The first people become the stewards.

What early participation gives you

• a voice in what gets built first

• a role in how the shared record is governed

• a seat at the table when the stewardship model is written

• the chance to shape the product around a problem you have already felt

What it asks of you honestly

Early participation carries no ownership of the whole, no title, and no expectation that you quit your job. It carries influence, and influence is the scarce thing here.

The real reason

The first people become the stewards. The shape of the community is set before the product is finished, and it is set by who is in the room when that happens.