The 9-to-5 is dying.
Loneliness is an epidemic.
Remote work broke the old rules.
We're building what comes next.
And we need 6 people to help us prove it works.
Re: An unconventional invitation
Where: Tulum, Mexico
From: Kollectiv's Founders
Here's the situation.
We've secured a 9-bedroom villa in Tulum for 3 months starting January 2026.
Private pool. Rooftop. The whole Instagram fantasy.
But we're not renting it out. We're not running an Airbnb. We're not hosting retreats for tourists.
We're doing something different.
We're assembling a small team of 6-8 people to live there rent-free — in exchange for helping us build a community hub from scratch.
No catch. No hidden fees. No "exposure" as payment.
Just a simple trade: Your skills for your stay.
Wait. Why would anyone do this?
Good question.
Let's back up.
The Founders
The bigger picture
We believe the way most people live is broken.
Corporate jobs that drain your soul. Cities designed for commuting, not connecting. "Networking" that feels like a transaction. Success measured in square footage and job titles.
Meanwhile, remote work exploded. AI is reshaping careers. And people are lonelier than ever — even when they're surrounded by others.
Something's shifting. And we want to be on the right side of it.
Kollectiv is our answer.
A model where ambitious humans live, create, and grow together — not as roommates, but as co-creators of something larger than themselves.
Tulum is Chapter 1.
A 3-month prototype to prove the model works. Document everything. Build the playbook. Then take it to a new location for Chapter 2.
And we need the right people to make it happen.
How We're Actually Doing This
Here's the model.
We take an exceptional space — in this case,
a 9-bedroom villa in Tulum — and we turn it into
a social hub.
Not a coworking space. Not a retreat center.
Not another "coliving" with a Slack channel.
A living, breathing ecosystem that radiates outward.
The residents (we call them the Krew) are the engine.
They live together, work on their own projects, and collaborate to build the hub itself — curating events, creating content, engineering connections.
The events are how we propagate the mission.
Weekly sunset gatherings that become the place to be. Intimate dinners where strangers leave as collaborators. Yoga classes that build a local tribe. Full moon parties that create FOMO.
Every event is a statement: This is how life could feel. This is what community looks like when you design it intentionally.
The ripple effect is the point.
People attend an event. They feel something shift. They tell their friends. Some of them want in. The tribe grows. The model proves itself.
And then? We take what we've learned and do it somewhere else. And somewhere else. Until this way of living isn't an experiment — it's an option.
Tulum is Chapter 1.
The prototype. The proof of concept. The foundation for everything that comes next.
And we're looking for the founding team to build it with us.
Let's get specific
Who we're looking for
The Profile
You're 25-35. You work for yourself — freelance, remote clients, a business that runs without you being in an office. You've figured out the income part. What you haven't figured out is why freedom still feels a little empty.
You're probably already nomadic. Or you've been building toward it. Lisbon, Bali, Mexico City, wherever. You've got friends scattered across time zones but no one to grab dinner with tonight.
You've optimized your solo life. Now you're wondering if there's something more.
The Energy
We're building a room with two kinds of people:
The Builders — Entrepreneurs, system-thinkers, people with projects and ambition. You bring clarity, ideas, and drive. You're here to get out of your head, back into your body, and remember how to play.
The Alchemists — Movers, creators, artists, facilitators. You bring vitality, presence, and emotional intelligence. You're here for deep conversation and an environment that respects your craft.
The common thread? Vitality.
We don't care about your job title or your follower count. We care that you take ownership of your energy. That you're ambitious — whether that means building a company or mastering a handstand. That you know how to show up.
You belong here if:
You're an expert at being happy. You contribute before you consume.
You're building something — even if that something is yourself.
You don't belong here if:
You're cynical. You're transactional. You treat "spirituality" as an excuse
to be flaky. You want the villa without the village.
The roles we're filling
Each Krew member holds a specific role while working on their own projects.
A few hours a week of contribution. The rest is yours.
🎬
Story Lead (1 spot)
You already create content for yourself. You know how to capture a moment, write a caption that hits, and think in stories. You don't need direction — you need a backdrop.
You'll: Document villa life, define the Kollectiv narrative, find the angles that make people wish they were here.
You are: A creator with a portfolio. Not necessarily a huge following — but undeniable taste.
~12-15 hours/week
✂️
Video Editor (1 spot)
You turn raw footage into scroll-stoppers. You know Reels, TikToks, and Shorts like the back of your hand. You're reliable on deadlines.
You'll: Edit the content our Story Lead captures. Weekly Reels, social cuts, the occasional longer piece.
You are: Fast, competent, format-native. Premiere, Final Cut, CapCut Pro — you've got your tools.
~10-15 hours/week
🎨
Designer (1 spot)
Visuals, identity, carousels. You have an eye for "elevated but not try-hard." You can make an Instagram feed feel cohesive without being boring.
You'll: Create carousels, event assets, and brand elements. Keep the visual identity tight.
You are: Fluent in Figma, Canva Pro, or Photoshop. You see design opportunities others miss.
~8-10 hours/week
⚙️
Operations Anchor
(1 spot)
You keep the chaos organized. Logistics, schedules, coordination — you make things run so everyone else can create.
You'll: Manage villa logistics, coordinate with vendors, troubleshoot daily issues, support event execution.
You are: Detail-oriented, calm under pressure, a natural problem-solver. Bonus if you've worked in events or hospitality.
~12-15 hours/week
🔥
Social Catalyst (1-2 spots)
You're the human glue. You walk into a room and the energy shifts. You connect strangers, break ice without it feeling forced, and leave every event with five new friends.
You'll: Warm up spaces before guests arrive, make introductions, ensure no one stands alone, co-host gatherings.
You are: An extrovert who loves being at the center. Charismatic. Magnetic. Probably already in the Playa/Tulum scene.
~10-15 hours/week (concentrated around events)
✨
Open Contributor
Don't see yourself in the roles above — but you'd elevate the experience?
Maybe you're a yoga teacher, breathwork facilitator, DJ, chef, photographer, coach, or something we haven't imagined yet.
The question: How would your presence elevate the community? What do you bring that we didn't think to ask for?
What you get
Let's be specific.
✦ 3 months in a luxury villa
Private room, shared spaces, pool access, rooftop, the works. Market value: ~$2,500-4,000/month. Your cost: $0.
✦ A pre-built community
No awkward "making friends in a new city." You're living with your people from Day 1.
✦ A platform for your own project
Working on something? Build it here. We'll amplify it through our content and events.
✦ Backstage access
Learn the mechanics of community building, event production, and lifestyle brand creation firsthand.
✦ A story worth telling
"I spent 3 months in Mexico helping build a social experiment" beats "I worked from home again" in any conversation.
What's expected
This isn't a vacation. Let's be clear about that.
Vibe alignment: We're building something intentional. Drama and ego don't belong here.
Contribution mindset: You're not a guest. You're a co-creator. That means showing up, taking ownership, and caring about the collective experience.
Duration: ~3 months. February 15 – April 30, 2026. We need people who can commit to the full chapter.
Time commitment: ~8-15 hours/week on Kollectiv duties, depending on your role. The rest is yours.
A Week in the Life
So what does this actually feel like?
Monday. You wake up slow. No alarm. Sunlight through the blinds, the sound of birds outside. You grab coffee and find a few Krew members already on the rooftop — laptops closed, easing into the day. By 9am, the villa goes quiet. Monk Mode. Deep work by the pool. Calls from the hammock. Someone's editing a Reel in the corner of the common area. You finish something you've been putting off for weeks.
Tuesday. Same rhythm. Focused mornings. A swim when you hit a wall. Dinner with whoever's around — nothing planned, just "who's hungry?" The villa hums. You remember what it feels like to be productive without being drained.
Wednesday. Monk Mode continues. You close loops. Prep for what's coming. The jungle is loud at night. You sleep like you haven't in months.
Thursday. The energy shifts. Afternoon co-working — members and locals drift in. Laptops, mate, good conversation with someone you just met. By sunset, the barbecue is lit. Thirty people. Mezcal. Introductions that don't feel forced. You watch the sky turn orange from the rooftop. By 10pm, it's quiet again. You didn't have to "network." You just lived somewhere interesting.
Friday. Lighter. You wrap up loose ends. Reflect on the week. Plan the next one. That evening, a salon dinner — 12 people, curated. A founder from Mexico City. A photographer from Berlin. A breathwork guide who lives down the road. The conversation runs until midnight. You leave thinking about something differently.
Saturday. Play day. A cenote trip. A beach. Something curated that you didn't have to plan. This is the reward for the work.
Sunday morning. Movement. Yoga or acro — whatever the Krew is feeling. Then nothing. Rest. Read. Stare at the trees. Let the week settle before the next one begins.
The rhythm:
→ Monday–Wednesday: Monk Mode. Your projects. Your Kollectiv work. Deep focus.
→ Thursday: Co-working into sunset barbecue. The week opens up.
→ Friday–Saturday: Social Hub. Dinners, play, people.
→ Sunday: Movement. Rest. Reset.
Who this is not for
Real talk:
❌ If you need this to pay your bills
This isn't a job. There's no salary. You need to be financially comfortable for the full 3 months.
❌ If you've never lived with other people
Co-living requires self-awareness, flexibility, and knowing how to share space. If you're not sure you're good at it, this isn't the place to find out.
❌ If you're cynical or transactional
We're building something based on trust, generosity, and showing up for each other. If your first instinct is "what's in it for me," we're not aligned.
❌ If you have nothing to work on
This is a productive environment. You don't need to be building a company, but you need something that gets you out of bed and into deep work.
❌ If you can't commit to 3 months
We need continuity, not tourists.
Who this is for
Digital nomads tired of the loneliness tax
Entrepreneurs who want to build surrounded by builders
Creators who thrive in collaborative environments
People who give more than they take
People who chose differently — and want to find others who did too
The process
1
Download the Kollectiv Fellowship Guide (it's free, and it goes deeper on the vision, the model, and what we're actually building).
2
If it resonates, fill out the application. It takes about 10 minutes.
3
We review applications weekly. If there's a fit, we'll schedule a video call.
4
Decisions made by [DATE]. Move-in: February 15, 2026.
Still here?
Good.
That means something in this resonated.
Maybe it's the villa. Maybe it's the model. Maybe you're just tired of building alone and this sounds like the antidote.
Whatever it is — trust that instinct.
The application takes 15 minutes. We read every single one.
And if there's a fit?
We'll see you in Tulum.
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