> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://blueprint.builtbydao.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://blueprint.builtbydao.com/execution/phase-1-recruitment.md).

# Phase 1 — Recruitment

`Jun–Sep 2026 · live now`

{% hint style="info" %}
**Objective:** Build city-grouped cohorts deep enough to *gate* city selection. Recruitment is the demand-sensing instrument that decides which cities advance — quality over quantity, by design.
{% endhint %}

## Workstreams

{% tabs %}
{% tab title="1.1 Cohort architecture" %}
Target **50–75 committed members per city** (a buffer above the 25–40 operating workforce, for trainees, part-timers, attrition, plus a governance core + investor-members). Members are contributors who staff the 7 zones and trainees moving through the pipeline — not "renters."

Commitment tiering: **Prospect → Applicant → Qualified → Committed** (a signed agreement + a real stake: cash buy-in floor, capital pledge, or sweat commitment). Only *Committed* counts as demand signal.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="1.2 Funnel & channels" %}
A content engine with cross-brand atomization (Builder's Log, a 52-week LinkedIn series), avatar + cinematic video, a 6-persona recruitment playbook, and per-city local activation (community orgs, faith institutions, trade programs, local government). Member referral mechanics: a sponsor vouches and earns a small **contribution-gated** EQTBLT reward — paid only once the referee actually contributes.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="1.3 City-signal instrumentation" %}
Every lead is logged (in the live platform / Airtable) by **city · entry path · commitment tier · skills · capital capacity**; a live dashboard ranks cities by cohort depth + composition. This is the data that gates Phase 2.
{% endtab %}

{% tab title="1.4 Qualification & onboarding" %}
Screening for governance commitment, sustainability interest, and financial readiness; then onboarding → profile, 14-rank entry (Seeker), intro modules, first logged contribution. Committed members activate immediately — **first task in week 1.**
{% endtab %}
{% endtabs %}

## The gate — both required

**Referral/sponsor vouch AND vetting.** No open-door joining. The commitment threshold is a **signed sweat-equity / hours pledge** — no cash gate for builders/renters. The pledge is the demand signal.

```mermaid
flowchart TD
    P["Prospect"]
    A["Applicant<br/>sponsor vouch required"]
    Q["Qualified<br/>vetted · screened"]
    C["Committed<br/>signed pledge · real stake"]
    G{"City viability<br/>50–75 committed<br/>+ composition?"}
    ADV["City advances<br/>to Phase 2"]
    P --> A --> Q --> C
    C -->|only Committed counts| G
    G -->|threshold cleared| ADV
```

## Inputs → Outputs

| Inputs                                                                                         | Outputs / artifacts                                                                                               |
| ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Brand assets, content engine, member onboarding flow, the 6-persona playbook, the 8K seed list | **City Viability Scorecard** (ranked) · **Committed-Member Roster** per city · **Pledged-Capital Tally** per city |

## Exit gate · KPIs · risks

* **Exit gate:** ≥ N cities clear the viability threshold (50–75 committed + composition complete).
* **KPIs:** committed members/city · capital pledged/city · funnel conversion by stage · CAC/member · composition completeness · week-1 activation · referral compounding rate.
* **Risks:** thin cohorts in target cities · awareness without commitment · demand concentrating in *unplanned* cities (be willing to follow it).

{% hint style="success" %}
**Co-leads (Detroit + Chicago)** are expected to clear first and deepest. The final lead is confirmed by this phase's data — geography follows the network.
{% endhint %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/Ec2yZWjedfghetHsYJvh" %}
[Join the Cohort](/build-join/join.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}

{% content-ref url="/pages/CWFnyLuzGQBukzLwD4Ts" %}
[Phase 2 — Planning](/execution/phase-2-planning.md)
{% endcontent-ref %}


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