Starting a glamping business is an exciting venture, but before diving in, it’s essential to understand your “why.”
Your “why” is the driving force behind your business, the reason you wake up every morning excited to work on it.
For us, our “why” is rooted in our passion for building meaningful brands and connecting with customers. It’s also about building a business that we maintain complete control over and can run from anywhere in the world (despite having physical properties!). This second part of our “why” was shaped by the hard lessons learned building our first business, a clothing company.
Here is more on our story and how it shaped our “why”:
It Started with Clothing
We started a clothing company 15 years ago.
We raised a lot of money.
We hired a lot of people.
We sold millions of units of apparel.
We created a brand recognized and known by many people (which felt good!).
And we didn’t make money.
You see, we set out to grow the next big brand and optimized for growth, not profitability. This meant we raised money to spend on marketing even if it was spent to simply acquire customers (and not profit).
It was flawed.
We worked hard.
Grew it to $20 million in sales.
Stressed a lot…
And owned very little of it in the end, and ultimately sold the business for no gain.
Everything about this experience made us determined to build a business differently. This was the foundation for what shaped our new “why”.
As One Door Closed, Another Opened… in Promised Land
During the turbulence of covid and an uncertain future for our clothing business, we found a small mountain town called Promised Land.
We bought a rundown motel there and moved our family to live in one of the units as we renovated it around us.
We opened this as a boutique hotel called The Rex Hotel…
It was an immediate success.
And this opened our eyes to the wild and wonderful world of hospitality.
It took us a while for it to sink in that we were actually making money and we owned 100% of our new company… a very different reality than the clothing company we had poured our life’s work into only to own a single digit percentage of.
But our transition from an apparel brand to hospitality was influenced by lessons learned from our previous venture. We realized that raising outside capital often complicates the business dynamics. Instead, we focused on creating a profitable business from day one, reinvesting profits to enhance and grow. This approach allowed us to retain complete ownership and control.
It was starting The Rex Hotel which led us to look for more opportunities…which ultimately led us to purchase an old campground and convert it into the glampground of our dreams: Ferncrest.
How can you apply those insights to your new venture?
Can you create a sustainable, profitable business that aligns with your values and goals?
Our Search for Freedom, Flexibility, and Lifestyle
As we embarked on starting our hospitality business, one of our primary motivations was to build a business that offers freedom and flexibility.
Our previous apparel business required a large office and a fixed team structure, tying us to one location.
In contrast, our hospitality ventures, The Rex Hotel and Ferncrest, are designed to be managed from anywhere.
This flexibility allows us to live and travel freely. A core tenant of our “why” and something we aspire to maintain as we scale our family business.
Think about how a glamping business can fit into your desired lifestyle. How can you design your business to support this lifestyle?
Challenge Yourself to Find Your “Why”
Before taking the next steps in starting your glamping business, we challenge you to dig deep and find your “why.” Reflect on your passions, experiences, and lifestyle goals. Ask yourself:
- What drives me to start a glamping business?
- How can my past experiences shape this new venture?
- What kind of lifestyle do I want, and how can my business support it?
Understanding your “why” will provide clarity and direction as you move forward. It’s the foundation upon which you’ll build a successful and fulfilling glamping business.
We hope our story inspires you to find your “why” and pursue your dreams with passion and purpose. Remember, the journey is just as important as the destination.
Take the time to reflect and plan, and you’ll be well on your way to creating a business that brings you happiness and fulfillment.
Happy Glamping!
Brian & Joanna Linton
