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Shameless plug: I've been working on a service (www.campfire.care) to build peer support groups for any focus. Groups of 5-10 people with the same issue meet re

Shameless plug: I've been working on a service (www.campfire.care) to build peer support groups for any focus. Groups of 5-10 people with the same issue meet regularly via video and stay connected via chat. The idea is that we are fundamentally social creatures, and struggling with a challenge alone is unhealthy. Campfire is not therapy or a replacement for therapy. But peer support can be powerful + inexpensive. And being part of a true peer group can provide a kind of value that professional mental health can't. You can't be friends with you therapist, and their job is not to truly empathize with you. Would love any thoughts / feedback!

anythingnonidin 9y ago
Wonderful! What's the main challenge for you as it relates to the product? i.e. are you limited on needing more customers / stronger product market fit, do you have insane product market fit and limited on hiring, etc? Is this a for profit thing?
- marojejian 9y ago
  Thanks! Generally, I think the challenge for us is going to be the same as for many other consumer-ish mental health startups. The experience is really effective, but most people aren't looking for this specific approach to solve their problem. So building awareness is super valuable. Our main goal is to help as many people as cost-effectively as we can. After thinking a lot about it, I think there's more evidence we can scale better as a for profit.
flatfilefan 9y ago
Did you consider appointing (renting out) a community lead for those groups? Maybe something along the lines of Über driver system? If a group has a natural leader - perfect. If not they can "rent" one to keep the momentum of the group going.
- marojejian 9y ago
  Yes - we've been trying a variety of different backgrounds for our "hosts." The most exciting approach is to level up our members to lead groups with their challenge. They truly empathize and care about the group, which can make them more effective than a whole bunch of training. Plus, it reinforces that this is not a case where you are being treated for a mental health problem. This is a tight-knit community helping each other.

anythingnonidin 9y ago

Wonderful! What's the main challenge for you as it relates to the product? i.e. are you limited on needing more customers / stronger product market fit, do you have insane product market fit and limited on hiring, etc? Is this a for profit thing?

marojejian 9y ago
Thanks! Generally, I think the challenge for us is going to be the same as for many other consumer-ish mental health startups. The experience is really effective, but most people aren't looking for this specific approach to solve their problem. So building awareness is super valuable. Our main goal is to help as many people as cost-effectively as we can. After thinking a lot about it, I think there's more evidence we can scale better as a for profit.

flatfilefan 9y ago

Did you consider appointing (renting out) a community lead for those groups? Maybe something along the lines of Über driver system? If a group has a natural leader - perfect. If not they can "rent" one to keep the momentum of the group going.

marojejian 9y ago
Yes - we've been trying a variety of different backgrounds for our "hosts." The most exciting approach is to level up our members to lead groups with their challenge. They truly empathize and care about the group, which can make them more effective than a whole bunch of training. Plus, it reinforces that this is not a case where you are being treated for a mental health problem. This is a tight-knit community helping each other.