We didn’t start with glamping.
No domes. No hot tubs. No franchise plans.
Our first move was smaller and scrappier: in 2020, we refinanced our house and bought a rundown 10-room motel for $242,000. No working septic, questionable wiring, and a furniture that hadn’t been updated since the 1950s.
But that little motel gave us something far more important than aesthetics: it gave us reps.
We reopened it as The Rex in 2021. That taught us operations, cash flow, and confidence. Those lessons paved the way for Ferncrest, and eventually, for our multi-million dollar hospitality portfolio.
None of it happens without that tiny, imperfect first step.
What Starting Small Buys You
- Cheaper mistakes.
Our first winter at The Rex, we didn’t insulate the crawl space well enough. The pipes froze and shut down two rooms for weeks. Expensive? Yes. But fixable. On a bigger property, that kind of mistake could’ve shut down our whole operation. - Built-in clarity.
We didn’t have space or budget for fluff. Every system had to earn its keep. Towel storage, electric loads, check-in flow — all had to work with constraints. That forced discipline we still use. - Credibility.
When we went to build Ferncrest, we had something just as valuable as experience: a network. Running The Rex helped us build vendor relationships, local partnerships, and a support system we could actually lean on when it was time to grow. - Proof.
Guests don’t care about your dreams. They care about a clean room and hot coffee. The Rex gave us our first five-star reviews — not in concept, but in real time, with real guests.
Our Playbook (Still the Same Today)
- Start tiny.
The Rex had 10 rooms and one broom closet for storage. That was enough. - Fix utilities first.
We wanted to paint and decorate. But no amount of style matters when the water runs brown. - Price intentionally.
We started with weekday vs. weekend rates. Eventually, we learned to ladder pricing based on demand and experience tiers. - Own your demand.
Our website, email list, and local partnerships bring in nearly 100% of our revenue - Systematize the boring.
Housekeeping checklists, lock codes, firewood restocks — all dialed in at The Rex before we ever launched Ferncrest. - Upgrade slowly.
Every surplus dollar went to fixing what broke. Then to upgrading what might.
So if you often think…
- “I need more capital.”
You likely need a smaller scope. Creative financing follows clarity. - “I haven’t found the perfect property.”
Neither did we. We made it work. - “I’m waiting for the market to settle.”
Don’t. We bought in uncertainty. Operating creates clarity.
You see, starting small is not playing it safe. It’s strategic.
It moves you forward. It builds confidence. And it compounds.
Everything we’ve built — from The Rex to Ferncrest to the franchise — traces back to a tiny, imperfect, extremely real motel.
Our Ask of You:
Pick one action you can take in the next 48 hours.
Reply to this email and tell me what it is.
Want accountability? Say so — I’ll check in next week.
Happy Glamping!
Brian & Joanna Linton
P.S. Forward this to someone who keeps waiting for perfect. They don’t need the perfect plan.
They need one small move that won’t break them.
