About us
Where optimism meets action.
Most organizations treat community like just another marketing metric. We started Optimistic Labs to close that gap, designing the systems and stories that turn community into something that actually creates change.
Our founders
Meet Seth & Liz.
We started Optimistic Labs on the conviction that community isn't found, it's built, and that it's a company's most durable advantage.
Seth Cohen
Co-founder
Seth believes there is tremendous power at the intersection of storytelling, community, and action. He works with leaders to help organizations turn community into a strategic advantage, designing ecosystems that connect people through shared purpose, knowledge, and curiosity. Drawing on more than 25 years across media, philanthropy, and civic leadership, Seth focuses on helping organizations cultivate communities that deepen trust, strengthen networks, and create lasting momentum.
Most recently he served as Chief Impact Officer at Forbes and founder of the Forbes Impact Lab, and before that as a Senior Director at Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies. Earlier in his career, Seth was a nationally recognized corporate attorney in Atlanta and has held numerous nonprofit leadership roles focused on civic engagement and community development.
Connect with Seth on LinkedIn →
Liz Russell
Co-founder
Liz believes that strong communities depend on strong, easy-to-use systems. She works with leaders to design the operational foundations that allow communities to grow, building the structures that connect people through shared purpose, knowledge, and curiosity. Drawing on more than a decade across SaaS, emergency management, and GovTech, Liz specializes in turning complexity into clear, scalable systems.
Most recently she served as Vice President of Customer Success at Forerunner, where she scaled the company's Customer Success organization and strengthened retention, customer insight, and cross-functional alignment. Earlier she was Director of Product for the Perdix Knowledge Management System and managed FEMA and HUD disaster recovery initiatives overseeing more than $2.6 billion in federal funding.
Connect with Liz on LinkedIn →Our approach
Applied Optimism.
Most organizations approach community the wrong way. They start with tools (platforms, events, newsletters, campaigns) and hope connection follows. But tools don't create community. People do.
Applied Optimism is our method for bringing people together and moving ideas forward. It rests on three things:
People gather around something that matters.
Communities grow when people learn from one another.
The best communities create energy, curiosity, and possibility.
When the three work together, community becomes more than engagement. It becomes momentum.
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Let's talk
Let's get to know one another.
Tell us what you're building, whether you want a community designed for your organization or a lab of your own. The best first step is usually a single conversation.