The Actioners Residency: Sebastian Chapela, Founder - Actioners Residency

I have my coffee here. Um, so

>> love it, dude. Give us some context into you and the residency in the actual residency. I mean, I'm seeing this place

residency. I mean, I'm seeing this place all over the internet right now.

>> Yeah. Um, well, right now I'm staying in a 18bedroom mansion. We have around 20 startups living here. We're all like

early stage. Everybody's a founder. Um,

early stage. Everybody's a founder. Um,

we've had everybody from A16C to lovable in the house in the past week. And like I didn't even plan any of

week. And like I didn't even plan any of these things. I just walked downstairs

these things. I just walked downstairs and it was happening. Um, and now I'm in this um, awesome podcast. We really

started it because uh, I think here in Silicon Valley, we're really good at the startup part and really bad at the life part. I think Europe is a lot better at

part. I think Europe is a lot better at the life part and we believe that you don't have to sacrifice your health in

order to make generational companies. Uh

so that's why we started the house and we're bringing the health back in. So we

have saunas, we have cold plunges in how did this all come together?

Funny story because I is this network of hacker houses all around the world and um I got weight

listed and I emailed the founder one hour later and I was like hey what if I find the house the people and the money and for the next three months I just

kept emailing him. I'm like okay I interviewed these people I the landlord and eventually we just made it. We rolled it into existence and um

it. We rolled it into existence and um that was like six months ago and I moved into a six-bedroom house and two weeks ago we upgraded to this beautiful

18bedroom mansion.

>> That's insane. That is absolutely wild.

Like give me some context about why you wanted to be at the residency. I've

heard great things. We've had some of the uh uh some of the people on the show that have been to the residency. Uh

>> yeah, >> why was that the right fit for you? Why

was it at one of the other hacker networks?

>> Yeah, I think it all started when my friend applied and she's like one of the people I admire the most. Um

and I've been trying to get her to move to the US for many years. So when she applied I'm like oh this is my opportunity to get her finally here. Uh

so it it was a lot more serendipitous than anything and I think that is what is so good about here. I mean the reason

why I wanted to move to SF is the density of talent is so high that serendipity happens in any coffee shop

in in your living room like it happens everywhere and um I think success is the combination of

opportunity and preparation and back when I was with my parents there was not that much opportunity

And here basically a new door is opening every day. Um, and it's just a matter of

every day. Um, and it's just a matter of being prepared to take it.

>> The idea of a hacker house might confuse some people. So can you explain it a

some people. So can you explain it a little bit to us in the fact that >> it's very much like you put you don't just chuck all of these people in in a house and just be like you go do your thing. I feel like the residency is

thing. I feel like the residency is slightly more curated than that. There's

a certain type of person that gets in.

>> Mhm. And then why the emphasis on on action in the action house?

>> Yeah. So there's actually like a pretty long application process. Um there was like about 900 applications. We accepted

about >> 900.

>> What the hell?

>> 900 people applied to our last batch. So

people stay in the house for three to four months. Um, at the end of the day,

four months. Um, at the end of the day, we have a demo day and everybody presents what they've built in the last three months. Um,

three months. Um, and entrepreneurship is

like running in the sense that I can't teach you how to run like I can, but at the end of the day, you have to run it yourself. So, say that a bit

yourself. So, say that a bit differently. Like doesn't matter how

differently. Like doesn't matter how many books I give you, how many v videos I give you, at the end of the day, you have to run yourself.

>> And it's the same with entrepreneurship.

Like no matter how many fireside chats or how many videos, like eventually you have to do it yourself. And it's helpful to have other people running besides you

and you're like deep into the marathon and you're like, I hate this. And you

turn around and the guy is still running with you. You're like, okay, maybe I'll

with you. You're like, okay, maybe I'll keep running. Uh so I think that's the

keep running. Uh so I think that's the most valuable thing out of everything is just um entrepreneurship is a really lonely thing and just turning around and

seeing like someone that's been there since 6:00 a.m. and it's 6 p.m. and he's

still there. You're like, "Okay, I I can keep going." Uh that's a little bit and

keep going." Uh that's a little bit and action. Um yeah, I mean that's how the

action. Um yeah, I mean that's how the house started, right?

um I got rejected and I took action and um our we're building a new word. Um Danny who

helped me found this bigger one um it was his idea and the same way that there's investors builders she was like let's invent a new word let's invent

actions and that's how the name came about. Yeah.

about. Yeah.

>> And it's the idea that people take action. It's not you just sit around and

action. It's not you just sit around and wait for it. So you you don't just build. You are actively consistently

build. You are actively consistently taking action in every course of your life.

>> Yeah. Yeah. I think like everybody has dreams, right? Like everybody's like,

dreams, right? Like everybody's like, "Oh, I want to go to space." But

actually, are you actually building the rocket? Um I think like that's the

rocket? Um I think like that's the distinction we make.

>> Interesting. Do you have any rocket makers in the house?

We have one that is building prompt to aircrafts. So like you do it and it

aircrafts. So like you do it and it makes a 3D model of an aircraft.

>> So not exactly a rocket, but yeah.

>> Is it incredible being around just not not only hyper intelligent people, but people that move at a velocity that you sometimes can't keep up with >> and you just get dragged into their

wake.

>> Yeah. I It's like It's the best and worst. Um, I think it

never stops and uh it is super inspiring and going back to the running metaphor.

It's the first time someone ran a sub four minute mile before nobody have ever done it.

>> After someone did it, >> so many more people, thousands have done it since. Mhm.

it since. Mhm.

>> So seeing people, you realize that all these incredible founders are just people and what they're doing is there's

nothing that's stopping you from doing the same thing. Um, so it's definitely super inspiring and unlocks a different type of thinking.

Tell me, a year ago, is this true that you were homeless and now you're living in this 18 bed man?

>> Well, I mean, I I wasn't homeless. Uh I

just got rejected and uh you could say I was homeless, but I was with my with my parents, so it wasn't out in the streets. Yeah,

streets. Yeah, >> it very it very well could have been if things had gone the wrong way.

>> Yeah. I mean I think I am uh fortunate enough to do have a safety net. Um I

think part of my own personal reasons of why I wanted to come to SF is to um get rid of that safety net.

>> Um at least um in a certain way is like okay I have money for the next month.

How am I going to pay the month after? I

have no idea. Oh, wolf

factors force me to be successful.

>> I imagine you get a lot of European founders potentially showing up or coming into ISF. I'd love to get your take on our culture and how we operate because obviously the valley is a bubble

in and of itself, right? It's just it's an ecosystem you can't even begin to try and work out. You just live in it, right? It's like don't don't try and

right? It's like don't don't try and figure what figure out what this is.

>> Just go with the flow and get it get on with it.

>> How do you look at the other side of the pond when we come over and you know we integrate into the ecosystem? What do we do well and what do we not do well?

I I I saw this post which I I think is very true that in Europe you have to be careful of people that put down your dreams, right? So you say like, "Hey, I

dreams, right? So you say like, "Hey, I want to do this amazing thing." And

they're like, "No, that's not possible, right? Like you're wasting your time."

right? Like you're wasting your time."

Versus in the US here in Silicon Valley, you have to be um careful of liars,

right? of people that say like, "Oh, I

right? of people that say like, "Oh, I can measure all your DNA from one."

And I always find it funny how like um people that have been here for a while um are like like always named dropping

always and it feels like European founders are like um more uncomfortable with that. I was talking with a founder

with that. I was talking with a founder the other day that like create six million in seven days and um yeah and

um he didn't give that information.

It was like after someone asked him like how much did you raise and he was like uncomfortable saying it and I just found it funny that an American

uh founder would have said it from the get- go. Right.

get- go. Right.

There is there's something really interesting in that that like part of the show is figuring out what that is and some of it's the aristocracy that we have in our societ or have had in our culture for a long time that I think

that sort of we're uncovering and realizing like oh we've always been pushed down and so we come for the for the the bourgeoadi comes from the comes for the

uh upper class and that high society and that's sort of eaked into you know culture today of why we we cut down people when we see them doing It's really interesting you say that as well. I think that

well. I think that >> I don't know. I think there's an emphasis on capital here >> that like oh we do it like you've you know you win it great but let's be perfectly honest you only get the

capital if you're building a VC back company so that you can get on with the job and get on with the mission.

>> Like that's the purpose of the capital.

It's not to stroke your ego.

>> Yeah. I think you pointed at very like the fundamentally the biggest difference is what is the highest uh form of social

status the deepest like you're judged here by how much money you have right now like it doesn't matter what you did before

um and you can really see it in uh a country's idols right So uh over in Europe you have more artists, you have

football players, you have musicians, uh you have some businessmen and if you see like the very big companies are actually

in fashion um versus here all the idols are like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and it's like who appears in the covers of magazines that tells you what your culture values. Uh,

culture values. Uh, >> it's You know what? We're hitting some notes here, my friend. Like, you guys do media incredibly well. Like, I saw I think one of the streamers out of the US

came to the came to the house was making some content and I'm like, "Wow, this is cool." Like, you've got a streamer

cool." Like, you've got a streamer making content about the actioners residency. Uh, like we we need a version

residency. Uh, like we we need a version of that, right? We need that flavor of media that's actively getting eyeballs on it so that people can see like, "Wow,

this is not that difficult. I've just

got to try.

>> Yeah. I think uh there was this program recently that was uh called the bridge um in Europe where they rented out a castle.

>> Yeah. And they did it uh pretty good.

They've been over here and they've been inspired and they started I mean we don't have a castle yet, but yeah, I think they're doing it good as well.

>> You've uh you got the next best thing, right? You've got an 18 bed mansion that

right? You've got an 18 bed mansion that looks like it is a castle.

>> Yeah. Yeah.

>> Yeah. I definitely want a suit of armor in that corner.

>> Oh, dude, you've got to get one. You've

got to absolutely get one, please. And

just and just like have it have it as like the mascot of the house.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Somebody said that we should put like um one of those Tesla robots inside and it brings you coffee in the morning.

>> Oh, dude, that's brilliant. That's such

a good idea. Like, can you can you get your hands on one of them? I maybe I mean anything is possible here.

>> I love it. Can I ask >> where does this go next? Is is the action residency going to have more houses because it attracts a certain

type of person um that exists inside the residency network or is just right now the focus is very much on >> let's make sure that these batches are are well curated. Let's keep this you

know this keep this house ticking.

>> What's next steps look like?

I think in the short term everything that matters is the people.

>> So, >> so what are you optimizing for? Great

people.

>> Yeah, that's also true in the long term.

In the long term, um I think the only thing that matters is the people. Um my

job is to find the next Elon Musk.

Um I think usually when when I answer this question is like how do you scale it? I think there's um three main routes

it? I think there's um three main routes in which you scale this into a venture scale business like a billion plus. Uh

the first obvious one is raise a fund uh >> and deploy that capital into the house.

Right.

>> Yeah. So Pier and Nick who are the founders of the residency um they're starting to focus on that and that's why people like me are running the houses.

Um and um then the other one is you become a real

estate company and you get hundreds thousands of houses.

I don't love that model as much because the I don't see how you manage culture in that many houses. I think almost by

definition if you're looking for exceptional people um they'll be out of the norm. So having thousands of houses

the norm. So having thousands of houses means >> you run into the Soho House problem where everyone everyone's invited in, >> right?

I think the third one is a college campus.

>> I don't like skyscrap scrapers because they divide culture.

>> Um >> yeah, I like the the goal of the residency as a whole is to accelerate innovation. Uh we believe that college

innovation. Uh we believe that college is broken, right? So um going back to the running metaphor, school is only teaches you uh the books, right? how to

memorize stuff, how to do things repetitively doesn't teach you how to do your own stuff. Um, the knowhow all of a lot of the school system has

become outdated. Um, and we're seeing a

become outdated. Um, and we're seeing a very big shift of of young people saying like, hey, like why don't why don't I just go start a t-shirt company? like

why do I have to go to college, right?

It's like I'll be at the end of four years with a writing degree, an English degree, and it's like what do I actually have? Why don't I just write a book

have? Why don't I just write a book instead, >> right? And I'll learn by writing the

>> right? And I'll learn by writing the book.

>> Um, that's the idea behind the houses.

And that is also why a college campus makes sense, but the capital to buy one is like insane.

>> How much does a college campus cost these days?

Uh the problem is the endowments. I

don't think there's a prize. So uh I think you would I haven't looked at it.

I know the HF0 people have and it was too expensive for them and the HFZ guys have way more money than we do. So um

very interesting. I I want to ask you a question around what we've just discussed here. Why does it have to be a

discussed here. Why does it have to be a hyperscalable VC back business? Isn't

the beauty of the residency the fact that it's not currently a lot this conversation internally um because there's been things like

Cyros which turned into Sigma squared and there was also a thing called uh launch house and I've heard from people

that were part of it uh that once uh the funds came in >> the culture suffered >> and >> and it stopped being as good.

>> Um >> so we it is something that we don't have the answer for.

>> Do you think do you think there is an answer? Because like we've had a lot of

answer? Because like we've had a lot of the sigma squared people on had some I've had a lot of discussions around it and I've seen the same thing. you you

look at the two different sides of it and there is this beautiful culture in Sigma >> that you just you can't replicate because it just doesn't have that fund incentive attached

>> and so like it's deeply community and I think that that's amazing and maybe that's what we need today but the flip side of it is like look everyone needs to make a living and you want to add over overwhelming amounts of value and

how do you do that and how do you >> the beauty of venture >> is the game allows for everything to flourish And also you have these

cancerous cells that come out right >> and venture sort of supercharges all of this >> and I think in the residency you end up in a situation where >> actually maybe there is a good thing as

a fund attached but how do we curate that fund process?

Yeah, I think if you go back to our our mission of like people first and how to best help the people in the house. Uh

right now the number two thing the two things that people are like this is what I need is like I need to hire more people. I need to raise more money. Um

people. I need to raise more money. Um

so having our own fund would help everyone tremendously.

um what we've discussed is not making it a requirement. So as opposed to YC that

requirement. So as opposed to YC that you get in, you get the money.

>> It's like you get in and if you want the money, there's the option for you to have it, >> right? Um I think that also allows us

>> right? Um I think that also allows us like to pay it back to the people in the house. So if you're early stage and

house. So if you're early stage and you're like actually like I have no money um we can actually uh offer scholarships

>> um we've already had some people some past residents alumni um give back so that's been pretty cool. we've only

really been running for two years. Um

so and I think the answer will come from action from doing it right. Um

I like we can sit here and think about it for for the next year. We can actually do it and course correct if if we have to.

>> I think that's the beauty of the actions residency, right? It's like you're built

residency, right? It's like you're built you're quite literally built in a way for this.

>> As we get into the kind of the final part of the entire show and my time with you, I'd love to ask you some like just rapid fire questions.

>> Yeah.

>> All right. When we're looking at founders today, when we're looking at people that you quote unquote look up to, who comes to mind?

>> I'll give I'll give my my friend Sophia Castillo as an example. Um, she just sold her first company at 24 and now she is an

executive at the company that that bought her. Um, but I think what I buy

bought her. Um, but I think what I buy the most is she's always being um true to her morals. She's like the

best people person I know. Um and I think here we idolize uh money as the ultimate goal and her

goal has always been help people and her trajectory that that has always been the north star

um independent of the financial gains.

>> The most intelligent person that you've come across in the the actualist residency like that's just surprised you. H

you. H I'd say um I mean there's so many but I I'll just pick one. Caric he is building

glasses so that uh blind people can see so it tells them what they're seeing.

>> Yeah, that's insane.

>> Yeah. Do you think that we've iterated significantly on software over the past, you know, 10, 15 years and we haven't focused enough on hardware and infrastructure?

>> Yes.

Within the valley, in the context of, you know, what we've talked about in San Fran, this almost oxymoron of society, have you been able to wrap your head around it?

>> No, I think by definition you can't. But

um I think everything is a pendulum. it

just like goes too far one way and then you course correct and it goes you can see it in politics in economy. Um,

and I like the trajectory we're going right now. It feels like we're going up.

right now. It feels like we're going up.

>> Do you with with AI and the advent of AI in the past few years, does the valley feel like home for it?

I think it's the place that um support the place >> where

the unfair advantages the monopoly will be most likely created here.

>> Last one. You've got a background in video in in cinematography. You've uh

you've done two startups already. When

we look at the advent of AI and the technology itself, do you think of putting it you think it will put you out of a job agency? So

agency? So um the same way when I was a film director, you have your cinematographer, you have your writer, you have your

sound, you have your actor, you have the set design, and all of those people are better than me at what they do, but they're all going in different directions. My job as director is to

directions. My job as director is to tell them we're going one direction. So

if we put AI as like okay AI is doing these separate jobs it still needs

something to give it direction um and by definition AI or LLM are um average right um because they're predicting the

next most probable thing so if you're trying to create something new no um it won't take your job >> my friend this has been an absolute pleasure Thank you so much for getting up and doing this with me. I'm looking

forward to checking back in and seeing the chaos and the innovation that comes out of the action residency. You got to bring one over to the UK for us.

>> Yeah. Yeah. They're um we will we will.

>> Sebastian, thank you so much for the time.

>> Thank you very much.