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Alternative living tips and income strategies f...
Alternative living tips and income strategies for nomads.
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$20K
monthly
|
30
days
|
$0.12
per visitor
|
$50
to start
|
91
out of 100
|
In 2017, Kristin stumbled upon an article about...
In 2017, Kristin stumbled upon an article about Michelle Schroeder-Gardner's blog, Making Sense of Cents. In it, she learned that Michelle was making $100,000 per month through blogging. This got her interested in the idea and she started researching more about it. As a former journalist, Kristin has always enjoyed writing and interviewing people. Being in the media, she was aware that stories about alternative living were gaining a lot of traction and hence, she decided to start a website where she could interview nomads and publish articles about their lives, living in vans, buses, and boats. Thats how she embarked on the journey of creating her own blog.
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Kristin purchased hosting from Bluehost and fol...
Kristin purchased hosting from Bluehost and followed the steps to install WordPress. Then, she got to work designing with Divi and created the best website she could. The entire expense of launching her business was probably around $50.
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An email list was her primary customer acquisit...
An email list was her primary customer acquisition channel. She used Convertbox to create a variety of opt-ins for my website and build her emailing list. She also invested time learning SEO and focused on creating articles that rank on Google. Her top keywords include: - Turning a school bus into a camper
- Shipping container homes for sale
- Tiny house 10000 euro
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Online courses teaching aspiring bloggers to mo...
Online courses teaching aspiring bloggers to monetize travel content.
|
$55K
monthly
|
30
days
|
$0.21
per visitor
|
$1K
to start
|
90
out of 100
|
Shelley, a former travel magazine editor, start...
Shelley, a former travel magazine editor, started a travel blog after leaving her corporate job. In just two years, she became a six-figure blogger and taught others how to achieve similar success. Through her courses and blog, Shelley has generated significant income and plans to continue expanding her business and creating more courses in the future.
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Shelley choose WordPress as her content managem...
Shelley choose WordPress as her content management system due to its popularity and extensive use across the web. Her websites are hosted on Lyrical Host, and domains are purchased through NameSilo, ensuring reliable service and ownership. For website optimization, she uses Rank Math for SEO, WP Rocket for page speed, and Short Pixel for image optimization, which helps in maintaining a fast and SEO-friendly site. For creating and selling courses, Shelley chose ThriveCart for its payment processing capabilities, offering a cost-effective, one-time payment solution. She creates course content using Canva Pro for presentations and Loom for recording, ensuring high-quality, engaging material. Additionally, she sources stock photos from Canva and DepositPhotos and uses Canva for promotional materials, maintaining a consistent and professional look across her content. Email marketing is managed through ConvertKit, which integrates with ThriveCart for seamless product and service sales via email. Finally, she uses Affilimate to track and analyze affiliate marketing data, calling it the "Google Analytics for affiliate data," which underscores its value in her affiliate marketing strategy. Shelley’s approach is a comprehensive and well-thought-out combination of tools that facilitate content creation, optimization, marketing, and sales.
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Her main customer acquisition channels have bee...
Her main customer acquisition channels have been organic searches and organic social media. she has invested in SEO to ensure her blog ranks for relevant keywords such as: - Travel Mexico solo
- Safest places in Mexico
- Puerto aventuras uber
Shelley also started a Facebook Group called Affiliate Marketing for Travel Bloggers, which grew to 1,200+ members in five months.
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Short-term storage marketplace for urban travel...
Short-term storage marketplace for urban travelers.
|
$25K
monthly
|
—
days
|
—
per visitor
|
—
to start
|
77
out of 100
|
Cody Candee, the CEO and co-founder of Bounce, ...
Cody Candee, the CEO and co-founder of Bounce, came up with the idea for his business after experiencing the problem of carrying luggage while traveling and the inconvenience it caused. He wanted to create a solution that would allow people to store their belongings easily and eliminate the burden of carrying them around. After sitting on the idea for three years, Cody launched Bounce with his co-founder Aleks in 2017, and the business quickly gained traction, reaching over $100k of annualized revenue within the first 7 months.
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Aleks and Cody Candee, the founders of Bounce, ...
Aleks and Cody Candee, the founders of Bounce, began the development process by creating a basic landing page for bag storage and delivery in New York City within just three hours. They used a simple landing page builder and integrated Adwords to attract their first customer almost immediately, illustrating a lean startup approach. Initially, they physically fulfilled requests by biking around New York, but soon realized that the logistics of coordinating exact times and places were impractical. To solve this, they shifted to a model where customers could drop off and pick up their items at designated "Bounce locations," which were local businesses with extra space. This iteration allowed them to simplify logistics greatly. They set up this new version quickly, building the core functionality in about three weeks. For their mobile applications, they utilized React Native, which enabled them to simultaneously launch on both iOS and Android platforms, streamlining their development process. This intense and rapid development approach, however, came with challenges as they struggled to balance speed with product optimization, especially since the mobile app development temporarily detracted from enhancing the existing web platform.
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#### Google Search
Bounce attracted a signific...
Google SearchBounce attracted a significant number of customers through Google search right from the start. People frequently searched for "luggage storage," a popular keyword, which naturally aligned with Bounce's service offering. While they didn't focus heavily on SEO in the beginning, the organic demand for luggage storage solutions helped them grow. Why it worked: The inherent demand for luggage storage meant that potential customers were already actively searching for Bounce's services. By having a web presence that matched these searches, they naturally captured attention and bookings without needing extensive SEO strategies. ReferralsA substantial portion of Bounce's customer base came from referrals by satisfied users. This type of word-of-mouth promotion proved invaluable, bringing in new users who heard about the service from others who had positive experiences. Although they initially hadn't formalized a referral program, the natural referrals demonstrated the product's desirability. Why it worked: Happy customers become ambassadors, sharing their experiences with friends and family. This organic referral process spoke to the trust and satisfaction users had in Bounce, making it one of the most effective ways to gain new customers without any additional marketing spend. AdvertisingBounce utilized paid advertising, including Google Adwords, which allowed them to quickly gather traffic and customers even when they were just starting. This targeted approach helped them reach potential customers who were searching for similar services, providing a quick boost in visibility and engagement. Why it worked: Paid advertising, particularly on platforms like Google, reaches users who are already searching for related services. By investing in Adwords, Bounce ensured they appeared in front of a relevant audience, leading to direct bookings and increased brand awareness.
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'Community platform for digital nomads worldwide'
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$266K
monthly
|
60
days
|
$0.43
per visitor
|
$150
to start
|
80
out of 100
|
**Personal Need and Frustration:**
- The ide...
Personal Need and Frustration: - The idea for Nomad List sparked from Levels' personal desire to escape the 9-5 grind and work from anywhere in the world.
- Many of his other projects originated from personal needs or frustrations. For instance, he created Remote OK because he saw a gap in the job market for remote positions, aiming to make it easier for individuals to find remote work opportunities globally.
12 Startups in 12 Months Challenge: - In 2014, Levels set himself the challenge of launching 12 startups in 12 months.
- This experiment wasn't just about building businesses but about learning rapidly, understanding the market, and identifying what works and what doesn't.
- This challenge led to the creation of several projects, including Nomad List.
Desire for Autonomy and Freedom: - Levels has always been motivated by a desire for autonomy, freedom, and the ability to work from anywhere.
- This personal philosophy has driven him to create platforms that empower others to do the same, by providing tools, resources, and communities that support a location-independent lifestyle.
Solving Problems for Digital Nomads: - He recognized the unique challenges faced by digital nomads, such as finding the best places to live and work remotely.
- Levels sought to address these issues through his platforms, creating a suite of tools and resources that cater specifically to the needs of this community.
Automation and Minimalism: - He is a proponent of automation and running lean operations.
- This philosophy has not only influenced how he builds and manages his businesses but also what kinds of projects he decides to pursue.
- He focuses on creating efficient, automated systems that require minimal ongoing maintenance, allowing him to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
|
**Tech Stack:**
*PHP:* For server-side scri...
Tech Stack: PHP: For server-side scripting to generate dynamic page content. JavaScript: To create interactive elements on the website, enhancing user experience. jQuery: A JavaScript library used to simplify HTML DOM tree traversal and manipulation, as well as event handling and animation. Leveraging Existing Data: He started by compiling data on various cities around the world, focusing on factors important to digital nomads like cost of living, internet speed, and climate. This data formed the foundational content of Nomad List. Crowdsourcing for More Data: Understanding the power of community, Pieter incorporated mechanisms for users to contribute their own insights and updates about different locations, enriching the database with real-world experiences. Automation from the Start: To manage the growing platform with minimal manual intervention, Pieter implemented automated processes for tasks such as data updates, user submissions, and content moderation. Rapid Development and Deployment: He emphasized quick development cycles, pushing out features and adjustments rapidly to test ideas and respond to user feedback. This agile development process allowed for continuous improvement based on actual user needs and behaviors. Minimalist and Functional Design: The initial design focused on usability and speed, ensuring that users could easily access the information they needed without unnecessary frills. SEO Optimization: From the outset, Pieter paid attention to search engine optimization, ensuring that content was structured and tagged in a way that made it discoverable to those searching for digital nomad-related information.
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His approach to growing his businesses, particu...
His approach to growing his businesses, particularly Nomad List and Remote OK, can be outlined through a series of strategic steps and philosophies he adopted over time: Launch with Public Interest – Pieter launched Nomad List in 2014 by publicly sharing his idea on Twitter, generating initial interest and feedback even before the site was officially live. Rapid Iteration – After launching, Pieter quickly iterated on feedback, making constant updates to Nomad List based on user suggestions and needs. Transparency – From the early days, Levels built trust by being highly transparent about his revenues, costs, and the challenges he faced. Community Building – Recognizing the importance of community, Pieter integrated community features into Nomad List, such as forums and Slack groups. User Experience Focus – A significant part of his strategy was focusing on the user experience, making his websites fast, accessible, and easy to use. Automation and Efficiency – Pieter automated as much of his workflow as possible, allowing him to operate his businesses efficiently as a solo founder. Direct Engagement on Social Media – He used social media not just for marketing, but for direct engagement, answering queries, and joining conversations. Leveraging Data for Decisions – Pieter made use of the data collected from his sites to make informed decisions about new features, targeting, and improvements.
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Save an extra chunk of your annual income with ...
Save an extra chunk of your annual income with tax-savvy strategies.
|
$30K
monthly
|
—
days
|
—
per visitor
|
$15K
to start
|
76
out of 100
|
The idea for Savvy Nomad started when my co-fou...
The idea for Savvy Nomad started when my co-founder, Jameson, was traveling in Morocco and met a group of Californian surfers who had been living abroad for years but were struggling with the complexities of the U.S. tax system. Jameson, with his background in accounting and experience in tax-free Nevada, saw an opportunity to help expats and digital nomads legally reduce their tax burden. While I didn’t come up with the original idea, my journey to Savvy Nomad was shaped by my experience founding Taxarity, a startup focused on making taxation transparent and client-friendly through digitalization. My vision was to build a global marketplace where people could compare and seamlessly move between tax regimes with automated paperwork. Because of my previous experience, I immediately saw the clarity of its value proposition—a service that directly helps nomads establish a legal tax residency in no-income-tax states without unnecessary complexity. Instead of overcomplicating things, I focused on scaling, refining the offer, and optimizing pricing to create a profitable, sustainable business. Now, Savvy Nomad generates $30K/month, helping hundreds of expats legally optimize their taxes while embracing location independence. Failing at Taxarity was one of the best lessons I could have had—because it led me to build something that truly works.
|
The first step was researching existing solutio...
The first step was researching existing solutions, and quickly realized that while there were options for full-time RVers and retirees, there was nothing built specifically for digital nomads and expats. That was our green light—we saw a clear gap in the market. SavvyNomad started with around $15,000 in initial costs, and honestly, $13,000 of that went straight into legal fees and research. Since we’re dealing with tax residency and compliance, we had to make sure everything was airtight. From day one, the business model was subscription-based, and it’s still the same today. It just makes sense—tax residency isn’t a one-time thing, so offering an ongoing service was the best way to provide real value while keeping revenue predictable. We bootstrapped everything using our savings, which gave us full control over decisions without outside pressure. For building the product, we used Bubble for the application and Framer.com for the website, which helped us move fast without needing a full development team. It took us three months to launch the first version, not because of technical challenges, but because of the crazy amount of legal details we had to sort out. We started with South Dakota, since it was already popular for tax residency, and later expanded to Florida, which offered even more benefits for nomads. Honestly, it was harder than we expected—not because of the tech, but because of all the little nuances about residency and domicile laws in different states. But looking back, all that work paid off.
|
Our main growth channels have been SEO and Goog...
Our main growth channels have been SEO and Google Search Ads. These two bring in the majority of our customers, and over time, we’ve refined them to be highly efficient and scalable. We’ve also experimented with other strategies like influencer marketing, video content, and affiliate partnerships, but so far, these only make up a small percentage of new customers compared to search traffic. One of our most successful strategies has been tapping into an unmet demand. Initially, our core focus was helping nomads establish domicile for tax savings, but we discovered that many Americans abroad needed a reliable U.S. residential address. We created a new landing page, ran targeted Google Search Ads, and it immediately took off. Now, it’s one of our main growth drivers, and we’re spending around $8,000 per month on Google Ads. This worked because we found a high-intent search market where no one else was running ads, allowing us to dominate the space with little competition. Another major driver of growth has been content. I’ve personally written over 110 articles covering state residency, tax strategies, and U.S. expat taxation. I focused on deeply researching each topic and used LLMs to speed up the process while ensuring the content remained clear, practical, and easy to read. Most tax-related content is full of legal jargon, making it difficult for the average person to understand. Our articles stand out because they are written in a straightforward way, are well-structured with visuals to explain concepts, and go deep into specifics that people actually need. The biggest lessons from growing the business have been the importance of building scalable acquisition channels early, listening to demand and adjusting accordingly, and understanding that high-quality content can drive long-term growth if done right. Initially, we didn’t plan to offer U.S. residential addresses, but when we saw the demand, we launched fast, and it became a major success. Writing detailed, well-researched content took time, but it has now become a consistent driver of traffic and leads. Now, with SEO and paid search as our foundation, we’re continuing to scale and grow.
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Adventure hiking planning with digital guides a...
Adventure hiking planning with digital guides and GPS mapping.
|
$3.6K
monthly
|
—
days
|
—
per visitor
|
$100
to start
|
82
out of 100
|
We came up with the idea for TMBTENT after hiki...
We came up with the idea for TMBTENT after hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc in 2017. Most hikers on this famous trail stay in mountain huts, but we opted to camp to save money. Once we were back, we realized there was a huge gap in information for hikers who wanted to camp on this trail and that we could provide a resource with all the information others needed to camp on the trail. We started our website shortly after that and six months later we were selling a digital guide to the trail. We started with a super simple PDF ebook to prove out the idea, and when that started selling well we added more and more resource to the guide. From there, we've added other trails and continued to refine our product!
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Here are the exact steps we followed to build t...
Here are the exact steps we followed to build the first version of our product: - Started a WordPress site (www.tmbtent.com)
- Wrote a series of blog posts related to camping on the Tour du Mont Blanc.
- Once those started gaining some traction on Google, we created a PDF ebook that outlined camping locations on the trail.
- We used a super simple WordPress plugin (now defunct) that let us sell ebooks directly from our site and collect payment via PayPal.
We spent only about $100 that first year, mainly on website set-up and some software costs to be able to create some simple map graphics for our guide. Overall, it took us about six months to get to the point of selling our guide, and it quickly became apparent that people were willing to pay for the information. We sold the first version for $2.99 - a ridiculous price looking back on it, but something that quickly let us prove the concept. Since then, we've moved our guides over to Podia, so every customer gets a login and can access not only a PDF guide but also GPS files, video overviews of the hike, tutorials on how to use GPS files on their phone and more. We also charge a much higher price point, typically between $36-$44 depending on the trail. It was definitely a labor of love to pull the guides together, but we love planning trips and helping other with complex logistics of hiking some of these trails. And as a bonus this side project helped fund more hiking trips for us!  The table of contents from our very first PDF guide.
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Growing the business really focused on SEO and ...
Growing the business really focused on SEO and adding more trails to our guide offerings. We also added content on our site related to camping, hiking, and other outdoor pursuits that we didn't sell a guide for, but that attracted some good traffic to our site. That worked for a long time and got us on Mediavine, which was a great revenue source, but times have changed with the HCU and Google updates proving difficult to navigate. Now we are focused on getting more in depth on specific trails with some new websites and hoping to develop some online tools to help hikers plan their trips. Social media will be a big focal point for us going forward as well, as we have had almost no presence to date - a big mistake!
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|
Flight disruption compensation service for non-...
Flight disruption compensation service for non-English speakers.
|
$7.5K
monthly
|
—
days
|
—
per visitor
|
—
to start
|
50
out of 100
|
Olga, a Slovakian first-time entrepreneur, foun...
Olga, a Slovakian first-time entrepreneur, founded Flywize after realizing during her first flight that most travelers are unaware of their compensation rights, costing them €8 billion annually. Leveraging her background in Airport and Aviation Management, she helps secure €20,000 to €30,000 monthly for passengers affected by flight disruptions.
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The first product was built as a digital servic...
The first product was built as a digital service using low-code website builder tools. Initially, Olga created a prototype using Wix after participating in the BSEEN university program, which provided her foundational business knowledge and mentorship. The first version required about €500 in upfront costs: €200 for Wix, €100 to hire a freelancer from Fiverr (likely for technical or design help), and €200 for trademark registration and minimal marketing. After an initial self-made prototype, Olga hired a team of freelancers to professionally build the website, due to dissatisfaction with the first attempt. The development process from initial concept to full working version with coders took roughly seven months. A major challenge was the founder’s lack of experience in project management and technical product development, which slowed progress and led to a steep learning curve in assigning tasks and managing a remote freelance team.
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**Word-of-Mouth & Referrals**
Most early growth...
Word-of-Mouth & Referrals
Most early growth came from helping the first 100 users for free, who then recommended the service to friends and family. After this, new clients continued to come primarily through personal recommendations, without formal marketing efforts.
Why it worked: Providing a highly valuable service with strong results created trust and loyalty among customers, who then organically referred others needing similar help. Social Media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn)
From the beginning, Flywize used Facebook to inform their personal and extended networks about the service. In recent efforts, the company increased activities on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn by sharing videos and posts explaining passenger rights, aiming to reach new audiences.
Why it worked: Social media allowed for low-cost, direct communication with potential customers and leveraged network effects, especially important for a solo founder with limited resources. Friends & Personal Network
Early outreach involved personally telling friends about the service and having them spread the word, acting as the primary distribution channel in lieu of a formal launch.
Why it worked: The founder’s trusted network provided credibility in a market where users are often skeptical or unaware of their rights.
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Luxury yacht and supercar rentals in Dubai.
|
$12M
monthly
|
—
days
|
$3,000,000.00
per visitor
|
$1M
to start
|
50
out of 100
|
Kristan de Graaf leveraged his passion for luxu...
Kristan de Graaf leveraged his passion for luxury cars, tourism, and the sea to launch Elite Rentals Dubai with inherited money. By analyzing market gaps and investing $50 million, Kristan and his co-founder Julian now generate $12M per month from their fleet of over 50 yachts.
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The founders started by investing $50 million, ...
The founders started by investing $50 million, which primarily went toward acquiring their first fleet of 10 luxury yachts (each averaging $5 million) in Dubai. After the purchase, they outsourced recruitment to bring on experienced yacht captains, engineers, deck crew, and hospitality staff, ensuring operational readiness and a high-end onboard experience. No custom manufacturing or technical product development was required—the business began with direct acquisition of assets rather than inventing a new class of yacht or technology. The timeline to reach a functional first version was shaped mostly by yacht acquisition, staff hiring, and training, which introduced delays—particularly in onboarding and staff preparation. Key challenges included assembling a reliable luxury-focused team and adapting quickly to the service standards expected in Dubai’s tourism sector.
|
**Partnerships with Luxury Hotels and Car Renta...
Partnerships with Luxury Hotels and Car Rental Services
The company targeted high-net-worth tourists in Dubai by collaborating with luxury hotels and local car rental businesses, distributing brochures and custom offers directly to visitors on site.
Why it worked: These partnerships connected them directly with travelers seeking premium experiences and led to early, high-value bookings. Google Ads (PPC)
They invested in Google Ads to quickly generate online leads and test website performance, resulting in 17 bookings in the first week of active marketing.
Why it worked: Paid search campaigns delivered immediate visibility and traffic from people actively searching for luxury yacht rentals in Dubai, speeding up initial customer acquisition. Instagram & User-Generated Content (UGC)
Their Instagram presence and active encouragement of user-generated content leveraged visual appeal and client testimonials to grow credibility and attract new customers.
Why it worked: Aspirational content and positive reviews on social platforms resonated with luxury travelers, boosting brand reputation and driving organic inquiries. SEO & Content Marketing
After shifting focus to SEO, the company’s organic website traffic grew from a few hundred to 10,000 monthly visitors. They hired a dedicated SEO team, consistently published optimized content, and secured first-page rankings for key terms like “Dubai Yacht Booking.”
Why it worked: Targeted SEO brought sustained, high-quality, intent-driven inquiries at a lower cost over time compared to paid channels.
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Women-led travel tours for solo female adventur...
Women-led travel tours for solo female adventurers.
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$150K
monthly
|
270
days
|
—
per visitor
|
$100K
to start
|
68
out of 100
|
Mar Pages, along with her business partner Meg,...
Mar Pages, along with her business partner Meg, grew Solo Female Travelers from a small Facebook group in 2015 into a million-euro travel platform by 2023. Despite launching their tours amidst the pandemic, their emphasis on women-led, women-focused travel resonated deeply, propelling them to 300 guests across 14 destinations with unwavering organic growth.
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The founders began by curating tour itineraries...
The founders began by curating tour itineraries that aligned with both their mission of empowering women and the travel interests of their established community. With international borders still largely closed due to COVID-19, they selected Tanzania and Iceland as the first destinations based on both appeal and feasibility. The process involved direct outreach to local, often female-owned, travel operators—leveraging a simple email pitch about launching women-only tours at a time when the industry was otherwise quiet—enabling access to local expertise and buy-in from suppliers interested in new opportunities. They used their daily exposure to community insights, feedback from their first Solo Female Travel Trends Survey, and their own extensive travel experience to design the initial tours. Operationally, the build phase relied heavily on digital collaboration tools (Google Drive, Docs, Calendar, Gmail, WhatsApp, and Canva) since the founders were geographically distributed and built the business remotely. The first iceland and Tanzania tours were piloted, tested with real guests, and followed by an 8-month iteration period to improve the product based on learnings before expanding further. Notable challenges included lack of prior tour business experience, but this allowed them to innovate freely, and the pandemic's industry disruption provided unusual access to local partners.
|
**Facebook Community**
They leveraged their ear...
Facebook Community
They leveraged their early, large Facebook group (growing from 15,000+ pre-pandemic to over 150,000 at tour launch) as a primary source of leads by announcing new tours in the group and engaging members with ongoing moderation and discussion.
Why it worked: The community already trusted the founders, leading to high engagement and a steady stream of highly qualified prospects for their tours. Newsletter
They built and maintained a newsletter with over 70,000 subscribers and nearly 50% open rates, seeded via group membership questions and website sign-ups, and sent it consistently twice weekly.
Why it worked: Regular, personable content kept the audience engaged and top-of-mind, driving both bookings and repeat customers (with a 30% repeat rate). SEO & Content Marketing
They created and published detailed travel guides and resources on their website that ranked for high-intent solo female travel searches, drawing about 100,000 monthly website visits.
Why it worked: Strong organic traffic from search and informative resources funneled visitors to tour offerings without significant ad spend. Media Coverage & Annual Survey
They proactively pursued press mentions—via HARO, direct journalist contact, and by publishing their own Solo Female Travel Survey, which became an industry reference—resulting in regular media appearances.
Why it worked: Authoritativeness from original data and consistent media exposure established credibility and surfaced the brand to new audiences searching for expert-led women’s tours.
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Customizable online registration and payment ma...
Customizable online registration and payment management platform.
|
$833K
monthly
|
180
days
|
—
per visitor
|
$500K
to start
|
58
out of 100
|
While working as a Fulbright scholar at Berkele...
While working as a Fulbright scholar at Berkeley, Asaf Darash pondered creating a meta-programming application with unlimited variables and outcomes for non-programmers. Realizing the high demand for customizable onboarding and payment systems, he founded Regpack, which now boasts 31 employees and over $800k in monthly revenue.
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To create the initial version of Regpack, the f...
To create the initial version of Regpack, the founder worked closely with a UI designer based in Israel, iterating nightly on interface sketches and user experience flows. The actual development involved a small, collaborative engineering team, using video conferencing, Asana for task management, and frequent code reviews to align technical execution with the planned designs. Much of the problem-solving was handled through direct communication, sometimes using pen-and-paper sketches shared over video calls rather than relying solely on advanced tools. The team faced significant complexity in building a system with almost unlimited customization and no fixed constants, resulting in long days and frequent late-night work. It took about six months of continuous iteration and refinement to create a working prototype; one persistent challenge was balancing the creative ambitions of designers with the technical realities of software development and the need for system consistency, leading to repeated code review cycles and detailed problem-solving.
|
**Word of Mouth & Referrals**
Satisfied early u...
Word of Mouth & Referrals
Satisfied early users recommended Regpack to other organizations, especially within service and education verticals.
Why it worked: Strong referral activity enabled the team to grow an initial user base with minimal spend and high trust, leveraging satisfied clients’ networks. SEO
Regpack invested significantly in inbound marketing by creating optimized content around keywords relevant to onboarding, payments, and registration, which consistently drove qualified leads to their site.
Why it worked: Targeting high-intent, industry-specific queries allowed them to attract organizations actively seeking customizable registration and payment solutions. Partnerships with Associations
They established connections with industry associations, enabling exposure to targeted member networks who needed time-and-place based registration tools.
Why it worked: Association partnerships put Regpack directly in front of decision-makers in its core markets and boosted credibility through industry alignment.
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Travel blog sharing budget-friendly adventure t...
Travel blog sharing budget-friendly adventure tips.
|
$1K
monthly
|
—
days
|
—
per visitor
|
—
to start
|
72
out of 100
|
Agness and Cez, the founders of Etramping, star...
Agness and Cez, the founders of Etramping, started their business in 2011 as a personal site to share budget travel hacks for backpackers. Their passion for travel and their own experiences of backpacking on a tight budget drove them to share their knowledge and help aspiring adventurers explore the world. Since then, Etramping has grown into a thriving community, offering unique itineraries, travel hacks, budget tips, and buying guides for travel gear. With consistent content, strategic partnerships, and a focus on their audience's needs, Etramping has attracted and retained a loyal customer base.
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The first version of Etramping was created in 2...
The first version of Etramping was created in 2011 by Cez, who was a beginner to web development at the time. He chose Joomla as the initial platform due to its flexibility and capacity for building a community-focused travel site with blogging functionality. Cez relied heavily on free online resources, forums, and tutorials to learn the basics and assemble the first prototype, allowing Agness and other travelers to contribute stories. The process involved significant trial and error but resulted in a functioning site within the first year. A key challenge was the founders’ inexperience with web development, which led to slow, incremental progress and multiple site iterations before eventually migrating to WordPress for better usability and content management.
|
**SEO**
They prioritized search engine optimi...
SEO
They prioritized search engine optimization early, publishing consistent blog posts focused on budget travel, unique itineraries, and travel gear guides. Their efforts led to reaching an average of 30,000 to 80,000 monthly page views and at peak, up to 500,000 monthly page views.
Why it worked: Targeting specific travel keywords and maintaining a regular publishing schedule helped them steadily grow organic traffic and capture users actively searching for travel advice. Guest Posting and Content Collaborations
They regularly submitted high-quality guest articles to other travel sites and invited fellow bloggers to contribute on Etramping, sharing these collaborations across social media.
Why it worked: This amplified their reach via exposure to new audiences, generated natural backlinks, and fueled further organic growth without paid link-building. Brand Partnerships and Product Reviews
By proactively reaching out to brands via email and social channels, they established relationships that led to sponsored content and reviews of travel products.
Why it worked: These partnerships enriched site content, built trust with their audience, and introduced additional monetization streams via affiliate programs.
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Mobility scooter rentals for Los Angeles tourists.
|
$5K
monthly
|
7
days
|
—
per visitor
|
$500
to start
|
90
out of 100
|
While brainstorming with a friend who had just ...
While brainstorming with a friend who had just entered the equipment rental business, Lenny's lightbulb moment arrived: mobility scooters. Intrigued by the unique niche and low competition, he built a website, generated interest quickly, and now, part-time, earns $5K/month.
|
The founder began by building the company's web...
The founder began by building the company's website using the GoDaddy website builder, focusing on a modern design to stand out from local competitors who mostly had outdated websites. To inform the website content, he researched competing scooter rental businesses and added his unique perspective. No physical product was purchased initially; instead, he waited to see if there was demand by tracking inbound calls and inquiries through the site. Only after receiving early interest did he buy a couple of top-of-the-line Pride mobility scooters, paying about $500 each. The entire process of building the website and testing for demand took a few months, and the main challenge was deciding whether to commit to the business before making upfront investments in equipment.
|
**SEO & Google My Business**
The business quick...
SEO & Google My Business
The business quickly ranked on Google after launch thanks to its professional website and an optimized Google My Business page, resulting in customer calls within a few months.
Why it worked: Local competitors had weak online presences, so a better site and good local SEO made the business easy to find for people searching for mobility scooter rentals in the area. Soliciting Reviews
The founder actively encouraged customers to leave reviews on Google, boosting the business’s local search visibility and credibility.
Why it worked: Positive reviews improved search rankings and established trust for new customers seeking reliable rentals. Yelp Listing
A Yelp listing was created to supplement Google presence and attract users searching for mobility solutions on that platform.
Why it worked: Many travelers and tourists look for local services through Yelp, so this helped drive additional leads without significant extra work.
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|
|
Tailor-made cultural and wildlife safaris acros...
Tailor-made cultural and wildlife safaris across East Africa.
|
$54K
monthly
|
30
days
|
—
per visitor
|
$1.5K
to start
|
81
out of 100
|
Augustin Ndikuriyo, the founder of Augustine To...
Augustin Ndikuriyo, the founder of Augustine Tours, came up with the idea for his business when a client at the hotel where he worked asked for recommendations on travel companies in Burundi. Unable to find any options, Augustin saw the opportunity to fill the gap in the market and launched Augustine Tours in 2010. Since then, the company has grown to generate an impressive monthly average of €50K, offering unique safari experiences in East Africa that go beyond traditional tourism.
|
Augustin Ndikuriyo built the first version of A...
Augustin Ndikuriyo built the first version of Augustine Tours with very limited resources, using $1,500 in savings and an old Dell laptop. The development process involved learning web development and online marketing, primarily through self-study, since there was no budget for outside help. The initial website was built on Joomla, a free, open-source CMS. The first tour products were basic sightseeing itineraries that included transportation, hotel bookings, and entrance fees, all coordinated by negotiating deals with hotel and car rental partners; Augustine Tours did not own vehicles at first. Building the first working version took about three months, during which time Augustin operated from coffee shops and hotel lobbies without a dedicated office or internet connection. The main challenges included a lack of experience in itinerary design and the absence of a tourism ecosystem in Burundi, which forced creative negotiations and extensive networking with local service providers.
|
**Website SEO & Blogging**
Augustine Tours pr...
Website SEO & Blogging
Augustine Tours prioritized SEO by writing blog posts and building backlinks for their website, which became the company's primary sales channel from the start.
Why it worked: Travel planning is often initiated via online searches, so ranking for relevant keywords continually brought in high-intent leads. Networking & Partnerships
Augustin attended trade fairs and business meetups, which led to direct contracts with large organizations such as the US Marine Corps for Europe/Africa, US Embassy in Bujumbura, and Nokia Network Systems. These B2B deals boosted turnover and provided recurring, reliable revenue.
Why it worked: Face-to-face networking built trust in a market new to local tour operators and created opportunities for referrals and larger contracts. Google Ads
Paid Google Search Ads were used to target international clients, resulting in a 4.13% click-through rate in 2022 and a 45% increase in sales.
Why it worked: Search ads directly targeted motivated, high-spending travelers researching East Africa tours, yielding measurable conversions. Guest Posting & PR
They published sponsored and collaborative educational content on third-party travel sites and magazines to reach a wider audience.
Why it worked: This boosted brand credibility and drove referral traffic from locations where affluent travelers seek recommendations.
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|
|
Tourism-focused SEO and content marketing agency.
|
$35K
monthly
|
60
days
|
—
per visitor
|
$100
to start
|
72
out of 100
|
Matthew Davison, the founder of Travel Traction...
Matthew Davison, the founder of Travel Tractions, came up with the idea for his tourism-focused marketing agency after scaling his previous travel startup to over 500,000 page views a month. He saw an opportunity to help other travel businesses achieve similar results and launched Travel Tractions as a productized service agency, focusing on SEO content and audits before expanding into other services like social media, PPC, and web builds. Despite facing challenges during the COVID pandemic, the company has rebuilt and grown to a monthly revenue of $35k, with a focus on client retention and a predicted triple-digit growth in 2024.
|
The founders developed Travel Tractions' initia...
The founders developed Travel Tractions' initial service-based product by focusing on creating productized SEO content and audit services specifically for the tourism industry. The first version involved building standardized processes and systems inspired by the E-Myth Revisited, enabling repeatable delivery of SEO and marketing solutions. Tools like Google Sheets streamlined operations, while Ahrefs became central to their SEO offering, and Asana templates facilitated project management. An early challenge was training new hires, addressed by developing internal courses on SEO content writing and website optimization, which allowed for onboarding people with little or no prior experience. The move from ideation to a working service took several months, iterating on procedures and training until they could deliver consistent, scalable results with minimal back-and-forth needed.
|
**Word of Mouth & Referrals**
Early growth was ...
Word of Mouth & Referrals
Early growth was driven by referrals from industry friends and satisfied clients, quickly compounding as successful projects led to new introductions and recommendations.
Why it worked: Personal credibility and results made it easy for partners and clients to trust and endorse Travel Tractions, reducing the need for outbound sales. Conferences & Partnerships
Attending industry conferences helped secure initial anchor clients and created direct opportunities to build long-term partnerships, including working with event speakers who later referred additional clients.
Why it worked: Face-to-face networking accelerated trust-building and visibility in a niche market, which in turn opened new doors quickly. SEO
Although initial rankings took time, Travel Tractions invested in long-term SEO by producing content, guides, and acquiring backlinks, eventually making inbound organic leads a reliable acquisition channel.
Why it worked: Establishing expertise and ranking for relevant queries meant that travel businesses looking for marketing services could discover and self-select the agency, resulting in ongoing high-quality leads. Affiliate Program
They also implemented an affiliate program that contributed up to 10% of clients over time.
Why it worked: Incentivizing existing contacts to refer new business provided a low-friction, scalable referral mechanism.
|
|
|
Travel gear brand catering to adventurous backp...
Travel gear brand catering to adventurous backpackers.
|
$1.6M
monthly
|
60
days
|
—
per visitor
|
$500
to start
|
72
out of 100
|
Raj Mahal, founder of PlanMoreTrips, came up wi...
Raj Mahal, founder of PlanMoreTrips, came up with the idea for his AI travel app after founding his previous company, TRVL MORE, and gaining expertise in the travel industry. His deep knowledge of frequent flyer miles from his travel blog allowed him to monetize his content through affiliate revenue, and he later enrolled in a coding boot camp to develop the skills needed to create his own app. Despite facing setbacks with his previous startup, Raj's passion for travel and desire to inspire others led him to launch PlanMoreTrips and continue his entrepreneurial journey.
|
After returning from his backpacking trip in As...
After returning from his backpacking trip in Asia, Raj Mahal began building TRVL MORE by leveraging his firsthand experience of travel gear needs. He sourced initial samples from AliExpress, focusing on creating a travel gear bundle despite tight budgets and logistical constraints. The prototype was not a single product but a collection of travel essentials like luggage locks and travel adapters, which allowed him to test the market without extensive capital. Starting with these samples, he faced challenges typical of bootstrapped entrepreneurship, such as navigating manufacturing overseas and ensuring product quality without significant resources. The initial design and concept phase transitioned into manufacturing as he visited the Canton Fair in China, leading to a successful backpack prototype. This entire process from conceptualization to a working prototype took about a year, showcasing the determination and ingenuity required to turn an idea into reality with limited financial leverage.
|
#### Amazon Ads
TRVL MORE heavily relies on Am...
Amazon AdsTRVL MORE heavily relies on Amazon ads, investing around $300,000 a year. This channel is highly effective because it targets customers who are actively searching for travel accessories. The conversion rates are high due to the intent of the audience shopping on Amazon, which results in a steady stream of sales. Why it worked: Advertising directly on Amazon connects the product with potential buyers at the point of purchase intention. The specificity and direct purchase capability of Amazon ads lead to a high conversion rate, making it a reliable income stream. Customer Service & ReviewsTRVL MORE has implemented a no-questions-asked lifetime warranty on its products, which has been instrumental in attracting and retaining customers. This policy has led to numerous 5-star reviews, enhancing customer trust and increasing sales through positive social proof. Why it worked: Superior customer service and a strong warranty lead to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty. Positive reviews act as endorsements, boosting credibility and persuading new customers to purchase. Product DifferentiationInitially, TRVL MORE noticed that competitors were only offering black luggage locks in single packs. By offering locks in multiple colors like bright orange and various pack sizes, they catered to diverse customer needs that were previously unmet by competitors. Why it worked: Offering differentiated product options tailored to actual travel needs addressed a gap in the market. This strategy not only satisfied an existing demand but also helped the brand stand out from its competitors, leading to increased market share on platforms like Amazon. Media coverage, especially from mainstream outlets like The New York Times, played a significant role in boosting TRVL MORE's visibility. The unexpected feature in these outlets provided significant credibility and exposure, leading to increased brand awareness. Why it worked: Being featured in reputable publications brings a level of authority and trust that is hard to achieve through other marketing channels. This kind of exposure can quickly widen an audience and attract new customers who are influenced by the publication's reputation.
|
|
|
Ultralight, durable backpacks for adventurous d...
Ultralight, durable backpacks for adventurous dogs.
|
$4K
monthly
|
365
days
|
—
per visitor
|
$20K
to start
|
89
out of 100
|
Devin Kelly, founder of DOGPAK, came up with th...
Devin Kelly, founder of DOGPAK, came up with the idea for his business after testing numerous outdoor K9 gear during his adventures with his dog, Thunder. Frustrated with the ill-fitting, bulky, and low-quality gear available, Devin used his knowledge as a rigger for skydiving and rock climbing to design a fresh take on dog backpacks using high-quality, lightweight materials. After conducting customer interviews and collecting around 500 email addresses, the idea for an ultralight, waterproof, and better-fitting dog backpack was validated.
|
DOGPAK's first product, the Moab Lite K9 hiking...
DOGPAK's first product, the Moab Lite K9 hiking harness and daypack, was developed through a hands-on prototyping process that began with the founder sourcing ultralight outdoor-grade materials. They used ROBIC nylon ripstop reinforced with Kevlar threading and a PU coating for weatherproofing, similar to high-quality human hiking gear. The initial product design was turned into a professional tech pack (a detailed 2D diagram with specs) by a freelance designer hired via Upwork, after disappointing early attempts with lower-cost freelancers. Manufacturing prototypes occurred at a mid-sized, experienced backpack factory in Vietnam, with several iterative rounds of sample production, testing, feedback, and revisions over roughly a year. A major challenge was learning textile product development from scratch, including fabric selection, color (Pantone matching), and hardware details, plus communication hurdles with suppliers and the long timelines for sample production and shipping. The founder ran early customer validations with prototype photos and 3D renders, which improved with actual product shots as the iterations progressed.
|
**Content Marketing/Blog**
DOGPAK consistentl...
Content Marketing/Blog
DOGPAK consistently added high-value, experience-driven posts to its blog and regularly shared these with an email list of early opt-ins, achieving a ~33% open rate.
Why it worked: Sharing authentic content based on genuine expertise built trust and kept the audience engaged, laying a strong foundation for loyalty. Email List Building
The founder validated demand early by running a landing page describing the product and collecting around 500 emails from interested potential customers.
Why it worked: Direct email allowed for cost-effective pre-launch communications and ongoing updates, fostering a sense of community and priming the audience for sales. Crowdfunding (Indiegogo)
DOGPAK used an Indiegogo campaign to gather $6,000 in pre-orders, helping fund the initial manufacturing run of their backpack.
Why it worked: Crowdfunding provided both validation and capital from early adopters, reducing upfront risk and generating buzz. Social Media
They maintained active profiles across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, with Instagram and Facebook showing the highest retention among their early core audience.
Why it worked: Social presence offered regular touchpoints for brand storytelling and ongoing product updates, especially helpful before product inventory was available.
|
|
|
Telegram bot for tracking cheap flight prices.
|
$7K
monthly
|
—
days
|
—
per visitor
|
$0
to start
|
90
out of 100
|
The idea came to the founder because he was tir...
The idea came to the founder because he was tired of the tedious and time-consuming process task of manually checking airline websites daily, to see if fares dropped. To solve this, he decided to create a chatbot that could automatically tracked flight prices and sent him notifications on Telegram when prices change. He was confident that many people like him could benefit from this. After a month of development, the first iteration of the product was released.
|
The initial ideas was to start with a local ver...
The initial ideas was to start with a local version of the bot to find and track flights carried out by the two largest European low-cost companies — Wizzair and Ryanair. Since neither of the companies had a public API, he used the Kiwi.com API. This allowed him to immediately create a global product that became useful to users from all over the world. When building the product, it was essential to launch the product as quickly as possible to validate the idea and obtain initial results. The initial version of the bot was far from perfect, as it was a simple Telegram bot with limited functionality, lacking features such as a roundtrip search option and currency selection, etc. Nevertheless, despite these shortcomings, he was still able to successfully capture the attention of potential users and generate interest in the product.
|
The first marketing action was to list AirTrack...
The first marketing action was to list AirTrack on popular bot catalogs. It was completely free and got him about 50 users per day. A few days after the public launch, the bot had nearly 300 subscribers, and it seemed like a cool result. As the topic of chatbots was trending at the time, he decided to reach specialized media outlets that covered chatbot-related topics. Then, he leveraged his brief experience working in some media outlets, where he learned how to approach journalists and how to pitch a product so they would be interested in writing about it. Sent a press release to tech media and was featured in some of them. That caused a chain reaction and some mainstream online newspapers caught up with the news, and helped him reach 10,000 users. After that, the bot went viral in Ukraine. It got dozens of mentions in mainstream media. In particular, AirTrack was mentioned by the largest Ukrainian TV channel during prime time. That was the confirmation that he had created a product that will be useful for many people.
|
|
|
Platform for booking outdoor sports guides easily.
|
$100K
monthly
|
—
days
|
—
per visitor
|
—
to start
|
54
out of 100
|
Jonathan Newar, the Co-Founder and CEO of Capta...
Jonathan Newar, the Co-Founder and CEO of Captain Experiences, came up with the idea for the business while trying to book a fishing trip in Houston, TX. Frustrated by the lack of an easy, user-friendly platform for booking fishing charters, he decided to create Captain Experiences. Since its launch in March 2020, Captain has become the largest platform for booking fishing guides in the US, with over 1,200 guides partnered, 47,000 hours booked, and an average review score of 4.9/5 stars.
|
The founders created the first version of Capta...
The founders created the first version of Captain Experiences as a custom-built website focused on enabling users to search and filter fishing trips across various parameters such as location, price, target species, and amenities. The initial product was dense and overloaded with features, as the team included everything they thought users might need—leading to a cumbersome user experience. The platform's UI/UX was improved iteratively through interviews with early users (adventurers), A/B testing, and analytics-driven decision making to refine and simplify features. Core development involved heavy use of analytics tools like Google Analytics and GlassBox, helping identify what users valued most. The process spanned several months from ideation to a functional, user-ready site, with a key challenge being the removal of less useful features to streamline booking and manage guide calendars efficiently.
|
**SEO**
Captain Experiences focused on attracti...
SEO
Captain Experiences focused on attracting high-intent users by targeting fishing charter keywords and publishing location-specific trip content. SEO has remained a major driver after launch, consistently bringing in adventurers searching for guides.
Why it worked: Targeting transactional search queries allowed the platform to capture users ready to book, fueling organic growth cost-effectively. Social Media & Content Marketing
They invested in sharing engaging trip stories and updates across social platforms and through a weekly newsletter, which personalized the brand and drove repeat visits.
Why it worked: Regular, relevant content built trust and community engagement, encouraging both new and repeat bookings. Referral & Direct Traffic
Satisfied customers referred friends, and increased brand recognition led to a steady rise in direct visits over time.
Why it worked: Personal referrals and strong brand loyalty lowered acquisition costs and drove high-converting traffic as awareness grew.
|
|
|
"Eco-friendly hybrid e-bikes for commuters and ...
"Eco-friendly hybrid e-bikes for commuters and adventurers."
|
$30K
monthly
|
180
days
|
—
per visitor
|
$35K
to start
|
76
out of 100
|
Two founders, Marina and Rahul, met on the Y Co...
Two founders, Marina and Rahul, met on the Y Combinator startup school platform. After recognizing each other's skills and passion for green energy, they decided to launch GIN e-bikes. With a lightweight design, hydraulic brakes, and a battery life of over 70 miles, GIN e-bikes quickly gained popularity, selling hundreds of units solely through positive word-of-mouth referrals.
|
The GIN X e-bike development began by gathering...
The GIN X e-bike development began by gathering direct feedback from US customers to inform the product design, ensuring real-world needs were met. The founders used a staged approach: starting with product design, then creating molds, moving on to producing a prototype, testing the initial sample, and finally progressing to large-scale manufacturing. Prototyping was key; after successful prototype testing, design improvements focused on reducing bike weight to 19 kg (lighter than most competitors), including hydraulic brakes (rare at the price point), and extending battery range past 70 miles. Tools included WIX for online business operations and likely standard CAD and prototyping software for product design (though specific engineering tools are not named in sources). The timeline from research to a working version appears to have spanned several months—starting from market research and customer interviews, to prototyping, testing, and then mass production. Key challenges included accurately forecasting demand (leading to some customer wait times) and unexpected regulatory changes that delayed component deliveries.
|
**Online Press & PR**
They proactively pitched ...
Online Press & PR
They proactively pitched press releases to technology journalists and secured over 40 free online features in top tech magazines, including a pivotal mention in New Atlas. This strategy delivered 2-3 immediate sales on launch day and brought 500-1000 daily website visitors in the initial month.
Why it worked: Coverage in trusted publications quickly built credibility, reaching high-intent audiences without requiring paid ads. YouTube Influencer Reviews
At launch, the team partnered with about 10 YouTube influencers (including food delivery riders) who reviewed the GIN X bike for free. These authentic third-party reviews played a significant role in building trust with early buyers.
Why it worked: Influencer content provided social proof and hands-on demonstrations, helping overcome skepticism toward an unknown brand. Email Marketing (Lead Nurture)
GIN collected leads through their website (via inquiry forms), then nurtured these prospects with regular email campaigns and updates. For Black Friday 2022, they converted 25 orders at zero acquisition cost by targeting warmed-up leads with a special offer.
Why it worked: Ongoing communication kept interested prospects engaged, making them highly receptive to targeted offers when ready to buy. Word-of-Mouth & Customer Support
Exceptional post-sale support led to positive Trustpilot reviews and organic referrals from satisfied buyers, contributing to steady, unpaid sales growth.
Why it worked: Personalized service turned early users into advocates, driving referral sales and building the brand's reputation.
|
|
|
Wildlife podcast about surviving animal attacks.
|
$400
monthly
|
60
days
|
—
per visitor
|
—
to start
|
72
out of 100
|
Ashley Bray, host of the Get Out Alive Podcast,...
Ashley Bray, host of the Get Out Alive Podcast, came up with the idea after working in wildlife biology and experiencing frustrations with not being able to be honest about wildlife conflicts. She and her high school friend, Nick, decided to create a podcast about animal attacks that provided honest advice on how to coexist peacefully with wild animals. They invested in equipment, reached out to other podcasters for guidance, and launched the podcast, attracting initial listeners through social media.
|
To build the first version of the Get Out Alive...
To build the first version of the Get Out Alive Podcast, the founders began by seeking advice from experienced podcasters and selecting cost-effective equipment. They purchased two Samson Q2U USB microphones with accessories, relying on their existing laptops, making microphones the largest upfront investment. For podcast hosting, they chose Buzzsprout, secured their domain through Domain.com, and set up their initial website using Wix for its ease of use. Logo design was outsourced to a graphic artist on Etsy for $10, with specific input to feature a bear given the show’s subject matter. Editing was handled with free software, Audacity, which was recommended by a peer podcaster. The team recorded multiple versions of their first episode—at least three or four takes—before landing on a satisfying format, dealing early on with challenges like adapting to speaking for an audience and finding the right division of roles between the hosts. The entire process from idea to working prototype (first proper episode) spanned several weeks, with roughly two months spent recording before officially launching.
|
**Twitter/Science Twitter**
The podcast initial...
Twitter/Science Twitter
The podcast initially gained listeners through the founder's established presence on Twitter, especially within the Science Twitter community. Early engagement involved personal tweets about the show and direct interaction with followers, resulting in the majority of first listeners and patrons coming from Twitter.
Why it worked: The existing, relevant audience enabled word-of-mouth growth and direct listener feedback in a tightly knit community, ensuring rapid, organic adoption without paid promotion. TikTok
They experienced growth boosts from a few viral TikTok videos, effectively driving awareness and additional listeners. While not as pivotal as Twitter, TikTok's virality contributed to notable spikes in attention.
Why it worked: Short, engaging video content on TikTok reached audiences beyond their immediate circle and brought in new listeners at scale. Podcast Guest Appearances
The founder actively guested on other podcasts, which resulted in new audience members reporting they discovered Get Out Alive through these appearances.
Why it worked: Appearing on relevant shows tapped into audiences already interested in similar topics, providing a low-cost avenue for qualified lead generation. Patreon Integration and In-Show Promotion
They consistently promoted their Patreon on every episode, featured prominent website links, and created tiered benefits. This not only monetized superfans but drew in supporters who wanted to sustain the podcast from the beginning.
Why it worked: Consistent calls to action during episodes maximized conversion among dedicated listeners, providing stable recurring income and community engagement.
|
|
|
"Sri Lanka & Maldives tour packages provider."
|
$20K
monthly
|
90
days
|
—
per visitor
|
$1K
to start
|
81
out of 100
|
Nishan Rajakaruna, the CEO & Founder of Total T...
Nishan Rajakaruna, the CEO & Founder of Total Travel Solution in Sri Lanka, came up with the idea for his travel agency after reading a tea-export company's brochure that mentioned being a "total tea solution." He decided to create a company called Total Travel Solution and partnered with a leading travel agent in Spain, which changed his life and made TTS a successful company. Despite challenges in the tourism industry, TTS remains a leading travel agency in Sri Lanka.
|
The founder combined practical experience at a ...
The founder combined practical experience at a local travel agency with industry insights from his father's three decades as a national tour guide to design the first tour packages. The initial product was not a physical item but carefully planned, customizable Sri Lanka tour itineraries, manually assembled using direct hotel, guide, and excursion bookings. Core tools included a self-built website (no mention of the specific CMS or tech stack) and business email for communication. Early iterations involved testing combinations of hotels and guides to identify the most trustworthy partners, relying heavily on trial and error and client feedback. It took about three months of industry learning plus several additional months for planning, registration, and setup to reach a working service, with a key challenge being the founder's lack of business background and the need to learn travel operations on the job.
|
**Travel Agent Partnerships**
The company initi...
Travel Agent Partnerships
The company initially grew by partnering with a leading Spanish travel agent, which brought in hundreds of bookings between 2012 and 2018. Most business came from just three foreign travel agents during this period, securing a steady and significant stream of tourists.
Why it worked: Close collaboration with a few high-volume partners provided reliable recurring business with minimal marketing costs. Email Outreach
To kickstart growth, the founder directly emailed foreign travel agents, leveraging the new website and official business credentials to forge relationships. The approach was simple but led to the pivotal Spanish partnership that drove early success.
Why it worked: Personalized, targeted emails reached decision-makers directly, enabling trust building and conversion in a relationship-focused industry. High Service Quality
The business retained and attracted clients through consistent, honest, and high-quality service, leading to referrals and repeat partnerships. By focusing on selecting the best guides and hotels, the company fostered trust and long-term relationships.
Why it worked: Exceptional execution and reliability built a strong reputation in the narrowly focused Spanish and European travel markets.
|
|
|
Cannabis-friendly lodging for safe 420-friendly...
Cannabis-friendly lodging for safe 420-friendly stays.
|
$18K
monthly
|
90
days
|
—
per visitor
|
$18K
to start
|
69
out of 100
|
Deontae Mack, the founding partner of Vibesbnb,...
Deontae Mack, the founding partner of Vibesbnb, came up with the idea for his cannabis-friendly lodging service after noticing a lack of communication between hosts and guests regarding cannabis consumption on Airbnb. Seeing an opportunity to cater to the growing cannabis tourism market, Mack and his team created Vibesbnb, which has handled over 5,000 reservations and earns $13,000 to $18,000 in monthly booking revenue from its 160 properties.
|
The founders began by designing a two-sided mar...
The founders began by designing a two-sided marketplace, initially called 420bnb, inspired by direct feedback from 1,500 surveyed users who wanted cannabis-friendly lodging and experiences. They quickly realized the technical and operational complexity, leading them to hire a software engineer to support development. Their first prototype focused on building an all-in-one marketplace with core features for listing, booking, and user communication, guided by a product requirements document (PRD). The process included creating dashboards, website designs, progressive web application elements, and workflow diagrams between 2019 and 2021, with significant iteration after realizing early versions lacked scalability and image processing capabilities. Key challenges included meeting higher host expectations set by Airbnb, building channel manager integrations, and providing features for both reliable property management and user experience.
|
**Airbnb Host Meetups & Partnerships**
They att...
Airbnb Host Meetups & Partnerships
They attended local Airbnb Superhost meetups in Miami and Fort Lauderdale to recruit experienced hosts, onboarding 20+ superhosts at a single Hollywood launch event.
Why it worked: Partnering with seasoned hosts established credibility with both supply and demand sides, solving the chicken-and-egg problem common in marketplaces. Education & Referral Programs
Vibesbnb developed a host education program and partnered with Mack University to teach responsible hosting, leveraging a referral system and word of mouth to grow host listings.
Why it worked: Host education and community-building differentiated them from generic listing platforms, driving high engagement and ongoing referrals among the cannabis hospitality niche. Online Advertising & Influencer Content
They promoted listings through Airbnb, created strategic online ads, and used video marketing (e.g., YouTube travel and company ads) plus partnerships with cannabis influencers and brands like Weedsies.
Why it worked: Visual content and social proof resonated with their niche demographic, helping them reach cannabis consumers who were underserved by mainstream lodging sites. Insurance & Platform Integration
Offering integrated liability/property insurance and a streamlined damage claim process attracted hosts, doubling monthly acquisition rates.
Why it worked: Addressing major host concerns about safety and risk enabled Vibesbnb to overcome friction that would otherwise block adoption.
|
|
|
"Global language learning through personalized ...
"Global language learning through personalized cultural experiences."
|
$10K
monthly
|
365
days
|
—
per visitor
|
$1K
to start
|
90
out of 100
|
While the country was recovering from the effec...
While the country was recovering from the effects of the Great Recession, Eva, like other graduates was having trouble finding a job. She took a road trip to decide the career path she wants to take, and remembered jotting down three of her passions: children, travelling, and languages. This was the start for Hyperfluent.
|
To create the first version of Hyperfluent, Eva...
To create the first version of Hyperfluent, Eva Rosales focused on building a digital presence centered on a self-made website. She used Wordpress for development, despite having no prior experience with web design or the platform. The initial website functioned more like a blog, built through experimentation and self-learning with Wordpress tools. Key early investments included designing a logo that reflected the brand’s energetic and multicultural mission, creating business cards that showcased linguistic themes, and purchasing a professional camera to capture high-quality photos for promotional use. Reaching a working service offering took about 2–3 months from initial concept to functional website and core branding. A significant challenge was overcoming the steep learning curve of website creation and logo design without formal training or technical background.
|
Instagram is one of the main acquisition channe...
Instagram is one of the main acquisition channels for Eva, which she leverages by seeking customer testimonials and putting them up on the page to get new customers. Hosting contests (with the winnner given a chance to have 2-3 FREE language sessions with Eva) has been another win on the marketing side of Hyperfluent.
|
|
|
Custom cycling accessories for passionate bicyc...
Custom cycling accessories for passionate bicycle enthusiasts.
|
$25K
monthly
|
3
days
|
—
per visitor
|
$20K
to start
|
89
out of 100
|
Brian De Groodt, the founder of Dispatch Custom...
Brian De Groodt, the founder of Dispatch Custom Cycling Components, came up with the idea for his business while looking for ways to diversify the revenue of his custom bicycle frame company. After experimenting with laser-engraved bicycle headset caps and realizing their popularity, he made the difficult decision to shut down the frame manufacturing and focus on Dispatch full-time. Since then, Dispatch has grown steadily, with over 20,000 cyclists customizing their bikes with their unique products.
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Dispatch Custom Cycling Components’ first produ...
Dispatch Custom Cycling Components’ first product was a customizable laser-engraved bicycle headset cap. The founder, Brian, initially brought spare bike parts to a local laser engraving shop to experiment with custom engravings and artwork. This early prototyping involved local testing of artwork and materials, and after rapid positive response on Instagram, he scaled up by purchasing his own laser engraver for direct in-house production. The initial manufacturing setup was simple—just a cart and the laser, sharing space with a coffee roaster; the packaging was handmade from scrap cardboard, laser cut in-house. Early challenges included a literal shop fire caused by plugging in and running the new laser engraver without reading the manual. The cycle to create, test, and refine a new design was extremely fast—often hours from idea to physical prototype, thanks to direct control over design with Adobe Creative Cloud and direct access to manufacturing in the shop.
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**Social Media & Community Building**
They leve...
Social Media & Community Building
They leveraged their founder’s cycling network and Instagram presence to quickly sell early batches of the product. A strong push to build their social media and start paid campaigns (notably in January 2020) led to significant growth, with these platforms serving as both a source of first-time buyers and a way to deepen community ties.
Why it worked: Social engagement targeted passionate cyclists directly and allowed the storytelling and product customization aspect to resonate authentically. Paid Advertising
The company used paid social ads to target cycling enthusiasts, which significantly accelerated sales when implemented, though they adjusted spend as ad platform economics shifted.
Why it worked: Paid media delivered a measurable new customer acquisition cost (~$14 per customer), which represented about one-third of their average order value, making it scalable and cost-effective during key growth windows. Collaborations & Product Seeding
They engaged in collaborations with other cycling brands (like Handup Gloves and kit manufacturers) and seeded products to creators and event promoters. Outreach to shops and promoters also became an acquisition strategy as the brand grew.
Why it worked: These partnerships amplified the brand’s reach within cycling circles and leveraged word of mouth from authentic users, driving both credibility and direct sales. Email Marketing
Using Klaviyo, Dispatch regularly engaged their base with targeted email campaigns—so effectively that a single email could reliably boost revenue in a slow period.
Why it worked: High-engagement emails converted previous buyers and maintained a 20%+ repeat customer rate, supporting long-term customer retention.
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