Just Go Grind

#331: Justine Palefsky and Tas Amina of Kindred, on Building an Intentional Co-Founder Partnership, Lessons from a Failed E-Blast, and Navigating an Unpredictable Market

Jun 20, 2022

Justine Palefsky and Tas Amina, Co-Founders of Kindred, share insights on their intentional partnership, lessons from early failures, organic growth, pricing strategy, fundraising tips, navigating an unpredictable market, and future plans for their home swapping network.

31:03

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Episode guests

Tas Amina

Justine Palefsky

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Kindred's innovative business model focuses on radical affordability by offering $300 membership for unlimited swaps and $30 per night fees for services and cleaning.

Justine and Tas emphasize the importance of a strong co-founder partnership, built on shared values, trust, and clear communication for startup success.

Deep dives

Founding Kindred to Address Travel Flexibility

The founders, Justine and Taz, created Kindred to offer a solution to their pandemic-induced feeling of being trapped and wanting to explore more. They aimed to make travel more affordable and flexible, enabling swapping homes as a cost-effective way to live elsewhere. By organizing communities to connect and trust each other, Kindred allows people to stay in beautiful homes for a fraction of the cost of traditional rentals.

Intro

3min

Building a Strong Co-Founder Relationship and Navigating Startup Challenges

17min

Exploring Pricing and Business Model Decisions for Kindred Platform

4min

Navigating the Fundraising Process and Leveraging Professional Networks

4min

Adapting to Changing Market Dynamics and Scaling Technology and Team

3min

Justine Palefsky and Tas Amina are the Co-Founders of Kindred, a members-only home swapping network that unlocks your ability to live a travel-rich lifestyle for a fraction of the cost of a hotel or AirBnb. By exchanging homes with people they trust, renters and owners alike are able to take advantage of remote-work flexibility and explore new destinations without breaking the bank.

Justine and Tas were both early-stage employees at Opendoor before deciding to start their own company during the pandemic.

Topics Covered by Justine Palefsky and Tas Amina in this Episode

Kindred’s origin story
How Justine and Tas decided to work together as co-founders and the “partnership charter”
Launching during the pandemic
Early customer acquisition failures and lessons
Organic growth and refining their model
Developing Kindred’s pricing and business model
Fundraising for Kindred and their advice for founders
Navigating an unpredictable market
What’s next for Kindred