It’s been a long 18 month journey (36 months if you include customer research, validation, and prototyping of the many concepts that went into Oh Hey World/Horizon).

Why are we still working on it, with no near term financial incentive to do so?

A few core reasons:

• The world experienced face to face is exponentially better than the world experienced through a screen.
• This world needs empathy more than anything else, and lasting empathy only results from in person time, interaction, and deep understanding.
• People who see the world with their own eyes live their lives differently than those who don’t – and are more likely to spend time and money on initiatives/projects which improve the lives of those less fortunate rather than simply maximize their own income.
• Fear of the unknown, which boils down to lack of community, is the biggest barrier to unlocking travel opportunities for more people (read this and this for context).
• Helping others is where the real joy in life comes from, which led us to #travelbygiving.
• Where you were born shouldn’t dictate whether or not you can experience different cultures in their natural environments.
• Virtually everything in life comes from some form of community – jobs, places to stay, places to live, dating, travel advice, professional mentors, free tickets to sportings events, and friends.
• World peace. It’s cliche, but cultural exchange is still the best way to combat war long term.

Ultimately, we KNOW access to community transforms lives – and believe that’s worth fighting for.