After three prototypes, we learned neighbors don't want price tags on kindness, just a trusted Circle and the freedom to give back however they can.

148 people told us the shortage wasn't stuff. It was trust.

We ran 7 interviews and surveyed 148 people, expecting to hear "I don't have enough." Instead we heard that asking for help is hard, giving help leads to burnout, and people only share with folks they know.

Testers loved our first prototype and asked one painful question: how is this different from Facebook Marketplace?

• 4 of 5 loved the community feel
• 3 of 5 couldn't tell if it was for items, events, or services
• 3 of 5 wanted proof of trust (verified profiles, history, reporting) before swapping anything

We fixed trust and the look, but people still couldn't say what the app was for.

The classic 5-day sprint wore the team out, so we reshaped it into 6 days spread over 2 weeks. Each designer owned one feature: trust and safety, who sees your posts, onboarding, and community.

Testers called the verification screens "reassuring" and the visuals "calming." Clarity still didn't land.

We stopped asking "how do we explain this?" and asked "what do we actually believe?"

Using the book Click, we named our real rival (Facebook exchange groups) and wrote a manifesto to steer every decision after.

"Our product must be free, caring, and based on firsthand experience. We prioritize people over profits."

We swapped "Life Event" for "Time-Sensitive Request," the words testers already used, and all 5 could finally explain WeSource unprompted.

Testers told us they share with friends, then friends of friends, and nobody else. That became Circles, the heart of the product.

We dropped the 1:1 trade rule and asked "What would you welcome in return?" so neighbors give back on their own terms.

A price or a strict swap turns a favor into a deal. An optional prompt lets people return kindness based on what they can give and who they're helping. That's the line between WeSource and a marketplace.

An incubator told us to ship it, so we skipped the polished MVP and vibe-coded a live app.

1871 Chicago's advice: get real people using it to find out if it fits. As the team's most technical member, I led the build: architecture, QA, email, and image storage. We also renamed from Ayllu Design Collective to WeSource and wrote a plain-language system: Share an Offer → Make a Request → Connect.

One pilot Circle, four steps to a launch decision.

1. Re-activateBring back past testers and confirm our fixes worked. Go or no go?
2. SeedStart with 10 to 20 offers and needs across 2 to 3 Circles, then invite a small group.
3. NudgeEncourage a second trade and share real stories as proof.
4. Prove itBundle usage, ease of use, and how people felt into pitch materials.