Gigantic businesses can be created when an amazing Founding team focuses its attention on a rock-solid business idea that’s perfectly aligned with an emerging mega trend.
Curious what this looks like for a 15-month-old company?
The Problem Statement
The pandemic has taught the world that it’s possible to effectively work remotely. One result of this discovery is that many knowledge workers are interested in occasionally working from “destination locations” that allow them to mix work with fun.
But there hasn’t been a great way to find rentals in vacation destinations where being able to work remotely is a requirement.
On sites like Airbnb, what you see and what you get varies wildly. Reliable high-speed internet and dedicated work zones are rarely “as advertised.”
The Solution Statement
Jon Andrew Entwistle came up with a solution after experiencing the frustrations firsthand.
He realized that Airbnb couldn’t control the experience because they didn’t control the inventory.
@wander was born from this simple yet profound insight
@wander buys properties in stunning destinations. The houses are specifically designed for the use of individuals/teams that can work remotely.
Each house is equipped with multiple desk setups and high-speed internet to make working remotely easy and seamless.
The houses are equipped as Smart Homes for keyless entry, automated lighting and window shade controls.
Every property has a gym/Peloton and a Tesla in the garage. The “look and feel” of each property is intended to emulate that of a luxury hotel.
The Early Traction
Jon Andrew built it and they came:
👉11 Properties and more coming
👉100,000+ Wander accounts created
👉513 trips booked
👉2,092 nights (5 years of happiness)
👉94.6% customer satisfaction rating
Amazing considering birthdays only have an 89% rating!
And the “why” is easy to understand:
Mega-Trend
The pandemic shifted attitudes towards remote work
Concept
Who wouldn’t want to work out of an Insta-worthy house with luxury amenities in a great location?
Team
The execution has been flawless
And There’s More
With strong proof that the model is working and ultra-high satisfaction levels from its loyal members, the @wander team has decided to step on the accelerator.
New properties are being onboarded every few weeks and the innovation agenda has been accelerated.
Which brings us to a major new offering that @wander launched earlier this week: Wander Atlas.
Wander Atlas is an investment vehicle that allows its members to become part of the Wander family AS OWNERS.
This is a big deal because ownership will drive preference and loyalty.
At the center of the Atlas program is a REIT structure that allows members to invest directly in the cash flows of the @wander properties while benefiting from regulatory and tax benefits.
The capital will be used to onboard additional properties and turbocharge growth
The current version of Atlas is only available to accredited Investors, but down the line this requirement could be lifted.
And the team is already thinking about web3 integrations and a possible public listing in the future.
It’s not often that an amazing team comes together to tackle the perfect problem at precisely the right time, but when the stars align the result is amazing.
It’s what Founders and Investors dream of!
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#VCs and #startups are dealing with the reality that today’s environment is brutal compared to what it’s been like over the past few years.
The reason for the abrupt shift is that Darwin went on vacation for a few years but has finally returned.
This changes EVERYTHING! 🧵👇
It’s undeniable that the VC and startups ecosystems feel different in 2022 than they did in 2020 and 2021.
For years, money was flowing freely from LPs to VCs and from VCs to startups. Many startups went public or were sold and the returned liquidity added fuel to the fire.
But today’s markets aren’t behaving like they did in recent years.
Worsening macro conditions short circuited a long bull run and Investors are shifting from risk-on to risk-off mode. Public stocks adjusted first but the ripple effect is starting to impact the private markets.
Founders know that building a successful #startup hinges on being able to adapt quickly.
A master plan can focus and guide a team, but when it stops working it’s important to quickly improvise a “Plan B”.
And do you know who does this extraordinarily well? Jazz musicians. 🧵👇
If startups were a style of music, it’s very clear that they most closely represent Jazz.
Founders will tell you that what happens day-to-day has an element of improvisation and spontaneity that’s a reaction to what they’re experiencing in the moment.
Decisions are typically made with incredible speed and adjustments are made equally fast.
A Founder needs to be hyper-alert to signals and feedback coming from all directions and as a result their plans and teams need to be fluid and malleable.
The current spike in #inflation has lasted longer and is more challenging to manage than expected.
The Fed is combatting inflation with increases in interest rates and the equity markets aren’t happy.
Why have equities sold off and when does the recovery begin? 🧵👇
Inflation is the gradual increase in prices across an economy. Price increases lower the purchasing power of money.
This might sound like a universally bad thing but it isn’t. It’s widely believed that a moderate amount of inflation is necessary to sustain economic growth.
It’s only when inflation runs too high for too long that problems begin to emerge.
High inflation is a sign that consumer demand is outpacing supply (demand-pull inflation) or supply chain problems are making goods more expensive (cost-push inflation).
An important decision every business makes is what to do with its cash💵.
Most thinly capitalized companies keep their cash in a business checking account.
But there are better options for businesses that have a year or more of runway. Much better! 🧵👇
Cash is the lifeblood of every business. Healthy businesses have more cash coming in than going out.
The healthiest businesses have cash buffers that enable them to weather adverse changes to their market or the economy.
Many businesses aren’t yet healthy but intend to be down the road.
These “startups” raise capital specifically to build better solutions to profound problems with the promise that the resulting business will be profitable and valuable.
Web3 believers assert that #web3 is in its early adoption phase and that the masses will come just like they have with new technologies in the past.
There’s some truth to this narrative but forces are at play that make #web3 adoption MUCH MUCH MUCH more challenging. 🧵👇
Everyone has probably seen a version of the tech adoption curve. The curves show that once a technology hits escape velocity it’s only a matter of time before it becomes ubiquitous.
What’s also clear is that technologies are “going vertical” faster than ever before.