Directus, transitioning from a beloved open-source project to a sustainable business, engages with its community through regular Community Question Time sessions with co-founders Ben and Rijk, emphasizing transparency and the importance of community feedback. The company faces the challenge of balancing community growth with financial sustainability, given the costs of software development and the need for revenue through avenues like a hosted cloud platform, professional services, and a forthcoming extensions marketplace. The community plays a crucial role in shaping the project's direction, with decisions influenced by GitHub Discussions and upvoted ideas, while the company addresses the scaling issues of direct community support by enhancing educational materials and offering paid support. With Series A funding and new stakeholders, Directus aims to maintain its open-source foundation while introducing exclusive features for its cloud platform, akin to a cake with the right balance of sponge and icing, ensuring long-term reliability and growth. Upcoming changes to their Discord server and future monthly video updates reflect their commitment to maintaining an active dialogue with users and addressing both technical and operational questions.