Building a Curated Community: Behind the Scenes of AGS
What do music magazines, movie trailers, and app growth have in common? For Louis Tanguay, App Growth Summit’s Founder & CEO, they’re all about creating authentic connections.
In the latest episode of Remerge’s Apptivate Podcast (Ep. 215), Louis pulls back the curtain on how AGS went from a scrappy idea to a global community to celebrating its 100th event and beyond. Spoiler: it wasn’t built on scale, it was built on authentic purpose.
If you’ve ever wondered why AGS feels less like a typical conference and more like a reunion of your smartest, industry friends, this episode is your cheat code.
Here are quick bites of what Louis shares (and why it matters for anyone trying to grow smarter, not louder):
🧬 AGS Was Never About Scale, It Was About Authentically Filling A Need
Louis didn’t launch AGS chasing big numbers. He started it to fill a gap: the lack of authentic connection at mobile marketing events. From the first venue to the first sponsors, every choice was about creating a space where people actually want to talk, share, and grow.
“Community, over massive crowds,” “curated content, over generic fluff,” and “hand-picked audience and partners, over vanity metrics and sales.” These are the core AGS philosophies, and why the events still feel intimate and meaningful even after 100+ shows and counting.
🧠 Marketers Sometimes Miss the Basics (And That’s Limiting Growth)
Louis calls out some ongoing blindspots in mobile marketing:
- Custom Product Pages (CPPs) that don’t align with the offer or creative, so conversion rates are lower, resulting in waste in campaign budgets.
- Marketing and product teams who are still stuck in silos are missing opportunities to maximize LTV.
- Not understanding the importance of UX and helping your Users achieve their goals are augmenting your churn rates.
🤖 AI is a Helpful Tool, but it’s Still Not a Replacement for Experienced Humans
Louis isn’t anti-AI, he’s realistic:
“AI is still more ‘A’ than ‘I’ right now… It’s a supercharged research tool, and entry-level help; but it’s not going to replace real creative strategy anytime soon.”
In other words: use AI to speed up grunt work, not replace brain work.
🤝🏻 Networking ≠ Sales Pitches
AGS isn’t about chasing deals. It’s about opening doors.
Louis’s blunt advice for getting real ROI from events:
- Don’t cluster with your coworkers.
- Don’t expect a deal by Friday.
- Talk to people you don’t know.
- Open doors that weren’t on your radar.
🌍 100+ Events Later, AGS Is Still Evolving
From Berlin to Austin, Louis shares his favorite cities, dream speakers, and why the 100th event is just the beginning.
The future? More community. More creativity. More ways to make mobile growth less of a grind and more of a movement.
TL;DR:
This episode is not just a behind-the-scenes look at AGS. It’s a masterclass in building real value in your campaigns, your connections, and your career.
🎧 Listen now to the full episode on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and get ready to rethink how you show up, strategize, and scale!
