How to Sell for $1 Million Per Key (Exclusive Isaac French Interview)

It’s October 2023. Isaac French is a happy man.

He’s just sold Live Oak Lake, his micro-resort in Waco, TX, for $7 million.

With just 7 cabins, that works out at an astounding $1 million per key.

On the surface, it kind of makes sense. Daily rates of $700+, near-100% occupancy, sexy units, slick automations, and a killer website.

But still. $1 million per key…

It’s only by looking deeper that you get the full picture. By exploring Isaac’s past, and connecting the dots with his approach to business today, that’s when things start to come together.

And then you realize.

Isaac was built for this.

His sense of design. His knack for hospitality. His obsession with the details.

All of these skills were instilled into Isaac French, the child. But they were implemented, to an elite level, by Isaac French, the man.

I had the pleasure of conducting an email interview with Isaac for this newsletter. We covered his upbringing, belief system, approach to hospitality, favorite hotels, and more.

Welcome to the mind of Isaac French.

Hello New Subscribers!

If this is your first time reading The Glamping Insider, you were probably sent by Isaac. Welcome!

I’m Nick, a glamping consultant, podcaster, and developer of luxury glamping resorts. 

Some people are put off by the term “glamping”, but I apply it loosely. To me, glamping is anything from basic bell tents to ultra-luxury escapes. And yes, I include Live Oak Lake in my definition (sorry Isaac).

Each week, I pull back the curtain on glamping’s elite operators, with a focus on the high-end resorts. If you want to start an operation with daily rates of $300+, I think you’ll like my Friday morning dispatches.

Our most popular editions include:

• The secret ingredient of glamping’s elite operators

• Guestbooks - the glamping operator’s hidden gem

• What makes the perfect glamping property? From access roads to zoning

P.S. I’m developing my own luxury glamping resorts ($500+ per night) and you can invest. More on this later.

The Interview

• N = Nick (The Glamping Insider)

• I = Isaac

• Italics = Nick’s additional thoughts

N: Let's go back to the very start. I know your upbringing shaped you into the operator you are today. Tell me about the community you grew up in, and what kind of principles and values were instilled in you from a young age.

I: I grew up on a family homestead in Texas with my parents and nine siblings. We were homeschooled, and our days were filled with caring for animals, tending gardens, and exploring acres of woods where we built forts and miniature towns. 

Really, I truly believe it was the best childhood anyone could dream of.

Our homestead was part of a larger agrarian Christian community, made up of around 60 families living on their own homesteads nearby. This community, still thriving (and growing) today, was central to our lives. We shared so much—church gatherings, sweet potato, sorghum and corn harvest, concerts, and craft making to name a few.

My grandparents lived just down the road. My grandfather, a custom home builder and farmer, was a towering influence in my life. I often joined him on job sites, where I saw firsthand his thoughtfulness, meticulousness, and attention to detail. He was one of the most thoughtful, meticulous, organized, detail-oriented people I’ve ever known.

My grandma taught me and my siblings art lessons.

My parents and grandparents instilled in me a deep love of craft and a commitment to doing things “right.” They taught me to care and take responsibility from the earliest ages, lessons that that continue to shape my life to this day.

In recent weeks, Isaac has been publishing childhood stories that exemplify this commitment to craft. His recent tale about his pre-teen cheese-making business  is wild.

N: It's easy to see how this ethos of craftsmanship was applied to Live Oak Lake. Is there one aspect of that resort that represents that ethos? It can be a physical feature, or something non-physical like an email sequence. 

I: The entrance comes to mind.

I spent countless hours detailing the front gate—the distance between each cedar slat, the distance from the road, the plantings adoring the fence, the lighting touches, and more. First impressions are extremely important, and getting it right was crucial. You’re setting the mood—welcoming the guests with a feeling.

But those same details must permeate everything, and I believe they do.

N: Particularly since Live Oak Lake’s sale, you’ve been staying at lots of hotels and resorts and writing or making videos about them. Is there one place in particular that embodies everything we’ve talked about? Why?

I: That would be Babylonstoren, in South Africa’s Western Cape.

It’s a working farm that’s been in operation since the 1600s. In my opinion, the owners are the greatest hoteliers in the world. 

At the heart of its 1800 acres lies the most breathtaking garden I’ve ever seen. Pools and streams meander through pathways shaded by vine-covered pergolas. Orchards brimming with every fruit imaginable, and flowers bursting from every corner.

Everything about the place is immersive and beautifully crafted. The architecture, the three world-class restaurants, the vinegar cellar, winery, butchery and creamery. 

But my favorite part? The people.

During harvest, Babylonstoren employs 700 folks, and around 40 full-time hotel staff - but they never felt like "staff." Every single one of them, from gardeners to general managers, cooks to cleaners, radiated unforgettable warmth and care.

They made you feel like a billion dollars and their best friend, all at once. Almost 0% turnover in 14 yrs of operation. The owners know every one by name and treat them like their own family.

That’s the secret sauce. You can’t fake or buy this kind of hospitality.

The entire experience moved me in ways I didn’t expect. I’m still processing everything I saw and felt, 9 months later.

N: Craftsmanship doesn’t have to be tangible. You recently told me you spend hours and hours crafting the perfect copy for a written piece, or a video, to ensure you're telling the perfect story. How important is well-crafted storytelling to unique stays?

I: Authenticity is number one. Every single person has a unique set of experiences, dreams, personality and skills. Of course, they have their own unique quirks, disadvantages, and battles, too. 

Committing to share the journey as authentically as possible is so important if you want the world to see your story. 

Storytelling is an art in and of itself, and if I can learn it then anyone can. Humans love stories, and they can be told in the context of a property/hospitality brand or your personal brand. I think you should do/have both because they complement each other so well.

The takeaway? Do interesting stuff, and then learn to craft it into stories, not vice versa. But don’t overthink what interesting means. Your life is a lot more interesting than you probably realize…

N: Beautifully put. You show up in a lot of newsletters, social posts and podcasts. But is there one thing on your mind right now that you haven’t talked publicly about?

I: In my experience, the best, most inspiring (AND successful) properties and products are born from an uncompromising vision and dream, and NOT a profit play. 

A true labor of love from someone.

This is true not just in hospitality, but across all domains. Think of the creations of Steve Jobs, Ralph Lauren, Yvon Chinard, Walt Disney, Ian Schrager…

Guests feel this passion in every detail of a truly inspiring hospitality property: the hospitably, the experience and the space physically, as well as the marketing and storytelling.

Lead with taste. Approach design as more art than science. Create for an audience of one—you and what you love. 

Pour yourself into every detail, and the world will feel it.

Every week, Isaac shares wisdom like this in his Experiential Hospitality newsletter. Join his 24,000+ readers by subscribing here.

📰 The Posh Report (for new subscribers)

I mentioned earlier that you can invest in my luxury glamping developments. Here’s the lowdown.

I’m a Co-Founder of Posh Outdoors. Posh is a crack team of industry experts and serial entrepreneurs that are doing rev-share deals across the US and Canada.

We send landowners year-round, luxury glamping structures, like our custom-built Looking Glass mirror cabins. The landowners run things on the ground, and we split the revenue.

Our first location is opening 30 minutes from Banff National Park in spring. It’s a killer property - and we’ll be charging $500+ per night.

We’re also lining up Locations 2, 3, 4 and beyond. The plan is to do dozens of these things all across the US and Canada. And if you invest today, you have an interest in every single location. 

This isn’t just a one-property deal.

We’re running a crowdfunding campaign that’s already raised $461,547, and you can join the party. More info here.

Interested? Schedule a call, or reply to this email with your questions. 

💡Idea of the Week - Candlelight Dinners

This one’s from Andy Murphy of Zaina Lodge and Sojourner Glamping fame.

Andy came on the podcast (released next week) and told us how, on one of his many African safari trips, a guide shouted that wildlife had been spotted a short distance away. Andy was whisked off in a truck, supposedly to check out the animals, but instead he was taken to a candlelit dinner table.

I love this for two reasons: (1) it’s a way to surprise and delight guests; (2) great lighting, like candles on a dinner table at night, can be truly magical.

Got an idea for Idea of the Week? Reply with your submission!

Liked this dispatch? Subscribe!

At the time of writing, The Glamping Insider has 1,994 subscribers. I’d love it if we reached the 2,000 mark by next week.

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