Build My Van Manifesto

An Inspiring Collaborative Journey

Imagine combining the collaborative magic of Startup Weekend with the expertise showcase of West Coast Customs – but for van builds. Industry experts, premium manufacturers, and a supportive community coming together to help five aspiring vanlifers build their custom camper vans.

The Inspiration

I’ve always loved participating in Startup Weekends. There’s something magical about how people from different domains gather to work together, not knowing in advance what they’ll create but united by shared enthusiasm. Time seems to stop as you focus entirely on your project, with everything else taken care of. The friendly atmosphere, the beneficial pressure of the 54-hour deadline, the industry experts ready to mentor you, the practical mini-workshops teaching exactly what you need when you need it – it all creates this unique energy. I especially love those moments when we all come together at meals to share our progress, exchange ideas, and help each other overcome challenges. And of course, that final celebration of everything we achieved.

I’ve also loved watching Pimp My Ride and seeing how West Coast Customs approaches each build. Their professional expertise in real-life action, mixed with that hint of craziness that comes from pure passion and enthusiasm – it wasn’t just entertaining, it was genuinely educational.

Now imagine combining these experiences in the context of custom camper van builds. Wouldn’t it be an uplifting experience? Not just for the participants and viewers, but for the mentors and the whole community. As I thought about this concept, I realized it’s the perfect way to bootstrap my Master Plan 2025… actually, this was my initial idea that led me to write the master plan 🤪 It’s a concrete, practical first step that embodies everything I envision: the core values, the collaborative spirit, and the seeds of larger projects like the Makers Paradise, Makers Platform, Van Life Social, and The Professor. It might not be exactly how I initially imagined the Collaborative Van Build project, but it captures the same spirit. In fact, it’s also “The Experiment” in disguise, and without the most interesting part “beyond money”.

The Vision

At its heart, Build My Van is beautifully simple: five teams of aspiring vanlifers building their dream camper vans with expert guidance and manufacturer support. But God’s in the details – and God loves excellence! Let me explain how I think it should be done.

The Experience

For both participants and viewers, the experience must be as close to reality as possible. The teams are real aspiring vanlifers (solo or couple), who’ve never built a camper van, who’ve real adventures in mind and a concrete transformation project for the vehicle they have. So during this event, they’ll tackle real builds with real challenges, finding real solutions that work in the real world.

Applying our core philosophies – Unity Makes Strength and Ubuntu – the participants will not build their van really alone. They’ll receive hands-on guidance from industry experts, as well as from the whole community through our platform and regular live meetings. Unlike other programs or events, we’re not competition-driven, we’re focused on collaboration. Participants will constantly work together, having daily brainstorming sessions and stepping in casually when a helping hand is needed. In the same spirit, manufacturers will have the opportunity to directly engage with their customers. By sharing not only the knowledge about their products but also their expertise in their domain, they’ll form new bonds with the people who’re using their products in real life. This is not a one-way street, vanlifers, van builders, and makers will have the opportunity to have real conversations with the manufacturers through live meetings.

What will make this experience special is also our approach to entertainment and education – that we make one. Everything, planned or unplanned, will be an excuse for teaching and learning. Each phase of the build will start with an expert talk, providing the participants with the theoretical knowledge to start on the right foot. Along the way, craftsmen will share their hands-on know-how during workshops, giving the participants the practical skills to execute what they’ve imagined. These talks and workshops will be available online for the whole community to grow together.

To share this experience with the online community, we’ll document everything through live coverage and regular highlights, creating an unprecedented window into the van building process. Regular community engagement will ensure that knowledge flows freely in all directions – from experts to builders, from manufacturers to users, and from the community back to everyone involved. Through this constant exchange, we’re creating an atmosphere where collaboration thrives, where questions are welcomed, and where every participant – whether physically present or engaging online – feels part of something bigger than themselves.

One More Thing

Let’s aim for excellence, shall we?

Instead of working in a small, dark, cramped garage with three shabby grandfather’s tools, let’s give them a thoughtfully arranged spacious workspace with modern, high-performance tools. OK, that’s certainly a long way from real-life conditions… but only because humanity hasn’t yet evolve beyond money 🤷‍♂️😉

Instead of doing “what has always been done” or “what everyone else is doing”, we’ll question everything and start thinking from first principles. Maybe we’ll end up doing the same thing, but at least we’ll be sure it’s based on solid reasons… and we’ll surely have learned a few things in the process.

Instead of skimming over what the participants did – as we too often see in the many accelerated timelapses of sorcerer’s apprentices – we’ll cover everything from A to Z. We’ll deep dive into the details, starting from first principles, and working our way up high to mastery of the art.

To bring excellence to everything we do, although there’ll be a lot of work to be done and the month will be short, we won’t lose sight of the fact that the most important thing in what we do is the joy with which we do it. And joy is even greater when it’s shared. That’s why every evening will be gathering time, and every end of the week a reason to celebrate. And these weekly celebrations will be open to those who want to come visit us.

The Impact

The immediate result? Five state-of-the-art van builds that showcase what’s possible when expertise, resources, and passion align. But the lasting impact goes deeper. We’re creating educational resources that will help future builders avoid common pitfalls and achieve better results. We’re strengthening community bonds through shared experiences and collaborative problem-solving. Most importantly, we’re demonstrating that unity truly does make strength – that we achieve more when we work together than we ever could alone.

The Value

Making this vision reality requires balancing different needs and creating value for everyone involved. Here’s how we’re doing it.

For Build Teams

Participants get more than just access to a professional workspace and tools. They receive expert guidance when they need it most, direct connections with manufacturers, and comprehensive documentation of their build. Most importantly, they have the backing of an entire community invested in their success.

For Industry Experts

For experts, this is an opportunity to share knowledge while building their brand. They’ll develop direct relationships with manufacturers, establish themselves as community leaders, and create valuable educational content that showcases their expertise. And they might even learn a few things here and there.

For Manufacturers

Manufacturers gain something rare: the chance to showcase their products in real builds while building genuine relationships with their community. Instead of traditional advertising, they’ll engage directly with users and participate in creating educational content that demonstrates their expertise and commitment to quality. And they might even learn a few things here and there.

For Community

Whether watching live streams, participating in discussions, or learning from archived content, community members gain unprecedented access to real-world knowledge and expertise. They’ll see not just what works, but why it works and how decisions are made. In time, this will be the most comprehensive, theoretical and practical, educational content available.

The Beginning

Ground Zero

I’m starting something revolutionary, and yes – right now it’s just me. But isn’t that how all great adventures begin? One person with a vision, looking for others crazy enough to believe they can change the world. I’m building the foundation: assembling our core team, developing our community engagement strategy, planning our workspace, connecting with experts and manufacturers. Every day brings new progress, new connections, new possibilities.

Why Join Now?

This is ground zero – the perfect moment to shape something extraordinary:

• Be part of the core team that makes key decisions
• Help define how we’ll work with experts and manufacturers
• Shape our community from the very beginning
• Create the culture that will drive everything we do
• Leave your mark on every aspect of this project

Make It Happen Today

The beauty of unity makes strength? It starts with people who don’t wait for others to move first. Here’s how you can take action right now:

• Share our vision on Facebook, Instagram, or X
• Create content about why this matters to you
• Connect us with experts who should be part of this
• Tell us which manufacturers build excellence
• Help us find the perfect location for our first workspace

Join the Revolution ✊

This isn’t just another van build project – it’s the beginning of a movement. We need:

• Dreamers who can manage and produce
• Community builders and connectors
• Experts who love to share knowledge
• Manufacturers who believe in excellence
• Aspiring vanlifers ready for an adventure

Ready to be part of something extraordinary? and let’s talk about your role in this revolution.