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I'd like to set the record straight about the nature of Chez JJ, which I feel, was very strongly misrepresented in the NYT article. What sets Chez JJ (and other

by qiqing 14y ago

I'd like to set the record straight about the nature of Chez JJ, which I feel, was very strongly misrepresented in the NYT article. What sets Chez JJ (and other community houses) apart from hostels and dorms is our family-like atmosphere. By welcoming guests into our home we are welcoming them into our family. They have become our friends and our co-founders. Startup life is an emotional roller coaster. As a community, we support each other through the trials and tests of life in Silicon Valley. More than half of Chez JJ residents who have applied to YC have been accepted. Maybe it helps that we grill each other. Or maybe it helps that we help each other relax in order to see the big picture. Or because our residents don't have to waste as much time on the minutiae of living because of what we provide. Maybe it's a form of self selection. It is a relevant point that living in group communities is more cost effective than living alone. When we all pitch in towards basic needs we are able to have a higher standard of living. We have weekly professional cleaners and subscribe to Farm Fresh, an organic vegetable delivery service. We provide coffee, tea, pancake mix, cereal, soymilk, and all the fresh fruits and vegetables you can find in our garden. We have regular dinner parties, and breakfast brunches. We have movie nights and hackathons and play board games. And we work closely with the owners of each of our houses know exactly what we are doing and are completely supportive. http://chezjj.com http://chezjj.com

lizluna 14y ago
I agree that Chez JJ was highly misrepresented. To compare to college dorms is superficial, it completely lacked the real essence of what makes the boarding at Chez JJ really special, the family-like atmosphere that creates emotional support for everyone in the hacking industry, and a great atmosphere to bounce ideas off each other. I felt that the article was written to laugh at people and their sub-par living conditions and start-up failures. It sorely diminishes the hard work and achievements that are continuously produced through the residence and the genuine care that is put in by the captains. It made Sasha sound like a callus bitch and the boarding sound filthy. Makes you feel that journalism cannot be trusted. LL Keyword: New York Times, Crammed Into Cheap Bunks, Dreaming of Future Digital Glory
- hack_edu 14y ago
  You're still making it sound like college dorms. They too are designed exactly to promote 'family-like atmosphere that creates emotional support' and one to 'bounce ideas off each other.' That's why they're such a unique and memorable experience. You are just choosing to list the positive things aspects of dorm living and ignore those brought up in the article.
- thegreattiny 14y ago
  I hope it didn't sound like I'm callous. The fact that Chez JJ is selective is a big part of what makes us so special. If I let in just anyone, the house might be full of partying fratboys and boring tourists. Instead, I bring together a group of people who share ideas, form lasting friendships, and even hire each other. Even if I accept a non-tech person, it's always because I feel he/she meshes well with the house, brings positive energy, and contributes to the family atmosphere. I literally look forward to seeing all my residents in the living/dining rooms every night.
- faruqhunter 14y ago
  I think the article was a great introduction. This is coming from someone who knows nothing about it but we run similar programs in Atlanta (tasteless plug - www.juniorengineer.us). These things are not well understood by the mainstream. The culture needed to create stellar developers and awesome startupx and products is a conundrum to some and is only recently being analyzed because of the success of accelerators like Y-combinator and Tech stars. People who are unfamiliar with these concepts need points of reference so don't beat them up too bad Faruq Hunter
  - qiqing 14y ago
    The problem with the misrepresentation in the article is that unlike other hacker houses, Chez JJ is pretty damn close to spotlessly clean. It's why we pay professionals to do it. And one of our houses was actually 50% female. It's hard to make people envision something else, once the words are out there, but we really aim to make life as frictionless as possible for our guests.
phillco 14y ago
I stayed at Chez JJ Menlo Park for a month (heck, I'm the one in the picture!) and while I agree with the other posters that $30/night for a shared room is not competitive, the reason I stayed so long was for the people. It was awesome to come home every night from my internship -- there was ALWAYS something going on. And I made some good friends. Would I do it long-term? Probably not. Did it work for me? Absolutely.
redcircle 14y ago
The American dream is (or was?) to own a mansion in the suburbs, living in isolation. I wonder whether the people living in this environment change their American-dream target to something more communal. Maybe some hope to find it at work, but that is tough given all of the constraints at work (e.g., worrying about ranking and rating with your peers). But if you don't get access to social and human capital in real life, you can at least find it here or on reddit.

by qiqing 14y ago

lizluna 14y ago

I agree that Chez JJ was highly misrepresented. To compare to college dorms is superficial, it completely lacked the real essence of what makes the boarding at Chez JJ really special, the family-like atmosphere that creates emotional support for everyone in the hacking industry, and a great atmosphere to bounce ideas off each other. I felt that the article was written to laugh at people and their sub-par living conditions and start-up failures. It sorely diminishes the hard work and achievements that are continuously produced through the residence and the genuine care that is put in by the captains. It made Sasha sound like a callus bitch and the boarding sound filthy. Makes you feel that journalism cannot be trusted. LL Keyword: New York Times, Crammed Into Cheap Bunks, Dreaming of Future Digital Glory

hack_edu 14y ago
You're still making it sound like college dorms. They too are designed exactly to promote 'family-like atmosphere that creates emotional support' and one to 'bounce ideas off each other.' That's why they're such a unique and memorable experience. You are just choosing to list the positive things aspects of dorm living and ignore those brought up in the article.
thegreattiny 14y ago
I hope it didn't sound like I'm callous. The fact that Chez JJ is selective is a big part of what makes us so special. If I let in just anyone, the house might be full of partying fratboys and boring tourists. Instead, I bring together a group of people who share ideas, form lasting friendships, and even hire each other. Even if I accept a non-tech person, it's always because I feel he/she meshes well with the house, brings positive energy, and contributes to the family atmosphere. I literally look forward to seeing all my residents in the living/dining rooms every night.
faruqhunter 14y ago
I think the article was a great introduction. This is coming from someone who knows nothing about it but we run similar programs in Atlanta (tasteless plug - www.juniorengineer.us). These things are not well understood by the mainstream. The culture needed to create stellar developers and awesome startupx and products is a conundrum to some and is only recently being analyzed because of the success of accelerators like Y-combinator and Tech stars. People who are unfamiliar with these concepts need points of reference so don't beat them up too bad Faruq Hunter
- qiqing 14y ago
  The problem with the misrepresentation in the article is that unlike other hacker houses, Chez JJ is pretty damn close to spotlessly clean. It's why we pay professionals to do it. And one of our houses was actually 50% female. It's hard to make people envision something else, once the words are out there, but we really aim to make life as frictionless as possible for our guests.

phillco 14y ago

I stayed at Chez JJ Menlo Park for a month (heck, I'm the one in the picture!) and while I agree with the other posters that $30/night for a shared room is not competitive, the reason I stayed so long was for the people. It was awesome to come home every night from my internship -- there was ALWAYS something going on. And I made some good friends. Would I do it long-term? Probably not. Did it work for me? Absolutely.

redcircle 14y ago

The American dream is (or was?) to own a mansion in the suburbs, living in isolation. I wonder whether the people living in this environment change their American-dream target to something more communal. Maybe some hope to find it at work, but that is tough given all of the constraints at work (e.g., worrying about ranking and rating with your peers). But if you don't get access to social and human capital in real life, you can at least find it here or on reddit.