Meet Your Neighbor: HK and Tom, Founders of Joogi

HK and Tom met the way some of the best stories begin. In a long line waiting for pizza!

They met in Phoenix while waiting outside Pizzeria Bianco. At the time, Tom was a pilot and HK was a magazine editor. The wait was long. The conversation came easily. By the time their pizzas were ready, something had shifted.

From that day forward, they built a life side by side. What started as a spark grew into partnership, then into parenthood, and eventually into a shared vision for something bigger than themselves.

That vision would become Joogi.

Finding Home in Bozeman

Tom grew up in Montana, just outside of Billings, and attended MSU before life carried him elsewhere. Years later, during summers, he and HK would load up their motor home with their son and head to Bozeman after visiting Tom’s parents. They parked in the Walmart lot, ate Blackbird pizza, wandered downtown, and spent time exploring.

HK remembers feeling like there was something magical about this place. It felt grounded and connected in a way that stayed with them. Over time, they knew they wanted to raise their son here.

The Community Food Co op became part of that rhythm. For HK, it felt different from anything she had experienced before.

“I just got this special feeling of community here,” she said.

That feeling eventually led her to run for the Co op Board of Directors in 2019, not fully realizing how much it would stretch her both professionally and personally.

“I went in naively thinking this is going to be a fun thing because I want to be part of the community,” she said. “But I never imagined how much it would grow me. Everyone should run for this board. I’ve learned so much about structure, professionalism, and how to work with others.”

Through that experience, her belief in community deepened. That belief would later become the heartbeat of Joogi.

Where the Idea Began

The seed for Joogi was planted during the financial crisis of 2008, when HK and Tom were living in Phoenix. Friends were walking away from homes. Mortgages were underwater. Stability felt fragile.

Around that same time, Tom had purchased a motorcycle with plans to flip it. By the time he was supposed to take possession, the market had collapsed and it was worth far less than he had agreed to pay. He felt stuck.

He remembers thinking, where did all the money go?

Watching people around them struggle sparked a bigger question. What if ownership did not have to mean decades of debt? What if people could pool their resources to create opportunities for one another?

The idea stayed with him. Years later, he began building the app. In April 2025, Joogi officially launched.

What Is Joogi

Joogi is a crowdfunding marketplace built around one central idea: debt free ownership.

The marketplace includes five categories: real estate, experiences, transportation, collectibles and local goods, and digital assets. From homes to once in a lifetime opportunities, the goal is the same — expanding access to ownership through community.

Real homes and other items are listed with a clear funding goal. Community members can contribute between ten and one thousand dollars toward a listing. For every dollar contributed, participants earn one Joogi. When a listing is fully funded, it moves to a blind auction. Contributors bid using the Joogis they have earned, not cash. The highest bidder receives the home or item outright. No mortgage. No interest. No long term debt.

It is a new model, and it is intentionally structured to be equitable. Contribution limits prevent a single person from dominating a crowdfund. Daily check-ins and referral rewards encourage participation and shared growth.

HK is Korean, and the name Joogi is inspired by the Korean verb meaning to give. Tom wanted a name that reflected generosity and collective effort. The logo, a friendly whale, carries its own meaning.

“In finance, they call people with a lot of financial power whales,” HK explained. “Tom’s vision is for everyone to be a whale.”

In other words, everyone deserves buying power. Everyone deserves access.

Rooted in Community

Much of Joogi’s early support has come from right here in Bozeman. Friends and family downloaded the app. Local businesses like 320 Guest Ranch, North Bridger Bison, Heyday, Treeline Coffee, Valley Clay Co., Umvelt bathhouse, Maven's Market, and more have partnered with Joogi for auctions featuring local goods and experiences.

Supporting local businesses is central to the vision.

“When someone has a debt free home or car, think about how many options that gives them,” HK said. “That leaves more money in your pocket. We want that money to recirculate in local communities.”

For HK and Tom, Joogi is about strengthening the places people call home.

That love of gathering shows up in their personal life too. A few years ago, a neighbor needed rehearsal space for a jazz band. HK and Tom offered their backyard. What started small turned into a half block celebration with a five piece jazz band, Ugly Onion pizza, and hundreds of neighbors stopping by.

It grew because people wanted to be together. That is how HK sees Joogi. It grows the same way, one person at a time, as more people see the value and choose to be part of it.

“The more people, the better,” she said. “Joogi only works if everyone believes in it.”

Looking Forward

Because nothing quite like Joogi exists, the biggest challenge so far has been awareness. It takes time for people to understand a new model and even longer to believe in a different path to ownership.

But HK describes herself as an internal optimist.

“This does not feel like work,” she said. “I have so much energy for this. I just want to get it out into the world.”

Their vision is simple and ambitious at the same time. Everyday people stepping into ownership without decades of debt. Communities strengthened as more people gain financial breathing room.

Joogi is free to download. You can collect Joogis daily, contribute to crowdfunds, and build buying power over time.

At its core, Joogi reflects who HK and Tom are: people who believe neighbors can help neighbors.

And in Bozeman, that belief feels right at home.

Download the app here