INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
How: by striking deals with private landowners who are willing to host semi-permanent campsites on their property.What do these look like
lanterns, dry food storage, cookware, a camping toilet and air mattresses that, courtesy of most hosts, will come with fresh linens.Venture
including a newly closed $8 million Series A round led by West, a San Francisco-based venture studio that both funds startups and helps them
market their goods and services.No doubt the investors are looking at the overall market, whose numbers are compelling
According to one trade association, the outdoor recreation industry represents an $887 billion opportunity, with Americans shelling out $24
Tentrr had 100 campsites up and running in the Northeastern U.S
as of the end of last year
But this assumes that Tentrr can convince enough families with sufficiently large properties that partnering with the company is
Venture-backed Hipcamp, for example, which raised a small amount of seed funding back in 2014, partners with private landowners to help
arrange camping experiences, but it mostly acts as a search engine
But Airbnb, whose offerings include campsites, emphasizes unique experiences
We chatted yesterday.TC: You were a banker, then you traveled around the country and world, trying to convince companies that they should
list on the NYSE instead of Nasdaq
Meanwhile, working 100 hours a week as an investment banker, it just became harder and harder to get out of the city and have great
experiences.After a couple of disastrous camping trips at noisy, dirty campgrounds with my girlfriend and now wife, Eloise, we just realized
And these are just terrible businesspeople
How standardized is the pricingMD: Pricing is variable and set by the landowner who keeps 80 percent of that fee
We keep 20 percent; we also charge a 15 percent fee on top of that nightly rate
pricing if they have demand for a bunch of bookings at the same time.They can also offer extra amenities and experiences that will allow you
to have a personalized experience
or reservations at the best farm-to-table restaurant nearby.TC: What happens if something goes wrong Who insures whatMD: Every campsite is
covered by a $2 million commercial insurance policy
Where are you building these sites, exactly, and how long do you estimate that they will lastMD: We build them ourselves, right now in
people to let strangers onto their properties, sprawling as they may be
What does that sales process look likeMD: It used to look like me putting 45,000 miles on my Jeep Cherokee and explaining to families why
they should have a Tentrr campsite in their hayfields
[Laughs.] Today, direct mail campaigns work beautifully
[Hosts] are also hearing about us from other [hosts] and we make it easier for them to [apply] to join the platform
Using that feedback, we know with 90 percent accuracy whether or not a property is appropriate
secluded from neighbors, as well as the landowners, as well as other possible distractions.TC: What does the clean-up process involveMD:
No worries about someone stealing silverware
Homeowners have to make sure there are no beer cans left behind, but we place a high priority on land stewardship and emphasize a
leave-no-trace approach when it comes to our guests.
