Jay Standish
business + Entrepreneurship
Companies I've Started:
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Restaurant: The Flaming Eggplant Cafe
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Coworking space: Impact Hub Seattle
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Coliving real estate: OpenDoor Coliving
Areas of Focus
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Product: Improvements / Customer Traction
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Go-to-Market: Rollout / BizDev / Partnerships
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Operations: Systems / Staffing / Workflows
In 2013 I co-founded OpenDoor Coliving - a pioneer in the concept of professionally-run community housing. Starting by leasing a single home, we grew OpenDoor to operate over 400 units across 3 states, eventually constructing new buildings designed for community living.
My business partner Ben Provan and I lived in our houses for the first 5 years of the company, embedding ourselves in the the daily practice of living in community. Although our real estate properties were successful investments, we closed the operating company in December 2022 after a 9 year run.
Consulting
I support leaders on key projects that require a single person with broad range of skillsets and experience.
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New Concepts
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Property diligence
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Financial modeling
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Project capitalization
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Legal + compliance
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Development + Construction
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Asset Management
REal Estate
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Investor-side and Sponsor-side
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Enterprise Fundraising
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Pitch Development
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Impact Investing
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Portfolio Ops
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Data Rooms + DD
Investment
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People + Values
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Systems + Norms
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Curation + Recruitment
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Conflict Management
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Communal Housing
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Meaning + Purpose
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Turnover + Re-booting
Culture
leadership Training
Outdoor Training
40-day canoe expedition in northern Quebec and Labrador.
Keewaydin Section B, 2002
Age: 17
Distance: ~500km
A cluster of forest fires in exery direction blocked all routes while in Quebec, forcing us to use our satellite phone to call in an exacuation via float planes to Labrador.
75-day expedition in Western Australia
National Outdoor Leadership School
Age: 20
Distance: ~800km
Travelled through the Kimberley region of north western Australia via canoe for 40 days, then backpacking without trails for 25 days, and 10 days on an island sharing stories with the local Bardi people.
40-day canoe expedition to Hudson's Bay
Keewaydin Section A, 2003
Age: 18
Distance: ~600km
Paddled from Reindeer Lake in Saskatchewan into Nunavut lake-hopping to the Thlewiaza river which led us to Hudson's Bay. Picked up by Inuit team; skiff over ocean waves to Arviat where we flew to Churchill for the train.
Wilderness First Responser (WFR)
Age: 20
I completed the WFR certification which is a 40-hour training focused on emergency medical response in the backcountry.
Personal Development
10-day Silent Meditation Retreats, 3X
"Vipassana" with SN Goenka
2006 - 2014
I have completed three intensive meditation retreats, which involve developing equanimity through non-judgemental observation of the sensations of the body.
1-Month Meditation Residency
Monastic Academy
2024
I lived at a unique Buddhist monastery focused on addressing existential risk. My time included a 14-day silent intensive.
Integrity Courses
Landmark Education
2016
I completed three Landmark courses, which generally focus on personal integrity and authenticity.
creativity
Visual Art
I produce art works on canvas, a practice that complements more analytical work.
Flip through the gallery below: