Trying to build a community that does not become another dead Slack

I’m working on a side project with my partner and wanted to share it here before we open it up.

Most of my week is spent 1:1 with founders. Coaching, strategy, decisions, the stuff that usually does not show up in public updates.

One thing I keep noticing is that more people are building with fewer people around them. AI makes that easier, which is amazing, but it also makes it easier to sit alone with every decision.

I don’t think another Slack or Discord group fixes that. Most of those spaces start with good intentions and then become places people visit only when they want to post a launch, ask for something, or disappear again.

We are trying to build something that feels more like an actual room.

It is called Open Room:
https://joinopenroom.com/

Curated, application based, with a short interview call before joining as a vetting process. Two weekly calls, one more around the human side of building and one around business, product, growth, and decisions.

It is for founders, solopreneurs, owner operators, consultants, agency owners, and people running their own thing who want to give and receive in a real way.

We are still early and being careful about the first people in, because they will shape the culture more than anything we write on the website. But so far, we have had some interesting applicants, and we are interviewing.

Would love honest feedback from IH.

What would make a community like this actually worth joining for you? And what would make it an immediate no?

P.S.: The photo is of my partner and me from a long time ago in the office. It felt fitting because this is the kind of simple, human energy we want more of.