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https://github.com/dwyl/home
🏡 👩💻 💡 home is where you can [learn to] build the future surrounded by like-minded creative, friendly and [intrinsically] motivated people focussed on health, fitness and making things people and the world need!
https://github.com/dwyl/home
affordable creative health healthy house housing organic technology
Last synced: about 2 months ago
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🏡 👩💻 💡 home is where you can [learn to] build the future surrounded by like-minded creative, friendly and [intrinsically] motivated people focussed on health, fitness and making things people and the world need!
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/dwyl/home
- Owner: dwyl
- License: gpl-2.0
- Created: 2018-08-11T22:51:53.000Z (over 6 years ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2024-05-28T11:19:37.000Z (7 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2024-05-29T02:52:46.601Z (7 months ago)
- Topics: affordable, creative, health, healthy, house, housing, organic, technology
- Homepage:
- Size: 23.4 MB
- Stars: 244
- Watchers: 17
- Forks: 7
- Open Issues: 171
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
# ⚠️ WARNING: This is "[Work-in-Progress](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_in_process)" 🚧
_Definitely_ Not "Done"!
This **project** is ***`public`***
to **keep us _accountable_**
to ourselves / each other
and **_everyone_ in-the-loop**. 💬
**_Please_ don't read it** if you are
critical of embryonic ideas 💡
that are _not_ a Polished
[PowerPoint](https://www.amazon.com/Real-Leaders-Dont-Do-Powerpoint/dp/0749942606)
Pitch Deck. 👩🏫
If you read the `README.md`
and are curious to know more,
check the
[/issues](https://github.com/dwyl/home/issues) 👀
# 2024 Update
A _lot_ has changed since
[we](https://github.com/dwyl/home/graphs/contributors)
first wrote this document. ⏳
The global pandemic
[🦠](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_lab_leak_theory)
and lock-down
[🚫](https://www.oxfam.org/en/press-releases/ten-richest-men-double-their-fortunes-pandemic-while-incomes-99-percent-humanity)
brought construction/renovation progress to a halt. 🛑
We were unable to continue with construction due to restrictions 🙅♀️
and then when things re-opened
our foreman moved on to a different project 😕
leaving us with an unfinished exterior building
(i.e. building site!) 🚧
We requested several quotes
from local construction companies
but none had availability to help us. 🤦♀️
We have made _decent_ progress
on the exterior
with the help of day labourers, 👷
but in construction,
anything that is not _finished_
is still a building site ... 🏗️
## Family 👨👩👧👦
Our _first_ child was born in 2020 👶
and we focussed on being parents 👪
`while` working full-time remote jobs to keep bills paid. 🧑💻
Our _second_ child (2022)
consumed _all_ our remaining time. 🎉
Children are awesome,
they demand/deserve attention & nurture. 🥰
We have explored using the Braga House for other purposes
including transforming it into a **mini homeschool**. 🏫
But, sadly, the numbers don't stack up;
it would make a _huge_ financial loss
during the first 3-5 years. 💸🔥📉
> **Note**: We haven't _given up_ on the idea
of running our own childcare,
read below for more detail! ⬇️
# Goal? 🥅
Our goal has only changed _slightly_ since we started;
we now _explicitly_ include the words "**_family_-friendly**".
If anything this just **makes it/us _more_ focussed**; 🎯
we aren't trying to make something for "_everyone_". 🙅♀️
To recap the goal is:
Build a **_family_-friendly _shared_-living house**
we **_love_ living** in 🏡
that attracts like-minded **health-focussed motivated people** 🏃♀️
who want to **make the _most_** of their **life**. ⏳
> **Note**: if you can re-formulate this to be more succinct,
> please do! 🙏
This goal aligns _perfectly_ with the
[**`dwyl`** mission](https://github.com/dwyl/start-here/blob/main/mission.md#what-is-dwyls-mission).
❤️ ✅
as we all know ...
## “_A goal without a plan is just a wish_.”
~ [Antoine de Saint-Exupéry](https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/87476-a-goal-without-a-plan-is-just-a-wish)
We still have a _lot_ of work to do
before we can open the house to guests
this is the _short/focussed_ list:
# 7 Point Plan 7️⃣
1. ***Finish*** the **Sun Room + Garden**:
[home#14](https://github.com/dwyl/home/issues/14) 🌱 🪴 🌳
This is by _far_ our highest priority task.
Without a _finished_ garden,
we cannot open our doors for _any_ activity. 🛑
We need a _lot_ of help with the construction work! 🚧
2. **Design** + **_Build_ Bunk Beds**:
[bunk-bed#20](https://github.com/dwyl/bunk-bed/issues/20) 🛌
3. **Define `Systems`**:
[home#113](https://github.com/dwyl/home/issues/113) 🕙
This involves the creation of _written_ instructions,
checklists and in some cases videos.
But it all starts with _writing_ down what needs to be done.
4. **_Build_ Online Application Form**:
[fields-demo#2](https://github.com/dwyl/fields-demo/issues/2). 📝
There are _many_ reasons for creating our own application form
the most obvious ones are: privacy/security,
better UX, analytics and partial capture (improved conversion).
5. **_Invite_ first _friendly_ guests** to give us feedback. 🤗💬
We are _already_ moving forward with this,
they will help give us feedback on furniture/bunk bed prototypes.
6. Review, finalise and **_implement_ door locking system**
and overall house security
[dwyl/home#282](https://github.com/dwyl/home/issues/282)
7. ***Iterate*** on Systems, Beds & Application + Feedback Forms. ♻️
8. ***Open*** to **_Paying_ Guests** **ASAP**
with the _systems_ in place.* ⏳
*Opening the house to guests
_without_ ***`Systems`*** is chaos so can't/won't happen. 🙅♀️
The good news is: ***`Systems`*** is the area where **_everyone_ can help**! 🙏
It's as simple as: ***observe*** something is "not right" or "can be better", 😕
***capture*** it systematically (describe the problem verbally
and where relevant include a photo/video), 📝 📷 🎥
bring it to the attention of the person who you _think_ is responsible
(e.g: Housemaster) 👩
then it will be _fixed_ systematically while _documenting_ the fix. 📝 ✅
# _Details_ 📝
This update to the plan aims
to **answer** as many **questions** as possible. ❓
We need **_complete_ clarity** on our **goals**
and the **plan** to get us there. 🗺️
If you still **have questions**,
[**_please_ open issues**](https://github.com/dwyl/home/issues)
to discuss. 💬
# Why?
We have written _several_ iterations
of the [business] plan over the years,
yet some aspects remained unclear to key stakeholders.
When the message is unclear,
it is the duty of the creator/transmitter
of that message - _not the receiver_ - to clarify it.
## Family Friendly? 🤷♀️
A simple **rule-of-thumb** is:
if it **_not_ allowed**
in a **kindergarten classroom/school**,
it's **_not_ family-friendly**.
Examples include:
smoking,
vaping,
drinking alcohol
or any other non prescription / illegal substances.
[Profanity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Profanity)
is discouraged
as is shouting.
Any kind of [adult content](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/adult_content)
is **_strictly_ forbidden**. 🚫 4️⃣0️⃣3️⃣
Bottom line:
**be nice** to ***everyone***.
If you see someone being unkind,
_either_ politely help them understand
what they were doing/saying is unkind,
and/or inform the housemaster
of the behaviour.
# Accommodation
**1: Family-friendly short-stay shared accommodation**
in the top 2 floors of the house.
This includes the **4 large bedrooms**
and “middle” floor which has the kitchen,
dining room and current play room;
which will be an _informal_ co-working room
with both a sofa seating area and 10 ("hot") desks.
There is space for **24 beds**.
(4 rooms x 3 bunks x beds per bunk)
Charging `€15`/night/bunk (market clearing in our city!)
and having occupancy of 70% we get:
24 x €15 x 365 days x 70% / 12 months
= `€7665/month`
> **Note**: There will be peak months
> where occupancy reaches **95%** (June - sept)
> and low season (Dec - Feb) where it’s only **20-30%**
> so it balances out.
> We will also encourage longer-term stays
> with **30%** discounts
> which equates to 70% occupancy.
If the “overheads” for the businesses are shared
and thus each only has to cover _half_,
then both businesses instantly become (more) profitable/sustainable.
Then it’s a question of figuring out the plan
to make both coexist
and ensure that parents are comfortable having their kids
going to play group “next door”
to a - carefully curated - co-living/working space.
I think it’s very much a question of _framing_,
making it clear that all members of the community
are _thoroughly_ background-checked
and having a very clear timetable
for who has access to what & when.
See timetable below.
If we _specifically_ market the residence
as “family focussed” it’s a niche
that _definitely_ is not being addressed.
## What does “family friendly” mean in _practice_?
1. **All visitors must _apply_ to visit/stay**
and submit their identity document ahead of time.
This ensures that we _know_ exactly who is visiting.
We will inform prospective members
that our app uses a background check service
to confirm people’s identity - similar to how a bank does “KYC” -
and if for _any_ reason their identity/background cannot be verified
we let them know with as much detail as we get.
> **Note**: Identity submission is the `law` in `PT`,
> all hotels, hostels and guesthouses (etc.)
> are required to collect identification for guests
> and inform the local police of who is staying where/when.
> Ideally we operate on a **referral** basis
> so someone has to be recommended by an _existing_ member (past guest)
> like
> [Soho House](https://www.sohohouse.com/membership)
> in London.
> This makes the org a _lot_ more sustainable
> because we don’t have to waste time with advertising/marketing.
> If the person making the referral has to “vouch” for the new member
> and receives a small/token commission (e.g: Spotify Voucher)
> when the referred person makes their _first_ payment
> it heavily incentivize good people/behaviour.
> In our Ts&Cs we will write that we
> “reserve the right to reject an application
> that does not pass "cultural fit".
> We will provide the reason.
> We hope _not_ to _need_ to do this.
2. **Focussed on learning and personal development**
not entertainment and distraction. What does _that_ mean? 🤷♂️
simple: it means that infinity pool distraction Apps/Sites
that have a proven negative effect on people’s mental health
and suck as much of our time as possible
(such as Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat, TikTok, etc.)
are banned at the network level.
Whereas we have subscriptions to learning platforms like
[Brilliant.org](https://github.com/dwyl/product-ux-research/issues/48)
available for all to learn STEM
instead of doom scrolling their lives away.
3. **_Strictly_ No alcohol**,
tobacco (or vape, etc)
or drugs/substances
(regardless of their decriminalised status) on premises.
No exceptions.
The **rule of thumb** is simple:
if it's **not allowed** in a **primary school** classroom,
it’s **not allowed** on **our premises**.
If people feel the need to have a beer or glass of wine with their meal,
that’s their decision,
simply have _that_ meal at a local restaurant and respect our rule.
Plenty of good reasonably priced restaurants in the area, all serve alcohol;
feel free to support the local economy. 👌
4. Stated preference for **families _with_ children** but also welcoming to:
+ Couples _without_ children who are sympathetic to children -
e.g: teachers who haven’t yet started a family of their own.
For ref: there are **460k teachers** in the UK alone.
And **5.2M** across all of Europe see:
[ec.europa.eu/eurostat/edn-20201005-1](https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/-/edn-20201005-1)
if we just target this group of people there is an **_excellent_ niche**.
> **Note**: I'm not saying we _will_ definitely focus on **Teachers**,
just giving an _example_ of a group of people we know well.
+ Retired people whose children have left home
but still remember what it’s like to have small children around.
e.g: grandparents who love having small children around.
All of these are huge market segments,
it’s just a question of appropriately keyword targeting them with our content.
The only people we are (indirectly)
excluding are those whose prefer “adult only” (no children)
resorts and young adults who want to “party”.
There are *plenty* of other places/venues
that cater for these people.
By *specifically* informing people
that we don’t, they self-select and filter.
1. **_Friendly_ Pets** are very **welcome**,
but must be walked (off-property) and kept clean/tidy.
They sleep outside.
We can create a small kennel if there is demand.
Don’t think many people will be traveling with pets
so not worried about this one being over-subscribed.
Just want to leave the option open.
Remember: we only have 24 (eventually 38) beds
so not a lot of space.
Once demand reaches a sustainable level
where we have good word-of-mouth and a waiting list,
we can be highly selective with people.
Young adults that want to focus
on their health and personal learning/improvement
will instantly _get_ it.
Those who prefer a party house can easily find one.
I wager the people wanting a quiet+healthy house
will soon outnumber the rest
once word spreads how much better it is.
# Childcare
Childcare is a challenge all parents face.
In our case we live `~400km`
from our parents/in-laws,
so regular grandparent care
is not feasible for us the way it is for many other families.
Ditto for aunts and uncles.
So we are pretty much “on our own”.
This is both good, because it forces us
to resolve the challenge creatively on our own,
and obviously bad because our children
spend far too little time with their extended family. 😢
I refer to childcare as a “challenge”
for the simple reason
that if we want to continue working
on anything for our company/business,
that involves the adults
spending decent chunks of uninterrupted focus time at a computer.
Computer focus time
is not compatible with toddlers that are curious,
constantly moving and _loud_.
## “Traditional” Childcare
I use the quotes around the word “traditional”
to emphasize that this is a _very_ recent societal construct
of “modern” (post-industrial revolution) society.
Much like the “tradition”
of Santa Clause 🎅
Halloween 🎃
or Valentine’s Day 🌹❤️
they all serve a very specific _commercial_ purpose
beyond their original cultural significance.
Taking one’s children to an institution
that is professionally run
by people outside of one’s family
and leaving the children with them
for 08:30 - 17:00 each day
so that _both_ parents can go to work,
is a _very_ recent - and arguably **_societally undesirable_** - phenomena.
However, since it has existed as a social norm
for the past couple of generations,
most people don’t question it.
The same way _most_ people don’t question
burning non-renewable fossil fuels for basic transport,
heating or food production. ⛽️🔥😢
Just like we need to
[#StopBurningStuff](https://m.youtube.com/hashtag/stopburningstuff),
we need to get away from the “modern”
[_outsourcing_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outsourcing)
of parenting that leads to suboptimal outcomes.
The _last_ thing we want
is to offload our children to “traditional” childcare
in the form of a pre-school.
As noted by Sir Ken Robinson
in the
[most viewed TED Talk](https://www.ted.com/playlists/171/the_most_popular_ted_talks_of_all_time)
of _all_ time
(by a wide margin!)
_most_ schools “kill creativity”:
[ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_do_schools_kill_creativity](https://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_do_schools_kill_creativity)
or
[youtu.be/iG9CE55wbtY](https://youtu.be/iG9CE55wbtY)
I know that I felt this at the various schools I attended as a child;
the best case scenario was "controlled creativity" in Art Class,
but the worst-case was "_shut-up and memorise this for the test_". 😕
Even in my favourite lesson, Design and Technology (DT),
there were always _artificial_ - usually budgetary - limits
to what we could create in the lessons.
The “fix” is remarkably simple:
1. Teachers should be well educated and _compensated_ - like they are in Finland. 🇫🇮 😍
2. They should have access to good resources
so they never skip an activity for lack of money.
Not the absurdly low budgets
we often see even in fee-paying schools!
3. Learning cannot be run “for profit”,
rather the bottom line is:
are children _thriving_?
Schools should be run sustainably
and _never_ “Private Equity” financed.
## Can We Run _Two_ Ideas in the *Same* House?
## Spoiler: _Yes_! _Especially_ if they are Complimentary/Symbiotic!
It’s just a question of framing the concept
so everyone understands.
We aren’t building a “school” or a “hostel”
there are plenty of those already. _Boring_! 🥱
We’re building a **life-long learning _community_**
that **inspires curiosity & creativity**
in **people** of **_all_ ages**.
It starts as young as possible with
[Montessori](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montessori_education) /
[Waldorf](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldorf_education)
principles of self-directed/lead group-based learning in infants.
Children are lead and cared for by competent/trained/qualified adults.
Adults visiting the house are carefully filtered
for those who are life-long-learners.
# Montessori Playgroup (“Centro de Actividades”)
We have **space** for **21 children**
in a **60m**2 room
and **120m**2 Garden Space.
If we operate under the following assumptions/constraints:
1. All fixed overhead costs of the co-living space
can be shared with the playgroup.
Including mortgage, electricity, building/grounds maintenance,
full-time cleaner and admin.
2. The south garden space is for _exclusive_ use
of the playgroup during the day 08:00 - 18:00.
Other activities (e.g. Yoga, Pilates & Meditation🧘♂️)
are possible 18:00 - 21:00 and weekends.
3. Ground level _South_ garden is used by playgroup during the day too.
4. Basement bathroom is used by playgroup during the day.
Anyone using the pool + sauna + spa during the day
must _reserve_ a spot using our App.
That way everyone knows _exactly_ who is using which facilities.
5. Play ("Leisure") room is reserved
for **`2h`** each **morning** during **weekdays**.
6. Basement (“MR Room” -> “Nap Room”) will have 3 (Full-size) Bunk Beds
tailored to children taking naps.
It will be called the “Nap Room”
and children can use it at any time during the week.
The 3 full-size bunks (6 beds) will be made available on “busy weekends”
(Friday, Saturday & Sunday Night).
Guests must checkout by 11:00 Monday Morning.
The Room is cleaned/reset 11:00 - 12:00 ready for weekday nap times.
7. The basement office will continue to be the office.
It needs to be **_hyper_ organized** to run both businesses.
“Authoriszed Persons Only” sign on the door.
**_Potential_ Revenue** of `PlayGroup`:
+ 14 children. Parents paying `€350/month = €4,900`
+ 21 children. Parents paying `€350/month = €7,350`
This revenue is _far_ from enough
to sustain the _whole_ building
as previously noted in our
[playgroup calculations spreadsheet](https://github.com/bmhco/private/issues/136).
But it means we can afford to pay for two competent + trained people
to look after the children and have a good teacher:student ratio.
With a ratio of 8 children per adult
we could bring the price down to `€320/month`
and still keep the lights on.
This is a much more attractive (market clearing) price
and still totally doable in terms of the available space. 💭
# _Sample_ Time Tables
This is a _sample_ timetable for illustrative purposes.
Revision/improvement welcome!
## Average Day
| Time | Children | Adults |
|--- |--- |--- |
| 07:00 - 08:00 | Waking up & get dressed | Wake up / Exercise / Quiet Time |
| 08:00 - 09:00 | Breakfast + quiet play/reading | Personal Time / Breakfast |
| 09:00 - 11:50 | Morning Play/Work Period | Morning Quiet Work Time |
| 11:50 - 12:00 | Pre-lunch hand-wash break | Finalize work and tidy desk |
| 12:00 - 12:25 | Children's Lunch | Adults Prepare/buy Lunch |
| 12:25 - 12:30 | Clear/Clean Dining Room | Stay clear of the cleaning! |
| 12:30 - 13:00 | Prepare for Nap | Adults' Lunch |
| 13:00 - 15:00 | Nap Time (Optional) | Afternoon Quiet Work 1 |
| 15:00 - 17:00 | Afternoon Play/Work | Afternoon Work 2 |
| 17:00 - 18:30 | Free Time / Sports / Park! | Creative / Work 3 / Admin |
| 18:30 - 18:55 | Children/Parent's Dinner | Adults _Prepare_ Dinner |
| 18:55 - 19:00 | Clear/clean Dining Room | Plate Dinner |
| 19:00 - 19:30 | Children Bath | Adult's Dinner |
| 19:30 - 20:00 | Bed-time Story + Sleep! | Clear/clean dining room & Kitchen |
| 20:00 - 21:00 | All Quiet on Top 2 Floors | Quiet Creative / Contemplation |
| 21:00 - 07:00 | Sleep! | Get as much sleep as possible ... |
## Facility/Room Usage
We have several rooms/facilities in the house
and need a clear timetable for usage e.g:
| Time | Play Room | Library | Workshop | Garden | Pool |
|-------------- |-------------------- |------------------ |------------------ |---------------- |---------------- |
| 07:00 - 08:30 | _Quiet_ Music | Quiet Read | Quiet Work | Kids | Any |
| 08:30 - 09:00 | Louder Music | Kids Read | Noisy Build | Kids | Clean |
| 09:00 - 11:50 | Kids Music | Kids Read | Noisy Build | Kids | Anyone |
| 12:00 - 13:00 | Adult Music | Clean + Reset | Mid-Volume Build | Planting Time | Adults |
| 13:00 - 15:00 | _Quiet_ Music | Quiet Read | Quiet Build | Planting / Kids | Adults (quiet) |
| 15:00 - 17:00 | Clean + Reset | Quiet Read | Kids/Noisy Build | Kids | Kids |
| 17:00 - 18:30 | Anyone | Quiet Reading | Noisy Build | Clean + Reset | Family |
| 18:30 - 19:30 | Adult (Noisy) Music | Quiet Read | Quiet Build | Yoga / Pilates | Family |
| 19:30 - 20:00 | Quiet Music / Film | Quiet Read | Clean + Reset | Meditation | Leisure |
| 20:00 - 21:00 | Quiet Games / Film | Adult Quiet Read | Laser + 3D Print! | Martial Arts | Tri (quiet) |
| 21:00 - 07:00 | Quiet Games / Film | Inspiring Reading | Prep Next Day | Closed | Closed |
# _OLD_ VERSION
For historical purposes,
the older version of the `README.md`
is kept below.
Still relevant for context.
## _Why_?
People are often more productive/effective
when working from [their own] home:
http://paulgraham.com/opensource.html > Workplaces
_However_ we are well aware that working from a "normal home"
can be _challenging_:
[](https://open.buffer.com/state-remote-work-2018)
https://open.buffer.com/state-remote-work-2018
***What `if`*** people could live and _work_ in a **`home`**
that is _designed from scratch_ for:
1. Optimal _restorative_ sleep, healthy eating and exercise.
these are the _foundation_ for all other pursuits.
2. Community-centered living; surround yourself with _like-minded_
intrinsically motivated people.
(_with private "alone time" spaces and quiet/respectful housemates_)
3. Dedicated areas for _both_ in-person and remote collaboration
_and_ individual focus/creative work.
4. Minimal distraction; no TV or other _mindless_ distractions.
5. Latest WiFi technology, highly reliable (dual/redundant
[bonded](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_bonding))
**1Gb Fiber internet connections**.
(_full-stack [Ubiquiti](https://youtu.be/0RbKb38rIvE)
enterprise grade switch/access points_)
We intend to build a _community_ where people can live, learn and work
with other like-minded people focussed on making things people want and _need_.
We will have a "_bias_" towards people who want to (_learn how to_) start/work
on their _own_ ideas; i.e. "_founders_".1
People who are not inclined (_or ready_) to start their _own_ project(s)
will still be encouraged/welcome as often working for another project
is the _best_ way to learn in a "controlled environment".
http://paulgraham.com/hiring.html > A Public Service Message
1we will not _exclude_ anyone because they
don't _want_ to start a company themselves; that would silly,
however we _will_ have an application question asking people _why_
they prefer not to just for clarity.
### Solve a Problem You _Yourself_ Have
> "_**Solve** a **problem** that you **yourself have**
then you will at least know
that it's something that **at least one person really wants**.
And when you are **part** of the **target market** you will have **insights**
about it that you wouldn't otherwise._"
~ **Jessica Livingston** https://youtu.be/a2B4cVFIVpg?t=2m56s
We have been _strong_ proponents of Remote Working
since the _beginning_ of **@dwyl**:
[](https://twitter.com/naazahmed11/status/964527953156694016)
https://twitter.com/naazahmed11/status/964527953156694016
People get the work done _just_ as effectively and their quality of life
improves dramatically if they aren't "chained"
to a desk in a big city from "9-to-5".
See: https://github.com/dwyl/remote-working
_However_ from _experience_ it's often difficult to find a _good_ place
to both live and work remotely. Most places are only "ok",
they are not _designed_ for getting creative/coding work done.
We have felt the _pain_ of:
+ Terrible WiFi / bandwidth which means _essential_ team video calls
are unusable. Remote working requires stable and consistent internet
as a "_hygiene factor_"
+ Bad seating or lack of desks means working for long periods
results in neck/back pain. We intend to have ergonomic sofa, standing and
coding/video editing desks.
+ Poor nutrition, sleep and exercise habits.
Being somewhere for a short time often results in bad habits.
We intend to do _everything_ we can to help foster the _best_ habits
which will in turn maximise personal effectiveness/productivity.
+ _many_ other "**_small_ things**" which make a **_huge_ difference**.
## What?
The saying goes: **`home`** is "**where the heart is**".
We intend to _extend_ this definition to include:
+ **`home`** is where you feel _welcome_, _loved_ and **_happy_**.
+ **`home`** is where you can _learn and flourish_
in a "***safe space***".
+ **`home`** is where you can _focus_ on your **health, nutrition**
and **well-being**.
+ **`home`** is where people go to get _work done_
making "_something people **want**._"
### Is it an App?
During Startup School we intend to build the **App**
to help us **_measure_ everything** in the **`home`** community.
Areas we are hoping to explore include:
+ "**Customer acquisition**" - finding the like-minded people who
want to live, learn and work in a co-living environment.
+ Measuring and Optimising for _Happiness_ (_see: "**OMTM**" section below_)
+ **Promoting learning** and sharing of knowledge/skill without fear of
intimidation through "_brogrammer_" behaviour.
+ **Security systems** both physical and virtual for accessing the building.
+ **Sleep, nutrition & exercise tracking**
to promote a healthy "_personal foundation_"
We have experience building apps in this space for others
e.g: https://github.com/healthlocker/healthlocker
+ **Share responsibility** for resources and avoid "tragedy of the commons".
As you can tell from this list, we have "lots of ideas".
We want/need _Help_/_Mentoring_ from a YC partner
to know where to focus our attention.
### Female Focussed?
We intend to direct all of our content towards female founders
because we feel they are an underserved group.
YC's demographics https://blog.ycombinator.com/yc-demographics
indicate that fewer than 25% of startups have one or more female founders:
> "_Of the founders we funded in our most recent batch,
11.1% of the founders are women
(about 23% of the startups have one or more female founders),
3.7% of the founders are Hispanic, and 4% of the founders are Black._"
> "_The bad news, of course, is that applicant percentages
are low relative to the entire population._"
https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/20/y-combinator-diversity-2017
This is a problem we have _personally_ felt while working in Tech
and it's one our female members _continue_ to feel as tech
is still overwhelmingly male-dominated
and _still_ has "bad apples" spoiling it for others.
We want to be part of the solution.
#### Will We _Exclude_ Men?
No, we have no intention of _excluding_ or making men
(_or people who identify as male or non-binary_) feel "_unwelcome_",
much to the contrary,
_everyone_ is welcome regardless gender, ethnicity/race, sex,
politics or religion.
The only _pre-requisites_ are that:
+ people are here to "be nice".
+ share knowledge/experience freely.
+ don't make others feel "uncomfortable" with what you say or do.
+ macho ("bro-like"/intimidating) behaviour will not be tolerated;
["_Brogrammers_"](https://www.google.com/search?q=brogrammer) need not apply.
see: https://github.com/dwyl/code-of-conduct
> "_Sexism in tech is real._" ~ Sam Altman
https://blog.ycombinator.com/diversity-and-startups
Female founders and tech workers often feel "_unwelcome_"
in a male-dominated world, we are going address this _head on_.
From our experience in the Tech Industry,
both running Founders & Coders, Ladies of Code
and Working as Developers/Engineers in several companies,
we have seen/felt first-hand how a **_small minority_ of _men_**
are condescending/intimidating towards ladies/minorities,
we will address this by _being_ the change we want to see.
Rather than trying to _reason_ with unreasonable people,
be nice to them, and then be _better_ than them in _every_ measure.
_Eventually_ they will _get_ it.
> "_**role models** are what we **need most** if we want
to **encourage more women** to **start** their own companies_"
~ Jessica Livingston - What's Different about "Unicorns"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygr3rx4hSsc&t=122s
http://foundersatwork.posthaven.com/whats-different-about-unicorns
What this means in _practical terms_ is that we need to:
+ help young ladies _discover/build_ STEM-based problem solving skills
+ nurture a community of supportive peers/leaders full of people
who coach/mentor/guide each other if/when they get/feel discouraged
+ collectively build "big" ideas that have significant social impact.
### One Metric That Matters ["OMTM"]: _Happiness_
> “_It really is true, the company will **build**
whatever the CEO decides to **measure**._” ~ Sam Altman
via: https://medium.com/how-to-start-a-startup/47-quotes-from-sam-altman-on-building-a-great-product-51aa656952ab
Our short-to medium-term metric is "_Happiness_".
We want to make "_Happiness_" our primary "KPI" because
we know that by measuring and optimising for happiness _first_
any other goals will be achievable (_often **automatically**_)!
We realise that "_Happiness_" can be a _subjective_ measure
however we intend to make it _quantifiable_
in the same way that there is a "World Happiness Report":
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Happiness_Report
we intend to do that for our company/project
and make it available for others too!
This does not mean there won't be _disagreements_ and even _conflicts_.
What it means is that _everyone_ involved knows what we are "_optimising for_",
and can act accordingly.
We have already begun to make some progress on this.
see: https://github.com/dwyl/feedback
It's our _anonymous_ MVP on: https://dwyl-feedback.herokuapp.com/feedback/new
A _variant_ on measuring Happiness is measuring the extent to which
people are "_Doing What You Love_".
We believe in this _strongly_ to the extent that our _current_ company
is called "DWYL" ... see: https://github.com/dwyl/start-here
The _reason_ we are not trying to measure "dwyl-ness"
is because sometimes to do something you love,
you have to _fund_ it doing a job you don't necessarily love.
PG put it best:
> "_The test of whether people love what they do is whether
they'd do it even if they weren't paid for it even if they
had to work at another job to make a living._"
"How To Do What You Love" http://www.paulgraham.com/love.html Paul Graham, 2006
Some of the people living/working at **`home`** will fall into the category
of "work at another job",
so measuring their overall happiness is a more accurate metric.
> “Love is that condition in which the happiness of another
person is essential to your own.”
―~ Robert A. Heinlein, Stranger in a Strange Land
via: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/happiness
### Exercise
> There are "three things they [founders] should be focussing on:
**writing code, talking to users and exercising**". ~ Jessica Livingston
Startup School 2012 https://youtu.be/KQJ6zsNCA-4?t=16m51s
Within 5 minutes walk from **`home`** there is a great river-side running path,
a football and basketball court and outdoor gym.
7 minutes walk there are superb tennis courts, public swimming pools
and a yoga/pilates studio with both beginner and advanced classes.
We feel that having exercise activities "nearby" is _good_
but in order to _actively_ promote exercise (_eliminate excuses_),
we need to do more.
We have a plan to offer _several_ exercise activities _within_ the **`home`**
property/garden which will _minimise_ (_or eliminate_) "friction"
to participation.
#### Slackline
[](https://twitter.com/iteles/status/1020315417238294528)
https://twitter.com/iteles/status/1020315417238294528
#### 25m Swimming Lane
Even though there is a **`public`** swimming pool
**7 mins walk** from the house,
after we UX-tested it a few times
we determined that it "falls short"
in 3 key areas:
1. _Way_ too much ***chlorine***.
(_our skin stank of the stuff even after a long shower!_)
2. Strange opening hours (only opens at 9am)
and is closed for 2 months per year.
3. **Over-crowded** at "good" times
(first thing in morning, lunch and "after school").
##### Reasoning for Building our Own Pool. (WARNING: Contains Math/Logic!)
When we go swimming it is _always_ for "_fitness_" (_not to "splash about"_),
we usually swim for around **20 minutes** (1km)
and then get out/shower and go home.
Showering takes 5 mins,
therefore the "essential time" for the activity is 25 mins.
If it takes 7 mins to walk to the pool, 2 minute to pay (€3.50)
and change from clothes to swimwear
and another 3 mins to get dressed (after swim+shower)
and 7 mins to walk home,
we are spending 19 minutes _getting_ to/from/ready for the exercise
and only 20 minutes _doing_ the exercise.
This feels like a chronic waste of time even if the walk is "nice",
it gets "old" when you do it twice _every_ day.
we would _much_ rather spend the "commute and prep" time
on more effective exercise e.g: core strength training.
We want to make exercise an integral part of people's daily routine,
and to achieve this we want to _minimise_ the "friction".
The pool we are building will be heated (_using solar panels_),
treated using sea salt and UV light
(_the most environmentally/skin friendly way to disinfect pool water_
see: https://www.spectralightuv.com/salt-water-pools )
and _less than **30 seconds walk**_ from your desk!
This is what the pool looked like yesterday (_very much "work-in-progress"_):
For an idea of what it will look like once complete, see: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/315392780150038400/
#### Outdoor Gym
We have reserved 10 x 4m of garden space and $4000 for an outdoor gym area. e.g:
http://www.movestrongfit.com
#### Mindfulness & Meditation
In addition to _outdoor_ mindfulness and meditation areas:
we plan to have an indoor area dedicated to encouraging the practice.
### Why "It Will _Never_ Work" (Risks and Mitigation)
There are _several_ risks of creating a founder-focussed
co-living home/community any of which can "sink the ship",
we need to be aware of and address them all.
From our background in "Enterprise Risk Management",
we are trained to think in terms of hyperbolic headlines
and worst-case scenarios.
This list is ordered in terms of their probability and potential impact:
+ **Data miss-management** leading to breach, GDPR fines and negative PR.
We intend to apply all the "best practices"
we have learned from building/auditing apps in the Finance and Travel sectors
where personal data protection is
Data will be encrypted
We wrote an example/tutorial on this.
See: https://github.com/dwyl/phoenix-ecto-encryption-example
In addition to both field-level encryption, regular key rotation
and strong access control,
we intend to perform regular third-party (controlled) penetration tests,
both on-site and remotely to test our security.
Having a house that actively recruits hackers has both pros and cons,
we intend to leverage the pros by inviting our "white hat" personal friends
e.g: Adam Baldwin https://github.com/evilpacket
(head of security **@npm** and
"Security Bug Bounty Hunter") to visit
and hack on our _internal_ network.
Additionally we will setup a "Security Bug Bounty"
(_with responsible disclosure_)
via https://www.hackerone.com
once we have ironed out any "basic bugs" using our team and existing network.
+ **Physical access security** fail could lead to loss of property.
_Everyone_ will be _trained_ in importance of
and simple "good habits" of _physical_ security
both for their _own_ safety and so that we can all "_have nice things_".
We intend to have cameras recording key entry-exit points
and all external doors will require App (_or key-card_) access.
+ **Personal injury** (_or death_) from using the facilities.
People will go through an in-depth induction when they arrive
and we will conduct regular risk assessments for health & safety.
If the worst happens, we have €10M public liability insurance,
and Portugal has a _great_ (_public/free_) healthcare system
which can be used by "visitors"!
+ **Open Sourcing All Code**, won't that _invite competition_?!
We feel that the benefits of having
a **100% Open Source** community culture
is aided by and even _requires_ open-sourcing the code.
This will encourage people to contribute to improving the App(s)
which in turn promotes a sense of ownership.
We want to _actively encourage_ other entrepreneurs to "copy" the **`home`**
building and share their improvements because we feel this will
"make the world a better place for everyone".
+ Descent into ***chaos*** (_messiness and lack of hygiene_)
e.g: LikeALittle's (LaL.com) Hacker House: https://youtu.be/MAihXfHa7K8
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4346049 Circle Inc? (YC W11?)
One of the _major_ of our App will be to _prevent_ messiness
and promote accountability. We intend to _explore_ "gamification"
so people get some sort of reward for "desirable behaviour"
that does not have an intrinsic motivation.
+ "Alcohol/Drugs-fueled Sex Scandal" ...
No Drugs or Alcohol allowed on the premises.
We don't "control" what people consume when they are _away_ from home,
we just have a rule that they don't bring/consume it within.
This is to avoid _any_ association with being a "party house"
and to prevent a _leading_ cause of personal injury and _death_: intoxication.
+ No Sex. This is enforced at
[podshare.co](https://youtu.be/2heLd3z6Gz4?t=3m2s)
and avoids a whole _heap_ of issues we cannot _afford_ to face.
`#NoMeansNo` ...
+ It's **_not_ for everyone**.
We have been travelling and worked remotely
and we know how big the demand for tech-focussed co-living is; it's real.
Just look at NomadList and Coliving.com (_expanded upon below_)
But we readily acknowledge that this is _not_ for everyone.
Read the comments on this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nmuy4zktBI
(_Note: we are **NOT** building a **hyper-expensive** zero-privacy
sardine-can "pod sharing" at $50-60/night ...
we are building a **spacious**, **quiet** and **clean**
"affordable luxury shared living" where we **chose** to share so we can meet
interesting people, learn from peers and do meaningful work_)
> If you can help us think of and address any other risks,
we would love to hear from you!
### Getting Traction: Revenue & Customer Feedback
In the short term we want to _focus_ on building our App.
In order to _test_ the App we need "_users_".
To _get_ these users we intend to use the following "channels":
#### MVP: AirBnB Listing
To generate demand from people ***outside*** of our **_existing_ network**
(_and get "MVP customer feedback"_) we intend to use AirBnB.
We will _deliberately_ keep the amount of detail
on our AirBnB listing to a _minimum_
to "underpromise and over deliver"
and hopefully people will be _pleasantly_ surprised when they arrive.
We will incorporate the feedback of people who find us through AirBnB
into our App and ask people for reviews on Google, TripAdvisor and to post
pictures on their "Social".
We have experience of both listing and "consuming" on AirBnB.
(_see: "Experience in Real Estate?" section below_)
#### Digital Nomad Girls (DNG)
We are friends of **Jenny** at https://digitalnomadgirls.com
a network of female-only "Digital Nomads" (remote workers)
who either have their own micro-business
or work for someone else remotely.
Reach: Fb: 8.8K, [Insta: 24.9k](https://www.instagram.com/digitalnomadgirls/),
Tw: 4.5k (August 2018).
We intend to offer places "at cost" to members of DNG
because they are _lovely_ people who share our vision
and we know they will help fuel our organic/social traffic
by mentioning (linking to) us on their travel blogs, Instagram and YouTube.
#### Our _Existing_ Social Networks
Inês is a co-organiser of Ladies of Code (London)
https://www.meetup.com/Ladies-of-Code-UK (3K members)
and has access to other female-focussed Meetup networks.
We intend to leverage these to find people who are able to work remotely,
and invite them to stay with and learn with us.
#### Nomad List
Once we have our _basic formula_ working,
we intend to _test_ running ads on https://nomadlist.com
Our hope is that we get enough "_organic_" demand
to not _need_ to run ads.
However given how niche/focussed Nomad List is,
we feel that if we need to generate targeted demand,
this is the route we will take.
#### Y Combinator _Network_
Our _ultimate_ aim is to be part of the Y Combinator Network
because we feel that YC is the best "filter" for the type of people
we want to attract to live, learn and work at **`home`**.
Longer term we plan to build _many_ instances of **`home`** around the world,
where prospective YC applicants can meet each other and
[form, storm norm & perform](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuckman%27s_stages_of_group_development)
in a controlled environment ***before*** they apply to YC.
And _current_ members of YC (both Europe and US founders)
can base their company and not have to _think_
about laundry, nutrition or bills;
We believe there is a _strong_ symbiosis between YC's Network and **`home`**.
## _Who?_
Inês and Nelson went to the same _primary_ school.
They have been an "item" for 19 years (since age 14!),
business partners for 13 years
(2005 - 2007 and 2013 - present. )
and _married_ for 1 year.
We are _already_ building the Braga **`home`**. Construction is **65% complete**.
We started the _quest_ in 2017. see:
https://github.com/dwyl/phase-two/tree/master/braga
### Why Us?
> "_Let's **solve our own problem** and see where it goes_".
~ Jessica Livingston : How to Build the Future
https://youtu.be/nFOC-cgIWaY?t=5m26s
We have started two companies together a Clothing Company
and an App Development Agency. Both bootstrapped. Both profitable.
We are using the operating surplus from **`@dwyl`** to bootstrap **`home`**.
#### Experience in Training/Coaching Female Founders & Tech Workers?
We have a decent amount of experience of training people from scratch
(_with no previous experience_) to get jobs as developers
or start their own companies.
_Examples_ of companies founded/grown through Founders & Coders:
+ FatLama https://fatlama.com/ (YC S17) - online rental marketplace for equipment
founded by
+ Scrimba https://scrimba.com online coding learning and pair-programming environment
+ Personably https://personably.co
("rejected" by YC, funded by Rocket Internet)
see: https://foundersandcoders.com/about/
https://twitter.com/KatAlexPas/status/670278026324795393
https://medium.com/founders-coders/from-non-technical-to-hired-in-5-months-d010f601b1bc
#### Experience in Real Estate?
We have previously bought, renovated and rented (out) 3 homes and feel
we have learned on "small scale". All our property investments have been
cashflow positive.
Our existing properties are rented by/to "young professionals"
who are not yet "ready" to buy (either because they are establishing themselves
or unsure if they want to live in the particular city long-term).
Charging people _below_ "market rate" including all bills ("_zero hassle_")
means they have a chance to _save_ for a deposit for their own place
(_should they **chose** to go down the route of buying_).
Our _below_ "market clearing price"
means we are _flooded_ with "applicants"
each time someone decides to "move on",
which means the other housemates get to chose from a wide pool of potential.
This has been a "win-win" strategy over the last 7 years and we intend to
adapt it to **`home`**: prices will be kept "low" (_affordability is essential_)
and _existing_ housemates will decide who can join
based on an online application.
##### Affordable Housing?
We **strongly believe** in **affordable housing** for ***everyone***
as an **essential** "foundation" for
all forms of human well-being and achievement.
We know (from personal experience) that not everyone is **ready**
to **buy** their own house/apartment
either because they have
not been **able** to save for a deposit
or have not found something (_reasonably priced_) to buy.
Some people _chose_ to rent instead of buy
because it's **cheaper** in the short-run.
See: "Renting vs Buying" on Khan Academy:
https://www.khanacademy.org/economics-finance-domain/core-finance/housing/renting-v-buying/
#### AirBnB?
We feel that AirBnB is a "_force for good_" because
_most_ of the time it puts extra cash
in the pockets of people who _need_ it:
people renting out a spare room,
couch or their flat/house when they are away.
_However_ we acknowledge that AirBnB is a _really divisive_
in cities like
San Francisco, New York, Barcelona and London
where landlords have _evicted **locals**_
so that they can make more money renting to "_foreigners_" ...
see:
+ https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/feb/12/profiteers-killing-airbnb-erode-communities
+ https://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2015/06/16/san-francisco-and-new-york-weigh-airbnbs-effect-on-rent/airbnb-is-a-problem-for-cities-like-new-york-and-san-francisco
+ https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/barcelona-locals-hate-tourists-why-reasons-spain-protests-arran-airbnb-locals-attacks-graffiti-a7883021.html
This is a sample of _one_ of our AirBnB listings in London:
Our listing is "unlisted" because the apartment is long-term rented
while we focus on setting up **`home`**.
To be clear: we don't want to be "landlords", we want to build a community
and be part of _solving_ the housing shortage, not _exacerbate_ it!
#### Cooperative?
The _concept_ of "co-living" sounds _remarkably_ like a "_cooperative_",
why not set it up as a coop from the _start_?
Our medium to long-term goal is that people who co-live in the **`home`**
can **co-_own_** the company thus the amount they pay each month
goes towards _ownership_ not "rent".
We intend to _explore_ this option
further our 2nd year of operation;
once we have launched our 3rd or 4th **`home`** (_i.e. "proved" the model_).
We know (_again, from experience_), that if we were to _attempt_ to
setup **`home`** as a "cooperative" it would take _years_ to open the first one
because decision by committee is _glacially_ slow and often _diluted_.
### Modern Decor
via: "5 Tips for Choosing a Co-living Space" https://www.thehustlejuice.com/lifestyle/2017/9/12/5-tips-for-choosing-a-coliving-space
We have been using **MakeSpace** as our guide when designing all spaces.
https://www.amazon.com/Make-Space-Stage-Creative-Collaboration/dp/1118143728
We feel we have an "unfair advantage" over "regular" real estate developers
or interior designers who have not done collaborative tech or remote work.
#### Previous Experience?
This is our _third_ business together.
Both previous businesses have been profitable and required zero capital
(_100% self/revenue funded_).
### Why Portugal and Braga _Specifically_?
Portugal is _highly_ popular with remote workers
(_often called "Digial Nomads"_) and startup founders alike.
There is a _burgeoning_ "startup scene" in both Lisbon and Porto.
Nomad List is a **_crowdsourced_ database** of cities in the world
to help you choose where to go next https://nomadlist.com
At the time of writing, Lisbon is `#3` in the World on NomadList
and Braga is _already_ at number `#42`1:
Review of the NomadList page for Braga https://nomadlist.com/braga
indicates that there are a _number_ of areas with room for improvement:
We intend to _address_ ***all*** of the aspects under our control
and help raise awareness of the rest.
_Specifically_ we are focussing on "Places to work from"
which is currently the _lowest_ scoring nomad criteria.
With _these_ price estimates:
https://nomadlist.com/braga-portugal/cost-of-living
We can _easily_ be one of the _best value_
co-living/working places in all of Europe!
> Also, it does not "hurt" that Braga is
["higher ground"](https://youtu.be/4wZ3ZG_Wams) ...
The elevation of the city is 200m (above sea level),
which in case you're wondering is a _really good_ thing (_thinking longer-term_)
considering the fact that the sea level is rising ...
see: https://github.com/dwyl/phase-two/issues/16
1 NomadList ranking fluctuates based on the number of recent reviews
from the community. Several Portuguese cities
(Lisbon, Porto, Braga, Aveiro, Funchal & Coimbra) are consistently in the top 50
because the weather is _consistently great_,
food+ accommodation is _relatively_ "cheap",
internet speed is fast, English is widely spoken
(_English is a **require** 2nd language in **all schools**
from age 10_ see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_Portugal )
and "locals" are super friendly/welcoming.
We have a _comprehensive plan_ to make Braga _consistently_ `#1` in the World
on NomadList.
Further reading on the "Tech ecosystem" in Portugal:
https://medium.com/paua-insights/mapping-out-the-tech-ecosystem-in-portugal-who-is-who-862a85fce28e
### Library of Creativity/Technology/Business Focussed Books?
http://paulgraham.com/hs.html (What You'll Wish You Had Known) > Now
[](
https://cloud.githubusercontent.com/assets/194400/12869888/02bf0de4-cd24-11e5-96a6-6ab0b9f11ecf.JPG)
### Precedents
+ Recurse Center: https://www.recurse.com
+ Grokhome: https://www.grokhome.com
+ Hack’N’Sleep https://www.hacknsleep.com
(_affiliated with 500 Startups & Hack Reactor_)
+ Nomad Pass: https://nomadpass.com a listing of several remote-friendly
living/working places around the world.
+ Sun & Co: https://sun-and-co.com (_co-living only no "hacking" component_)
From reading https://yclist.com / http://www.ycombinator.com/companies
it _appears_ that YC has not invested in any other "Co-living" ideas.
# RFS
After reading "Requests for Startups" http://www.ycombinator.com/rfs
we are convinced that our project qualifies for mentorship
in the Startup School program.
Let us highlight the categories which are applicable **`home`**:
## BRICK AND MORTAR 2.0
We are re-purposing an _abandoned_ single-family large (_by European standards_)
house and transforming it into something new.
We are making all of our plans, decisions and outcomes `public`
online https://github.com/dwyl/phase-two/tree/master/braga
so that other people can learn from our mistakes/success
and if anyone feels they can _improve_ they can "fork" the entire project
and go for it!
## EDUCATION
The most popular TED talk of all time
according to the official list
https://www.ted.com/playlists/171/the_most_popular_talks_of_all
is Ken Robinson's "Do schools kill creativity?"
Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case
for creating an education system that nurtures
(rather than undermines) creativity.
https://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity
Clearly this talk resonates with a _lot_ of people as do his various books.
## TRANSPORTATION & HOUSING
Having a place where you can work without needing to _commute_
and where you have access to an electric bicycles and other
on-demand transport is the future.
While we are not directly addressing `TRANSPORTATION`,
we will make a car available to all members at each house we build.
Our plan is to have one or more electric car(s) available to residents
and when Waymo
## UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND SOCIAL SERVICES
Once we have proved the initial model of **`home`**
with a successful App and _expanded_ to 5 locations,
we intend to hire a team member who will be responsible
for reaching out to and mentoring people are _especially_ vulnerable:
young adults from "broken homes", children of incarcerated, drug-dependent
or _dead_ parents and women who have been victims of domestic abuse.
We _already_ have a working relationship with Domestic Abuse charities
http://www.safelives.org.uk in the UK and http://www.cococi.org/fr/about-us
in Portugal.
Our aim will be to give women and young adults who have been subjected
to domestic violence a chance to live in a safe living environment
where they can learn skills, find work and start their own success stories!
# Other Areas Which Are Not Our _Primary_ Focus:
## A.I
We intend to use computer vision for physical access controls (door entry).
This will not be our "product" however we will "_assemble_"
the pieces
For this we will partner with our good friend (dwyl alum) **Nikhila Ravi**:
see: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilaravi / https://github.com/nikhilaravi
who co-organises http://opened.ai
## ROBOTICS
We intend to use robots for as much domestic work as possible
to both alleviate the burden of "chores" and
Initially this will be confined to a robotic vacuum cleaner,
but with a Hardware Hacking Lab in the basement, we expect
at least one of our members to get creative with this.
### Universal Basic Income?
https://basicincome.ycr.org/our-plan
https://blog.ycombinator.com/moving-forward-on-basic-income/
### Further/Background Reading/Watching
+ Remote work is “the new normal”. (2018)
https://www.fastcompany.com/40537399/remote-work-is-the-new-normal
+ https://remote.co/10-stats-about-remote-work/
+ Remote Work 2018: https://open.buffer.com/state-remote-work-2018/
+ What's a Hacker House? | Grist: https://youtu.be/Z87meKvOV_0
(_profiles http://www.grokhome.com IO House and cor36_)
+ List of Hackbases: https://wiki.hackerspaces.org/Hackbases
+ What is "Co-living"? https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-co-living-2017-2
+ Co-living heats up in the U.S.:
Communal-housing startups tap into a millennial need
https://venturebeat.com/2017/12/24/co-living-heats-up-in-the-u-s-communal-housing-startups-tap-into-a-millennial-need/
+ WeLive ? https://www.welive.com
+ IKEA Co-living?
https://www.dezeen.com/2017/11/14/one-shared-house-2030-ikea-space10-lab-anton-irene-co-living-website-platform/
+ History of Co-living:
https://issuu.com/lisainteriors/docs/design_studio_research
+ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/aug/15/happy-together-lonely-baby-boomers-turn-to-co-housing
[](https://hits.dwyl.com/dwyl/home)