Why & how Karisma started 5 years ago
Kreator Letter #14. The founder letter I write for our Karisma community. The raw journey and the learnings.
Five years.
Wild to even write that out.
Five years ago, Karisma was nothing more than a late-night idea in Dublin.
I just wanted freedom. I wanted to travel. I wanted to be around people who made life feel alive.
That’s how it started. But here’s how it unfolded:
Oct 2020: Idea sparks: build a surf house for remote entrepreneurs.
Nov 2020: Over dinner with my flat mate, the name Karisma is born.
2021–2022: Tested the concept with retreats in Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Croatia & Morocco.
June 2022: Lost €150K in a week. Moved back to home city of Barcelona broke, but determined.
Dec 2022: Launched first (physical) coliving brand for entrepreneurs in Barcelona. The community begins.
2023–2024: Karisma evolves into a social club. 500+ members, 200+ events.
Aug 2024: Selekt is born, new membership for high-level founders.
2025: Coliving sold. Memberships cut down. All-in on Selekt. Karisma = Selekt.
Looking back, it’s never really been about coliving, events, or even membership models. It’s always been about one thing: the people.
I never set out to build a business. I set out to build a life. One full of freedom, meaning, and connections that turn into transformations.
And somehow... that turned into Karisma.
Today, it’s not just me anymore. I’m building this with my two new co-founders (Dory & Stavros). For the three of us, this is our life project. Together, we’re obsessed with connecting founders authentically to help them transform their businesses AND lives.
So here we are. Five years in. Plenty of pivots, plenty of mistakes. But also... friendships that became family. Nights that became history. And a movement that’s only just beginning.
If you’ve been here since the beginning, thank you. Thank you for being part of this journey, really.
If you’re just arriving, welcome to year five. No worries, this show has only just began.
Either way, let’s toast to what’s been, and what’s still to come.
Life is good,
Marc