Starting The EB Space: Community without the noise

Employer branding can be lonely work. Many of us are solo branders or part of small teams, quietly building big ideas within our organisations. Existing communities were global in name, but not necessarily nature, would include vendors and agencies that opened up avenues for selling, and often paywalled.

We created The EB Space to disrupt this. To create a truly global, exclusive space for people doing the work, built by practitioners. No agendas, just conversation, connection and a desire to bring people together. Since it launched un 2023, it has grown into a self thriving community, with over 650 members across 45 countries. This is the story of how it all began, why it matters, and where we are going.

From connection to collaboration

Our journey started while working in the marketing committee of the another community. It was a way to do some unique marketing that we couldn’t do in our full-time roles and to meet fellow employer brand professionals. That collaboration sparked a friendship that would eventually become the foundation for The EB Space.

Over time, we noticed a consistent theme across other communities we were involved in: many were regionally focused, full of vendors (so many vendors!), and often lacked true inclusivity. As our conversations deepened, we realised we weren’t alone in wanting something more, something open, actually global, and built with genuine peer connection at the forefront.

Building something new

With our principles grounded in community, we launched The EB Space to keep meaningful relationships at the heart of everything. A place where in-house practitioners from around the world could come together to learn, share, and grow without the noise of sales or the pressure of rigid agendas.

This wasn’t just another initiative. It was something different, a space for peers to swap ideas, talk through challenges, and celebrate wins with people who truly understand the work.

Finding the right platform was fundamental to success. We chose Discord as our home because it’s built for connection. It supports everything from messaging and video chats to job sharing and daily conversations -  all in one flexible platform. Most importantly, it allowed us to keep the space 100% free and accessible to everyone. No subscriptions, no tiers, no gatekeeping. 

Keeping it real

Since launching, The EB Space has grown faster than we ever expected. But it’s not just about numbers — it’s the stories that make this community special. We’ve seen people land new roles, find mentors, spark collaborations, engage in real debate, and build genuine friendships.

Even our partners - who never sell in the space  have seen impact just by showing up and sharing expertise. Their quiet support has led to their own opportunities be it new business, brand awareness or simply networking. 

This community isn’t just shifting careers - it’s raising the bar for what practitioner-led, global employer branding support can look like and shaking an industry that was in need of disruption.

From community to disruption

Seeing the success of the community had s asking ourselves - how do we add more value to those that are part the space. And this led to the creation of our event series, deliberately different in premise and nature.

EB Connect - is all about connecting - creating agenda free networking events with food and drink (and sometimes a little game or two thrown in for good measure) for people to just show up and learn from each other. In the first event we ran, we saw people connect and reconnect, we saw a 96% attendance rate and we saw people engage in conversation. Phones stayed in their pocket.

We then created EB Uncut, to truly flip the script on the traditional events of today with the premise of doing things differently, sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly of employer branding. Split into two types of events - Unfiltered sessions (think breakfasts or dinners and truly unfiltered conversations), and Unconferences (think panels, debates, and truth telling). There is never death by PowerPoint - and we wanted to ensure that we turned up for our community. This means working with partners where there is two way value and no partner ego, providing travel support for community members to come along if they are out of a current role - and offering to financially compensate our panellists to acknowledge the work and effort they put into prepping and attending. We find ways to break the ice, to create equity throughout the event and remind the community its never about your job title, it’s about the value and expertise your bring to the table. Our first Unconference had plenty of hiccups but was an incredible success (95% attendance isn’t bad right!)

Looking Ahead

The EB Space has become more than a platform or event - it’s a movement that is built on openness, authenticity, and global connection. As we grow, we are doubling down on what makes us different: a practitioner-led community with no agendas, no egos - just space to lead, learn, and move the industry forward.

The future isn’t just about growth; it’s about impact. We are focused on creating meaningful experiences, shaping industry standards, and championing employer branding as a strategic driver of business success. What’s next? You will just have to wait and see!