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ABOUT US

learn about Lykke Communities

About Us


future-oriented

'Lykke' is
Community

At Lykke Communities, we believe in the value of positive emotions, engagement, relationships, and meeting the needs of our communities. We strive to provide a welcoming, supportive environment where everyone can feel comfortable and respected, and where everyone is encouraged to reach their full potential. We believe in building relationships based on trust, understanding, and mutual respect. Lykke is committed to fostering a culture of collaboration, creativity, and innovation, and to helping our communities realize their goals. Together, we will create a brighter future for everyone.

Mission

What Drives Us Forward

Promoting health and happiness, and fostering a sense of connection and community is essential for the well-being of everyone. This can be achieved by providing access to resources, creating safe and supportive environments, and encouraging positive relationships between individuals and in communities.

Vision

Our Future

To design people-centered communities that:

  • Are resilient, by reducing social isolation across the lifespan
  • Serve as a model for city planning efforts
 

We believe in:

  • Intentional community design focused on connecting people to one another
  • Local advocacy for people-centered policies
  • People thriving when they feel a sense of belonging–across ages, backgrounds, and beliefs
  • Change that is community driven

Values

Our core values

  • Connection
  • Sense of Purpose
  • Trust
  • Joy
  • Belonging
  • Sustainability

Our Story

Est. 2022

Lykke Communities was born out of a burning desire to make a lasting impact on the communities that we serve in how people connect to one another.

Our founder, Brie Taralson, was a healthcare leader on the career climb when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. A wife and mom of two young children (including an infant), and a senior leader of several regional clinics, life before the pandemic was already full.  The permanent crisis mode that healthcare organizations acted in led Brie and colleagues to burnout.

“The key to a rewarding, meaningful life is to focus on what truly matters and prioritize our actions around that."

— Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Psychologist and Author of Flow .”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Lykke Communities:

Lykke (pronounced “LOO-kah”) is the Danish word for happiness.  Denmark consistently tops the international charts on measures influencing happiness, using measures defined by the Gallup World Poll such as healthy life expectancy,  economic prosperity (GDP per capita), social support, freedom to make life choices, generosity, and the perception of corruption.
Denmark–and other Scandinavian countries–offer insight into best practices that support happiness, primarily through how people are connecting to one another.  These concepts are foundational in how we build stronger, more connected towns and communities.
Check out our “About Us” page for more detail about the scientific support for community building.
Our mission expands beyond the borders of the New Ulm, MN city limits.  Currently Lykke Communities offers a variety of consultative services that can be contracted in the region, including process engineering (Lean Six Sigma) facilitation, motivational speaking, and other services.  At this time, the brick and mortar projects are focused in the New Ulm area.
Please contact us to learn more about how Lykke Communities can help to elevate your community.
Our mission is to catalyze projects that lead to stronger social relationships, and more resilient communities. In most cases, this focuses on walkability, design, and inclusion.
Projects examples include creation of community spaces, events, and housing. Check out our other projects for more details.

Lykke Books- Gifts & Gathering

Programming is primarily focused on youth grades 5-10 and will include movement-based classes, art, music, woodworking, bike maintenance, and other hands-on learning opportunities.

Lykke Books will also feature a variety of unusual animals, offering youth the opportunity to interact with, and learn about caretaking for these creatures.

Most importantly, the space will offer casual gathering spaces for youth to connect with each other, find mentorship with positive adult role models, and to offer places of respite and reflection where they can truly be themselves.

Check out our Projects page for more information.
The youth center will be located in or near downtown New Ulm, MN.

Our goal is to be available to the public in winter 2023/24.

Yes, absolutely! The space will be open to the public routinely during Lykke Books hours–however, there will be regular hours when portions of the space will be given priority to youth during after-school hours.

We aspire to create a gathering space where people of all ages and walks of life come to feel a greater sense of belonging.

Multigenerational Housing:

Click Here for more inform from our Projects Page
For more information about co-housing concepts, check out the following:
Cohousing US – Cohousing Association of the United States – https://www.cohousing.org/
Twin Cities Cohousing Network (TCCN): https://www.tccoho.org
Traditional housing is focused on checking a box to provide living space and accessibility for vehicles.  Lykke Communities takes this model a step further to intentionally design spaces we work and play to build trust between residents, creating a micro-community.  The value of this project is in the strength of relationships built between residents across the lifespan.
It can be rental, owned units, or a mix of the two. This has yet to be determined for the New Ulm multi-generational living project.
Prices are comparable to the local housing and rental markets. The square footage of the dwellings is somewhat smaller than a comparably priced traditional home–and that cost savings is invested in jointly owned shared spaces such as community gardens, a playground, the Common House, a woodworking shop, etc.  Residents living in similar communities around the world frequently comment that they spent less time in their individual dwelling, and that if that could build it over again, they would choose even smaller private dwellings, to have access to even more common amenities.
The beauty of Lykke Communities is that the community is composed of a variety of ages.  Multi-generational cohousing is most often sought by:
  • Aging adults desiring independent living, but desiring extra support for house, lawn, and snow maintenance
  • Working families with young children – looking for a safe place for their children to run and actively play with other kids.
  • Single individuals desiring to be part of a community
  • Couples of families seeking to be more connected within a community
  • Individuals with accessibility concerns
 
In short, co-housing is a great option for the vast majority of people.
This has not yet been determined; interested residents will ultimately be the decision-makers about the expectations regarding pets.
Individuals requiring skilled nursing support–such as care provided by a nursing home or assisted living facility–are not a great fit for this model of living, given that there are no nursing or hired support services provided.

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