Discovery Call
Artifact info
Title:

CHI Healing Hub Platform Discovery and Partnership Planning

Engagement:

New CHI Website

Client:

Consciousness Healing Institute

Meeting Date:
September 10, 2025
Next Meeting Date:
No items found.
People
James Redenbaugh
Shamini Jain
Dr. Cari Leyshon
Artifact Image
Meeting Summary

Introductions and Context

James Redenbaugh introduced IRIS Co Creative, a generalist design studio specializing in brands, websites, animations, and online learning platforms for organizations working in consciousness, connection, and mystical traditions (09:03). The studio takes a collaborative approach, bringing together talented specialists based on project needs, with James coordinating from the center.

Dr. Cari Leyshon serves as CEO of Intellect Dynamics Europe, a partnership integrating her published methodology on action learning into enterprise technology that has been deployed in mission-critical environments like hospitals for over 10 years (12:42). The company is pivoting to create engagement-focused platforms that connect people with knowledge in the moment they need it, moving beyond traditional LMS approaches. Intellect Dynamics Europe is past the MVP stage and currently testing customized processes for CHI while onboarding clients across pharmaceutical, education, oil and gas, and health and safety sectors.

Shamini Jain explained that she and Cari met at Deepak Chopra's Sages and Scientists conference in Mallorca and have been exploring this partnership since (14:46). CHI serves as the content creator with extensive existing materials and an established community, while Intellect Dynamics provides the AI-based technology platform.

[technology="Online Learning Platforms"]

Strategic Vision for the Healing Hub

The primary goal is to create a working prototype for the CHI Healing Hub that can be presented to board members and launched publicly by April 2025, coinciding with the documentary release (16:49). The platform will serve as a landing place for documentary viewers to learn more about healing through AI-guided access to healing practices, research thumbnails, and educational content.

Shamini outlined the core functionality requirements (23:37):

  • Web-based and mobile-responsive design
  • Integration of existing CHI content into guided learning journeys
  • Streaming platform for the documentary, monthly webinars, and live events
  • Many-to-many social connection features similar to Mighty Networks or Hilo
  • Pathways for both newcomers asking "what is the biofield?" and experienced healers seeking specific information
  • Conversion optimization for contributorships (currently $108/year or $9/month)
  • Integration with monetizable content including the Science of Healing course and Self Care bundles

Future phases will include healer directories, certifications, and expanded community features, but the initial prototype focuses on the resource hub, streaming capabilities, and basic community connection.

[technology="Custom Membership System"]

[technology="Community Facilitation Tools"]

Design Philosophy and Technical Approach

James emphasized moving away from traditional list and grid interfaces toward more biomimetic and organic frameworks (26:35). He expressed enthusiasm for using alternative geometries like honeycombs, circles, and three-dimensional representations to help people see each other and envision possibilities. The approach balances avoiding addictive patterns while maintaining engagement through thoughtful gamification and visual appeal that reflects CHI's mission as a collaborative including artists.

Cari highlighted the platform's unique capability to contextualize data at the input level, creating nonlinear pathways that act like the human brain rather than traditional sequential learning management systems (31:48). The technology has attracted interest from former IBM and Microsoft professionals, with one Microsoft developer noting she had never seen technology like this.

[technology="Intelligent Matching Algorithms"]

Business Structure and Partnership Models

The conversation explored several organizational structures for the partnership. Shamini clarified that positioning the Healing Hub as a separate entity licensing CHI content would likely feel like a takeover to the board (45:36). Instead, the preferred model positions this as CHI 2.0—a partnership between CHI's content and branding with Intellect Dynamics Europe's technology platform ("powered by Intellect Dynamics").

For Intellect Dynamics' broader wellness vertical serving corporate and educational clients, Shamini would serve as Chief Wellness Officer, bringing wellness content and strategy to clients beyond the biofield specialization of CHI (46:43). This creates clean separation between CHI's specialized focus and the broader wellness applications.

Cari noted that the technology and methodology combination creates strong investor appeal, particularly in Switzerland where her company is based (47:33). The platform has potential applications across multiple sectors, with 100 coaches already expressing interest at €300/month once the vertical is properly organized and funded.

Shamini's Role and Transition Planning

Shamini shared significant context about her evolving commitments (35:00). She is taking on a Chief Science Officer position with another aligned organization and plans to transition off CHI's payroll by Q1 2026, though remaining on the board as founder. She is writing a book proposal to shop this fall and wants to grow her personal speaking and teaching business while being mindful of not spreading herself too thin.

Regarding the Intellect Dynamics partnership, Shamini wants to avoid conflicts of interest with CHI as a nonprofit while participating in the for-profit technology venture (39:32). She proposed recusing herself from business decision-making regarding the CHI-Intellect Dynamics partnership if she joins as Chief Wellness Officer, maintaining full transparency with CHI's board chair and vice chair.

The group agreed to a phased approach (51:24):

  1. Immediate: Establish a finder's fee agreement for investor introductions
  2. Near-term: Reseller agreement allowing Shamini to represent Intellect Dynamics with commission tracking
  3. Future: Chief Wellness Officer role with equity once funding is secured

This structure provides flexibility while the company finalizes its cap table and funding rounds, allowing Shamini to contribute meaningfully without premature equity commitments that might disadvantage either party.

Platform Differentiation and Market Position

James noted his experience working with every major online learning platform and consistently feeling there should be something better, expressing excitement about the innovation opportunity (21:10). He specifically called out Hilo's limitations—while trying to avoid addictive patterns, it made the platform less engaging than optimal.

Cari contrasted their approach with typical platforms: "We're talking about really changing the game of how universities [share knowledge]... As a doctor, one of the saddest parts is your research sits somewhere where nobody reads it and it's not getting out to the front lines or the people that need it" (18:42). The action learning methodology embedded in the technology addresses this gap by connecting people with relevant knowledge contextually rather than through static course structures.

The platform's ability to avoid the "Frankenstein approach" of multiple software subscriptions and integrations represents a significant selling point (25:57). By providing CMS integration, email systems, community features, and learning pathways in one contextualized platform, it reduces complexity for organizations while improving user experience.

Next Steps and Timeline Coordination

The team scheduled an early October follow-up meeting to review the CHI prototype progress and coordinate next steps (33:44). Cari is traveling until October 5th but will arrange a demo meeting with James to show the existing platform and introduce him to Chris (CEO) and Stan (CTO) from the development team (30:00).

James, who is getting married the weekend after this meeting, indicated availability to engage on projects afterward. He noted that IRIS typically receives feedback that they should charge more, suggesting their pricing is competitive for the value delivered (32:51). He will send example proposals and information about engagement models, noting that scope and rates depend heavily on use case and the range of talent (junior to senior) required.

Cari committed to sending Shamini an updated finder's fee agreement for investor introductions (52:48), with the understanding that both parties see significant long-term potential for collaboration once funding milestones are reached.

Action Items

James Redenbaugh

  • Send example proposals and information about IRIS engagement models and rates to Shamini and Cari (32:19)
  • Schedule demo meeting with Cari to review existing Intellect Dynamics platform and meet with Chris and Stan (30:00)

Dr. Cari Leyshon

  • Send finder's fee agreement to Shamini for investor introductions (52:48)
  • Arrange follow-up meeting in early October after returning from travel on October 5th (33:44)
  • Consider bringing James onto Intellect Dynamics Europe team for multiple client verticals (28:45)

Shamini Jain

  • Discuss potential conflicts of interest and partnership structure with CHI board chair Paul and vice chair Cassie (42:28)
  • Recuse herself from business negotiations between CHI and Intellect Dynamics if joining as Chief Wellness Officer (48:34)
Relevant Initiatives

Healing Hub Platform Development

Priority: 
Very High
Size: 
XXL
Planning Stage

Intellect Dynamics Partnership Structure

Priority: 
High
Size: 
S
Planning Stage

Intellect Dynamics Wellness Vertical Strategy

Priority: 
Medium
Size: 
M
Idea Stage
Transcript