The Genesis of an Idea
It started in the way that most big ideas do; as a bit of conversation along with a bit of intoxication, something to be toyed with and built upon. In December 2017, Shawn, Andrew and I (Jane) were sitting together at a bar. We’ve been friends since our college days at Gallaudet, and are all successful small business owners. Shawn co-owns a construction & real estate company, I own a creative services firm, and Andrew co- owns a film production company. We were having a beer, and we started talking about our experiences outside.
I grew up in a somewhat outdoorsy family, with parents that took us hiking and backpacking from time to time. In college, I dragged several of my reluctant friends (none of which had been backpacking) on backpacking trips to Yosemite, opening their eyes to how it felt to disconnect from the hurried pace of modern life. Andrew shared similar experiences of camping and hiking with his father, in Boy Scouts, and other cherished memories from childhood. Shawn chimed in with his own reminiscences, and together we indulged in nostalgia. Eventually, we began to lament the current state of access to the wild, and mourned the passing of these free and wild places, in which the heart of our world is preserved. However, since none of us is the type to sit around moaning and groaning about injustices, we started to think… well, maybe we should do something about this situation.
Maybe we should try and solve this lack by creating a wild space of our own, a place where our community can gather, and where we can create lasting memories? This led to the idea of buying a parcel of land somewhere outside of the DC hustle and bustle, but at the same time, not too far away. I then remarked that we should try building a tiny house on the property, and Shawn added that he could build it. From there, we became extremely excited about the idea and started discussing investing together to make it a reality…