scale?
I think dropping in to the comments in the app or somewhere amongst our community really helps! I try to spend a small amount of time doing this each day, even if it’s only 10 minutes of really authentic engagement with community members, or personally responding to a bit of feedback in the app. A little goes a long way. We also have really good systems in place like listening tools and feedback channels to work out where to dedicate this time, and make sure it has a high impact. Also, automate as much as you can (without losing touch).
Your role covers everything from content to events to support. How do you prioritise and stay focused across so many moving parts?
It’s something I have to actively work on every single day. If I let my brain do its thing, I could easily spend hours scrolling TikTok and call it research. So, I’ve trained a little voice in my head to constantly remind me to focus on what actually moves the needle – and that’s become my North Star.
I run a pretty tight calendar and use time blocking, but it all starts with sitting down each morning to figure out what really matters that day. If things feel really messy, I often refer back to the Eisenhower Matrix and jot it all down on paper. I think it’s such an under-rated skill to be able to do this, especially in startups where things move quickly and priorities constantly change. It sometimes means saying ‘no’ or ‘not right now’ to things.
When things get hectic, how do you carve out time for yourself to rest or reset?
I’ve learnt the hard way that if you don’t take a break, your body will schedule one for you (usually at the most inconvenient time possible). I burn out really quickly if I don’t take the time to reset or rest, and I now understand that this isn’t in the form of an annual holiday that you spend all year looking forward to.
I try to do these things daily, weekly, and throughout the year:
- On a daily basis, I use my morning routine and nighttime routine (both involve screen-free time) to help me rest and reset.
- On a weekly basis, I try to have one full day of phone-free time a week.
- And throughout the year, I schedule mini-breaks or resets – things like off-grid stays, staycations at home, or activities that bring me a lot of joy, maybe some travel.
The key takeaway here is that you can carve out little bits of time as an act of self-preservation – it doesn’t always have to be that one big holiday for you to finally catch a break!
Are there any rituals, tools, or boundaries that help you maintain energy and avoid burnout as a community leader?
I try to keep my calendar as balanced as possible. For example, while I love podcasting, it’s also really exhausting as we often interview guests back to back. We’ve learnt as a community team that we operate best if we have a day in between big events (for example a day of podcasting, a day of WFH, then a day of vox pop interviews).
I also love automating as much as possible so that my capacity can be freed up on more important tasks or tasks that fill my cup. Zapier is great for automating workflows, and is also a good way to keep a sense of connection with our community as we scale.
When it comes to boundaries, I’m a big fan of scheduling Do Not Disturb time into my calendar. It’s all too easy to fall into reactive work—getting pulled into fires, distractions, or endless to-dos. Blocking uninterrupted time helps me focus on the work that actually moves the needle.
Finally, what advice would you give to someone looking to build a loyal, engaged community from scratch?
I think the biggest mistake people make is making it all about themselves. If you’re building something meaningful and genuinely bringing people along for the ride, they’ll get excited. Forget the marketing funnels and ‘best practice’ BS. Just get out there, test, listen to your community, and iterate. Keep it simple. Be real. Add value. The rest will follow.
