The Proof: Why This Works
“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” — Calvin Coolidge
🎯 The Numbers That Matter
Break-Even Point: 500 Members
| Members | Revenue | Costs | Profit | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 | ~$400K | $385K | Break-even | 0% |
| 1,000 | $805K | $385K | $420K | 52% |
| 5,000 | $6.9M | $1.2M | $5.7M | 83% |
| 10,000 | $24.5M | $3.1M | $21.4M | 87% |
The Goal: 10,000 Founding Members
- Why 10,000? Double the comfortable threshold (5,000)
- At 10,000: Platform generates $21M+ annually
- At 20,000: $50M+ platform serving tens of thousands
Unit Economics:
- Lifetime Value per Member: $207,005
- Acquisition Cost: $50 (organic)
- LTV:CAC Ratio: 4,140:1
📜 The Academic Proof
“The Currency Differential”
A Three-Gear Mechanism for Cross-Border Economic Stabilization in Platform Economics
By Jonathan Jones, Founding Manager, Liana Banyan Corporation
Key Innovation: Just as an automotive differential allows wheels to turn at different speeds while maintaining stable axle rotation, the Currency Differential allows external economies to fluctuate while maintaining internal platform stability.
Three Currencies (Credits, Marks, Joules):
- Credits — Stable internal value (1 Credit = $1)
- Marks — Effort-debt for weak economies (work to clear)
- Joules — Stored value for strong economies (save for later)
Result: Users from ANY economy can participate equally. The Greek user and the Swiss user both get fair value for their work.
“Margin Economics”
A Theory of Worker-Owned Intermarket Value Systems
PhD Research in Progress — Target Defense: 2028-2030
Central Thesis: Worker-owned cooperative networks operating on standardized 20% margins achieve superior economic efficiency compared to extraction-based platform capitalism.
Key Proof:
- Traditional marketplace markup: 40-100%
- Liana Banyan margin: 20%
- Member purchasing power increase: 30%+
- Comparable model (Costco): 11% margin → $250B market cap
Where the 20% Goes:
- 10% → Operations (hosting, tools, support)
- 5% → R&D (new features, improvements)
- 5% → Reserves (rainy day fund)
🗳️ How Credit Voting Works
The Mechanic
- Buy Credits: 100 Credits = $100
- Vote on Initiatives: Allocate credits to your favorite projects (HexIsle, Let’s Make Dinner, etc.)
- Unlock Production Levels: As votes accumulate, levels unlock
The 6 Manufacturing Levels
| Level | Units | Method | Price | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100 | 3D Print | Highest | 2-4 weeks |
| 2 | 500 | Hybrid | -30% | 4-8 weeks |
| 3 | 1,000 | Injection Mold | -50% | 8-16 weeks |
| 4 | 2,500 | Contract Mfg | -60% | 12-20 weeks |
| 5 | 5,000 | Bulk Production | -70% | 16-24 weeks |
| 6 | 10,000+ | Full Scale | -80% | 20-32 weeks |
Price Parity Guarantee
No early backer pays more than the final price.
- Back at Level 1 → Pay $50/unit
- Level 3 unlocks → Price drops to $25/unit
- You receive $25/unit credit refund automatically
Your final cost: Same as everyone else. Your benefit: Got product 12 weeks earlier + “First Believer” badge + bonus Joules (stored platform value).
🏆 Why Early Believers Win
Chess Stats: The Value of Losing
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Highest Rating | 2118 (Top 0.4% worldwide) |
| Total Games | 25,399 (on this ONE account) |
| Win Rate | 46% (11,701 won) |
| Draw Rate | 4% (1,121 drawn) |
| Loss Rate | 50% (12,577 lost) |
“As you can see, I have lost more times than I have won. Yet my rating is 2118, in the top 0.4% of chess players in the world. So how do we win if we lose half the time? By playing a different game, and learning from our mistakes.” — Founder
The Lesson: You get good by losing. The $5 membership gives you infinite bites at the apple. Try. Fail. Learn. Try again.
The Founder’s Creed
“For my own part, I feel keenly Lloyd’s line in Dumb and Dumber: ‘I’m sick and tired of having to eke my way through life.’ But in forging a pathway to success, I must also in good conscience burn a permanent pathway into the jungle of life for any who dare; charting the pitfalls and resources on my treasure map.”
“I don’t know where I’m going, but I know what I’m looking for, and in time, I will find both.”
The Megamind Principle
In time, we will get it right. And I’m ready to lose a lot of fights to win the battle.
There are more of us than there are of them.
🌱 With Apologies to Pixar
“Pretend this is a seed.”
What starts as a tiny virtual project in Ghost World can become:
- A working prototype
- A funded campaign
- A manufactured product
- A full business
- One of the 12 Cities
All from a $5 seed.
🔗 Next Steps
- The 1,000 Member Proof → — Any locality with 1,000 members becomes profitable
- The Full Business Plan → — Complete transparency, every number
- Read the Currency Differential Paper →
- Understanding Margin Economics →
- The Hive: Where the Work Happens →
- Cast Your Vote: See Active Initiatives →
🏰 FOR THE KEEP! ⚔️