The Kindred Community Tour
Or, how I accidentally became a full-time party planner with a purpose.
Over the past six months, I’ve led the charge of building Kindred’s community, one gathering at a time. So far I’ve visited 16 cities, met more than 1,000 Kindred members, hosted upwards of 80 gatherings, and collected unforgettable stories along the way. There’s something quietly magical about this community. I’ve never encountered a group so rooted in kindness, open-mindedness, and genuine curiosity.
It makes sense that these are the people Kindred attracts. Opening up your home is your ticket to this community. That act of sharing draws in people who are open, respectful, and kind. It creates a ripple effect of generosity.
I wanted to take a moment to reflect on this journey of building the Kindred community — on what we’re creating with our members, and on the incredible humans coming together to make our shared dream of radically affordable, community-driven travel a reality.
It Started With a Dinner Party (and a Disco Ball)
It all started at my friend Kenneth’s dinner party, which was centered around a disco ball hanging off a string. It really made the party. The cool thing about a disco ball, when light hits it, that light refracts and goes everywhere. Plus, a disco ball is just fun.
As Kenneth and I were catching up under the light of the disco ball, he interrupted me to ask: "Have you heard about Kindred?" He was a founding member, and had already done a number of house swaps. The next day, he introduced me to Kindred’s co-founder Tas Amina.
I started talking to Tas and Justine Palefsky about their international GM position, a role I ended up getting after a few interviews and one team karaoke night.
Fast forward a year and a half: I transitioned from international GM to community activation lead. As I set my sights on activating the Kindred community, everything started to click into place. In our European office, we used to end every meeting title with the word “party” — linen party, monthly retro party, office unpacking party — because, honestly, why not? It made the beautiful chaos of start-up life feel joyful.
So, yes, it feels fitting that I now get to travel the world, dreaming up how to structure and organize the Kindred community, game-planning the best gatherings for our members. And after I introduced the team to the joys of the disco ball, it has followed us everywhere — from our team offsite at Disneyland to the entrance of our London office to yoga hangs in Lisbon to our onsite in San Francisco. We even had a Kindred disco ball sticker made!
The World Is Craving Community
Six months ago, I had an overarching goal — build out the Kindred community in Europe and North America — but I wasn’t exactly sure where to start. I’d been tasked with hosting one community event per week, something I’d never done before. So I decided to kick off the experiment from my home base: London.
Our first event was a co-working hang at our Kindred London office. We sent out the invite, and within minutes, it was fully booked. That was my first big learning: People are craving community. Members exchanged numbers and connected on socials. One even hired another to help redesign her home. The energy in the room was electric.
Next, we hosted a dinner party at my place. I’ll admit, I was nervous: Hosting dinner parties isn’t exactly my strong suit. But then I heard Mathilde, one of our Kindred London ambassadors, share that traveling with Kindred had made it easier and more affordable for her to return to her hometown of Paris more often. All of a sudden, I was no longer nervous to host.
People weren’t really showing up for the food or the party (although those are nice!): They were showing up to share their experiences, and listen to people tell their stories. They wanted to share their lives. And sharing? Put simply: When you share — your story, your home — you invite in magic. That’s Kindred to the core. It’s what makes these gatherings feel so special — and what reminds me, again and again, that the world is quietly aching for more connection.
At Kindred, the People Are Everything
I decided to kick off the community tour in Lisbon because my dad happened to be there, and I wanted to see him. The first person I met in Portugal was Mircia, one Kindred’s incredible house cleaning vendors. We’d never met in person, but I felt like I knew her: She had helped us scale all our cleaners across Lisbon in just one year.
I always bring a small gift when I meet our cleaning vendors, just a little thank you. But this time, she beat me to it: Mircia brought me flowers. That gesture said everything. It felt like such a genuine connection.
Later, we hosted a dinner for her alongside one of our Kindred Lisbon members, Thiago. Over time, Mircia and Thiago had built a beautiful bond through her care of cleaning his home. Watching them hug like old friends at the end of the night is a moment I’ll never forget.
When Mircia first started working with us, she was living at her mother’s house. Less than a year later, she had launched her own cleaning business and moved into a place of her own. Seeing that kind of growth — not just from our members, but from our cleaning partners who make Kindred possible behind the scenes — was deeply affirming.
How Our Members Shape the Community
We hosted multiple events in Lisbon — each one more energizing than the last. There was a sunset hang with an incredible view at Miradouro that drew more than 50 people, an impromptu park gathering at Praça das Flores, a beach meetup, a yoga session (featuring a disco ball), a members’ dinner, and a co-working session. Every one of these events was either held at a location recommended by our members or co-hosted by them.
Fabian, a Lisbon-based member, wasn’t even in town, but he stayed in close contact with the us to make sure we knew the best local spots to gather. Diana, another Lisbon member, helped co-host our sunset hang and spoke passionately about how Kindred has impacted her life — that she saved thousands of dollars during her work trips to New York by staying at Kindred homes.
Deeksha, one of our Kindred ambassadors, hosted our very first member dinner in Lisbon at her home, and she has since gone on to host five more dinners for the community. This is what makes the Kindred community so special. Our members aren’t just participating: They’re building this with us. They believe in the power of investing in community. And we’re endlessly grateful for the heart, time, and energy they continue to give back. And they feel the same! So many Lisbon members posted on social media, saying, “Obrigado, Kindred” (”thank you, Kindred”) simply for bringing people together.
The Magic of Built-In Community, Wherever You Go
During one of our yoga events, a member named Cayna — on her first Kindred trip from Amsterdam to Lisbon — found out about the event through our WhatsApp group and decided to join. She became the first traveling member to attend a local gathering, and that’s when I realized: Wow. We have the potential to connect traveling members with locals, so when you’re on a Kindred swap, you have a built-in community all across the world.
Shortly thereafter, we invited two visiting members from Berlin to join a member dinner Deeksha was hosting. That night, it hit home: Being able to offer this kind of connection while traveling is rare. The rare privilege of arriving in a new city and immediately stepping into a trusted, welcoming community is what makes Kindred so special. It’s a way to experience a new city not as a tourist, but as a local. It’s a way to build connections wherever you go. It’s a way to feel at home, anywhere in the world.
The Affordability of House Swapping is Game Changing
I stayed in Lisbon for two and a half weeks and paid less than I would have for three days in a hotel. That affordability is how I’ve been able to travel the world building up our community. As a startup, we couldn’t have afforded six months of hotel room fees. By creating a way to reduce the cost of travel by an incredible 90 percent, Kindred has opened up a world of experiences for me. I’ve been able to make so many memories, meet so many wonderful members all over the world, and live a fundamentally richer life, all thanks to home swapping.
Lisbon was only the first stop on my whirlwind world tour. I’ll be sharing more dispatches from the road. And in the meantime, if you’re a Kindred member and you’d like to help organize a gathering, or make sure you’re on the invite list, please fill out this form. And join the events by following us on instagram at @livekindred.
Building this community has been the ride of a lifetime, and we’re just getting started. The goal? To keep Kindred meaningful. To keep it life-enhancing. And most importantly, to always keep it fun.
Love,
Nikki
Kindred Community Builder
Now that you have a sense of the Kindred community and its amazing gatherings, you may still have some questions about the basics of house swapping. Here’s a short FAQ.
Q: How does Kindred work?
Kindred is a vetted members-only house swapping platform that makes it easy to exchange homes with other members around the world. You stay in someone’s house while they’re away, and they do the same in yours (not necessarily at the same time!). Beyond 1-for-1 swaps, Kindred runs on a credit system. You can earn credits when you host, then use those credits to stay in other members' homes.
Q: Do I have to pay to join Kindred?
Nope! Joining Kindred is 100% free. If you’re accepted, you’ll only pay a service fee and cleaning fee when you book a stay. There are no hidden charges or subscription fees (unless you opt into the Kindred Passport, a yearly membership for frequent swappers).
Q: Is Kindred safe?
Yes. All members go through a screening and identity verification process before being accepted. Everyone hosts their own home, and you’ll always know who you’re swapping with. The Kindred team also provides 24/7 trip support, cleaning coordination, and host protection during every stay.
You’re never auto-matched or forced into accepting a stay. You can chat with guests (including a video call) and only confirm a stay when it feels right on both sides.
Q: Can I house swap on Kindred if I rent, not own?
Yes! Lots of Kindred members are renters. You just need to check with your landlord or lease agreement. You don’t need to own a fancy house to join. Kindred homes are about warmth, trust, and personality, not square footage or interior design.