Triton

There are two ways to grow a community. The first one if what most people naturally do. To grow the numbers. If there are enough people in the community, there will be enough people with problems and enough people to provide solutions. The problem is that without any external force, it is difficult to grow communities to such sizes. If you do not have a hungry market or sponsorship or a big brand name, you'd find it difficult to form self sustaining communities.

There is another approach. Grow the community organically, seeding it with a few people. The general variance (in terms of skill, intellect, etc.) should be low, people should be able to see eye to eye. Find people who can be as active as you and get involved with them. Rely solely on the quality of communication. Ensure that these people form a respect for each other as well as for the community. If they do, they will invite people on their own, without needing encouragement from you. They will make sure that the people they invite have the same respect and enthusiasm for the community. It might take some time, but this will become a self fulfilling flywheel.

In the end, what matters more, having 10 active people in a community of 1000 or 100 active members in a community of 100?