Coliving Academy: Coliving Business Models

Mayank Pokharna · Founder, Everything Coliving

13 years in coliving · Reviewed by the Everything Coliving team

What this module covers

The main ways coliving operators make money and structure deals, from master lease to management and ownership.

Coliving makes money in a handful of distinct ways, and the model you choose shapes your capital needs, your risk, and where your margin comes from. Two operators can run identical buildings on the same street and keep wildly different amounts of the money, purely because one signed a lease and the other signed a management contract. This module teaches the main models, walks the per-bed unit economics of each so the numbers stop being abstract, and shows you how to pick and pressure-test the right one for your capital and your nerve.

Learning outcomes

• ✓Tell the five main coliving business models apart
• ✓Pick the model that fits your capital and risk appetite
• ✓Sketch the unit economics of a deal before you sign
• ✓Understand where operating margin comes from in each model

Lessons in this module

Foundation level · 5 lessons · about 3 hours. Lessons open to Academy members.

1. 1
   The five coliving business models30 min

   Tell the five coliving business models apart and see the trade-off each makes.

2. 2
   Master lease in depth: control without ownership30 min

   Understand where master lease earns, where it bites, and how to protect yourself.

3. 3
   Management and revenue-share agreements25 min

   Structure a management or revenue-share deal that aligns both sides.

4. 4
   Ownership and hybrid structures25 min

   Weigh ownership and hybrid models against your capital and horizon.

5. 5
   Choosing and pressure-testing your model25 min

   Select the model that fits your capital and risk, and stress it against the downside.

Sample lesson