The Roadmap
You know where you
want to go.
Let's build the plan.
This isn't a membership. It's guided coaching — a self-paced curriculum across three paths to self-reliant living, with direct access to me when you need it.
Locked for life. Never increases.
One payment. No renewals.
Limited to 50 members — so I can stay available
The founding rate of $79/month is available until October 15, 2026. It locks in for life — the price never increases as long as your membership is active.
A note from Shawn
I built the Hearthside and the Timber Frame for people who want to feel this life, or learn the craft of it. Most of the people who join those tiers are exactly where they should be.
But every once in a while someone emails me. Not to say they loved a video. To say they've been thinking about making a move — leaving the city, finding land, figuring out what it would actually take — and they don't know where to start. They're not dreamers. They're planners. They just don't have anyone in their corner who's actually done it.
That's who the Roadmap is for.
I spent years making expensive mistakes on my way to the life I have now. Land I almost bought that would have ruined me. Debt I carried that nearly did. Decisions I made slowly that I should have made fast, and decisions I rushed that cost me more than money. I learned most of what I know the hard way, without anyone to call.
The Roadmap is me being that person for you. A curriculum to work through at your own pace, across whatever path fits your situation. And my email address, for when the curriculum isn't enough and you need someone to look at your specific situation and tell you what they actually think.
I keep the membership capped at 50 for a reason. Not for scarcity. Because this only works if I can actually be available.
If you're ready to stop thinking about this and start planning it, the door's open.
— Shawn James, from the cabin
What makes this different
This isn't more content.
It's a different relationship.
The Hearthside and Timber Frame are memberships. The Roadmap is closer to having a guide — someone who's already made the journey and can tell you what's ahead on your specific path.
The Hearthside
A feeling
Escape. Slow down. Belong somewhere real.
The Timber Frame
A craft
Learn the skills. Build the library. Go deeper.
The Roadmap
A plan
A curriculum, a path, and someone in your corner.
The curriculum
Three paths.
One destination.
Every member gets access to all three paths. Where you start depends on where you are. Where you end up is up to you. The curriculum works for any property, any size, anywhere.
01
Raw Land and Build
You don't have property yet. You have a decision to make.
- What kind of land you're actually looking for — and what you'll give up to get it
- How to read a land listing without being misled
- Access, water, and power — the three things that determine buildability
- Financing raw land — what lenders will and won't touch
- The sequence of a build, and why it matters before you buy
- Your first year on raw land — realistic expectations
02
Land with an Existing Structure
You're buying into something that's already there. Now you need to make it work.
- Assessing a rural structure honestly before you make an offer
- What's worth fixing and what's worth tearing down
- Heating, water, and waste — getting the fundamentals right first
- Making it livable versus making it yours — sequencing the work
- The financial reality of rural property improvement
- Building the land around the structure — clearing, gardens, access
03
Established Rural Property
You're already on land. Paying for it. Trying to make it more self-reliant without blowing up your finances.
- The good debt conversation — what your mortgage is doing that consumer debt never could
- Making the land earn — realistic income streams, ranked by effort and return
- Reducing dependence without going fully off-grid
- Building skills alongside the mortgage
- The long game — what the property looks like in 10 years if you make the right calls
- Knowing when you're ready to go further
Unlimited email access.
Answered personally.
Every Roadmap member gets my direct email address. Write when you need to. When you're stuck on a decision, looking at a piece of land, trying to figure out if the numbers work, or just not sure which direction to go next.
I read every email and I respond to every one personally. Not a template. Not an assistant. My actual read on your specific situation.
This is the part of the Roadmap that no other membership offers, and the reason the cap exists. Fifty people is the most I can stay honest with. That's not marketing. That's just the math.
What's included
Everything, and then some.
The Roadmap includes the full Hearthside and Timber Frame experience, plus the curriculum, the worksheets, and direct access to me.
Roadmap exclusive
- All three curriculum paths — work through them at your own pace
- Roadmap-specific worksheets — land assessment, build sequence, financial planning
- Unlimited direct email access to Shawn — he responds personally
- Quarterly Fire Q&A with priority queue
- 10% store discount
- Two physical mailings per year — from the cabin
Also included
- Full Skills Download library from the Timber Frame
- Weekly podcast — public and members-only episodes
- Monthly Cabin Dispatch — a letter from the land
- Members-only videos
- Early restock access — Chaga and provisions
- Member comment threads
Pricing
Three ways in.
One membership.
Choose what works for your situation. The founding rate locks in permanently until October 15, 2026.
Cancel any time. No questions asked. · Limited to 50 members.
Ready to stop
thinking about it?
The Roadmap is for the person who's past the dreaming stage. You know what you want. You just need a plan, and someone who's walked the path to help you build it.
Join the Roadmap$99/month · Founding rate $79/month until October 15, 2026 · Lifetime option $1,500 · 50 members maximum