Every once in a while, you sit down with someone whose idea makes you stop and rethink something you’ve accepted your entire life.
That’s exactly what happened when I sat down with Tom Pratt, founder of Joogi.
At its core, Joogi asks a simple question: what if instead of financing homes, cars, and everyday purchases with debt, people came together to crowdfund them? It’s an ambitious idea that blends crowdfunding, community, and a little bit of friendly competition into a platform that’s unlike anything I’ve seen before. Whether you think it’s the future or simply an interesting thought experiment, it’s a conversation that challenges the way we think about ownership, debt, and what’s possible.
Listen on:
Challenging a System We Take for Granted
The idea for Joogi was born during the 2008 financial crisis.
After being furloughed from his airline job and watching the housing market collapse, Tom couldn’t stop asking himself one question:
“Where did all the money go?”
That curiosity eventually led him to imagine a different system. Instead of borrowing money from a bank and paying interest for decades, what if communities funded purchases together? It’s a radical shift from the way we’ve always done things, but that’s exactly what makes the conversation so interesting.
Making Crowdfunding Fun
Most people are familiar with platforms like Kickstarter or GoFundMe.
Tom’s vision takes those same ideas and applies them to everyday purchases.
Users contribute toward items they want to see funded and earn Joogis, a digital reward they can later use to bid on those items once they’re fully funded. If they don’t win, they keep their Joogis for the next opportunity.
It’s part crowdfunding, part marketplace, and part game. The goal isn’t simply to raise money. It’s to create an experience people actually enjoy participating in.
Building Trust One Step at a Time
Whenever someone introduces a completely new idea, skepticism is inevitable.
Tom understands that.
Much of our conversation centered around transparency, preventing people from gaming the system, and continuously improving the platform as real users interact with it.
Rather than pretending they’ve thought of everything, Tom openly shared how feedback from users has already shaped the app and how they’re continuing to refine it as they grow. It’s a refreshing reminder that most successful businesses aren’t perfect on day one. They’re willing to adapt.
Big Ideas Start Small
Although Joogi’s long-term vision includes crowdfunding homes across the country, the team is intentionally starting with smaller items.
Gift cards.
Local experiences.
Products from Montana businesses.
Each successful campaign helps people better understand how the platform works while giving local businesses another way to reach customers.
It’s a practical reminder that even the biggest ideas usually begin with small wins.
Optimism Is a Requirement
One thing became clear during our conversation.
Building a startup takes a unique level of optimism.
Tom laughed when he shared that his wife describes him as “optimistic, bordering on denial.” It’s the kind of mindset that keeps founders moving through years of uncertainty, setbacks, and constant iteration.
Whether Joogi becomes a nationwide platform or simply inspires new ways of thinking, that willingness to challenge conventional thinking is something I always enjoy hearing about.
Learn More
Website: joogi.com
Instagram: @joogi_fund
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Mountain Mule Media exists to build real connection between Montana’s businesses and the people they serve.
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