Why Cooperatives Are Important

When Robinhood Co-Living was founded, the vision was a cooperative, to provide fair value exchange and help uplift the ecosystem. Working in the ‘working class’ in India is a struggle, and oftentimes provides limited economic advancement opportunities. The system, especially in rural parts of the country can seem unfair.

A cooperative would ensure our employees receive the value and recognition they deserve and serve to attack the paradigm head on. But at the time it was a challenge to convince local partners to allow staff to live in the same building… Forget about being owners! A human condition is to express cynicism about things we don’t understand or around constructs that are difficult to change. At least I was!

But this is just how things were (and are) done, for thousands of years, and the alternative is shocking because its likely hasn’t even been considered as an option.

We can be critical of the culture or accept that progress takes time and empathize with the shock factor of a situation.

Two years later, after small successes of integrating staff with the broader community, the topic of cooperative was broached again. And at this time, it was embraced.

People like Prakaysh, the GM on my right, is one of the hardest working and compassionate people on this planet. But because of circumstances, didn’t receive higher level education.

To me, he represents the opportunity our cooperative can create to serve at scale. I wake up to work for him and the other guys standing beside me, hoping this service creates opportunity and shines a light on what’s possible in our industry.

Our cooperative and mission matters. And we can achieve so much when we choose to cooperate vs. compete. Because it isn’t ever about who finishes first, but that we all get there together.

Be the change you wish to see in the world, and watch the world change around you.

CJO – Josh Willig