A leafy green view through a window — jungle canopy filtered light
VOL. 01 / THE RANCH

You are the average
of the five people
you spend the
most time with.

— JIM ROHN, BORROWED LIBERALLY

VOL. 02 / MANIFESTO 07°47′12″N · 98°25′44″E

The Ranch is a hilltop above Cape Panwa, Phuket. Two buildings, ten people, a permaculture garden, three dogs, a guard dog called Dave, and a view of the Andaman Sea you can't unsee.

It's not coliving. It's not a retreat. It's not Airbnb. It's three private spaces — a villa and two apartments — for people who are building things and want to live next to other people who are building things.

I've been in tech 35 years. Sold a company to Yahoo, ran another for 21 (the football audio in Ted Lasso's stadium scenes — that was us). Now I'm AI-ing the whole thing into a different shape. I love that work. I want neighbours who feel the same.

Phuket isn't cheap by Thailand standards, so the long-stay nomad scene mostly lands in Chiang Mai. The party crowd goes to Bali. The flexers go to Dubai. Panwa is none of those. Cleanest air on the island. Empty roads. Sea eagles at eye level from the balcony. Two of Phuket's top-five beaches five minutes away.

It's not for everyone. The jungle has snakes. The garden has spiders. The internet is faster than yours.

If you're still reading, apply.

PHOTO PENDING · HOST PORTRAIT (MIKE)
VOL. 03 / THE HOST

Mike. Tech for 35 years.
Phuket for 5.

Sold my first business — the number-two travel site in Australia — to Yahoo.

Built Fanchants, the world's largest catalogue of football audio (the chants you hear behind Ted Lasso's stadium scenes — that was us). Now I'm AI-ing the back catalogue into a different shape.

Live at The Ranch with three dogs and a guard dog called Dave.

  • LOCATIONPhuket, Thailand
  • HOMETOWNYorkshire, England
  • YEARS IN TECH35
  • YEARS IN PHUKET5
  • DOGS4 (incl. Dave)
  • EXITSYahoo, ongoing
VOL. 04 / FIT

A filter, not a welcome mat.

+ WHO IT'S FOR

Builders, operators, the post-Dubai crowd.

  • Tech operators looking for quality of life without the show
  • Founders between things, taking 3–12 months
  • Crypto / AI builders past their Chiang Mai phase
  • Remote-first executives on a quiet sabbatical
  • People with money, taste, and a project
− NOT FOR

Tourists, influencers, anyone needing a front desk.

  • Tourists. Backpackers. Influencers shooting content
  • Party people
  • Anyone who needs air conditioning
  • Anyone who expects hotel-style front-desk service
  • Anyone who can't handle the occasional spider, snake, or 6am birdsong
VOL. 05 / SERVICES

No front desk. Just help when you need it.

The Ranch is a residence, not a hotel — but residence doesn't mean fending for yourself. The things that should be easy are easy. None mandatory; all available.

ON TAP
  • 01
    Laundry

    Weekly, or on request.

  • 02
    Housekeeping

    Weekly cleans, deeper on request.

  • 03
    Grocery runs & stocking

    Send a list, find it in the fridge.

  • 04
    Vehicle rental

    Scooter or car, fully insured.

  • 05
    Airport pickup

    HKT to the hill.

  • 06
    Wednesday dinner or poker night

    Villa table, ten seats. Show up, or don't.

ON REQUEST
  • 07
    Private chef

    For dinners or events.

  • 08
    Massage & bodywork

    Local practitioners we trust.

  • 09
    Visa & admin help

    Introductions to the right people.

  • 10
    Day trips & charters

    Boats, dive shops, islands.

  • 11
    Personal training

    UFC-grade fight gyms 20 minutes away.

  • 12
    The unspoken

    Ask. Most things are sorted with a Line message.

Dave the guard dog outside The Ranch — a friendly, alert presence on the hill
ASIDE / DAVE

The world-class guard dog.
Official, in our books.

I haven't locked the door in five years. Dave alerts us to anyone who comes up the hill. Locks are available.

VOL. 06 / APPLY

Tell us what you're building.

Considered reply within 48 hours. Stay longer, pay less. The first ten residents come from the network.

Apply

PROBABLY NOT FOR YOU. READ ON IF YOU'RE SURE.