I've spent considerable time pondering what a next generation Soho House could look like, especially because I am so enmeshed in the world of communities and have friends in the real estate business who want to make meaningful use of property.
Soho House made a remarkable breakthrough in the 21st century by merging physical spaces with community, all across the globe. This created a platform for sparking dynamic collaborations across the network. I believe the power of physical spaces accelerates trust-building, a vital ingredient for any community.
The thing about Soho House is, it shifted increasingly into a group of people who were more interested in flexing their membership in Soho House than doing something cool with the resource and platform that Soho House was.
But anyone can call out that Soho House 1.0 lacks substance and depth. Conceptualizing Soho House 2.0 is the real challenge and opportunity.
My initial idea was to attract impact-oriented people who are keen on public goods. However, this group usually lacks the necessary financial resources. Moreover, focusing on 'impact' as a theme is not distinctive enough, considering the current surge in this ethos worldwide.
That's why I believe that any Soho House 2.0 effort needs to be super niche. It should create a sense of tribe among members, and not in the superficial way the term is often used today. When I speak of a 'tribe', I mean an association so profound that your identity is virtually fused with that of the tribe.
The real substance, both literally and figuratively, lies in this tribal connection. Thus, the Soho House 2.0 that I envision is more than just being about impact or public goods. It's about serving the highest power possible, which, in my perspective, is the Most High God. Being part of such a mission gives you a sense of existential importance.
This is evident in the Orthodox Jewish communities, where the individual's success is seen as collective success. They support each other relentlessly, driven by their shared faith and identity.
So, if I were to be involved in a Soho House 2.0, I would want it to serve Christ's Kingdom. Without a shared understanding of what 'good' and 'better' mean to the community, it's difficult to determine the real impact. Thus, having a shared mission like building Christ's Kingdom can provide that unifying vision that brings purpose and intensity to our collective efforts.
Just picture this: on any continent, there are multiple hubs of this kind. When you walk into any of these spaces, you meet individuals who share the same vision across countless dimensions. The aim isn't solely to create an impact or build better cities, but to establish cultural values that pave the way for a flourishing, stable civilization rooted deeply in virtue.
Imagine the power of interacting with anyone at these locations, from all corners of the globe, and not wasting time wondering if you're on the same page. You're both working towards a shared vision for the future. Your interpretation of a Golden Age for humanity aligns almost identically with theirs.
No matter what brings people together, be it a shared love for impact and Christ or something else entirely, this alignment is what's needed.
If you're aiming to build a version of Soho House, you need individuals who are in total agreement about life's most important aspects. Only then can you truly foster a community of innovators capable of building the future of your dreams.
