The Boring Stuff You Can't Forget When Starting a Glamping Business

“The Boring Stuff”. Not the most enticing title, I know.

Truth is, it’s more fun to read about Instagrammable cabins, sexy marketing, and a guest experience that feels like light beams shining through the trees on a foggy morning.

But with that fun stuff comes a whole load of boring things you have to work through. Like accessibility laws, or insurance. It’s part of the deal when starting a glamping business. 

Today’s dispatch won’t be a white-knuckle ride, but it may stop you overlooking something really important. And, in turn, save you a ton of money and hassle.

So here’s a guide to all the little things you shouldn’t forget when starting out in this business.

The Glamping Insider, reporting for duty.

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The Boring Stuff You Shouldn’t Forget

Business Structure

No matter how small, a glamping business is a real business, not a hobby. That means you need to figure out what structure the business will take.

It will probably be a C-Corp, but S-Corps, partnerships and or sole proprietorships are also options.

I’m not going to tell you which is the best fit for your circumstances. That’s for the lawyers.

Which leads me to…

The Boring Costs

Lawyers and accountants. They make for the most boring meetings of your life, but you need them to make sure everything is above board.

Not only are they necessary, they can be useful. If you’re raising capital, you’ll need their help to figure out how to put the deal together. 

I can vouch for this personally. We at Posh Outdoors would be completely lost without CFO and qualified accountant Lee Pritchard, who’s been the wizard behind our capital structure.

Just know that lawyers and accountants are expensive. Really expensive. Don’t forget to keep a healthy chunk of change aside in your projections for these boring costs.

Property Due Diligence

Land hunting is one of the most exciting parts of starting a glamping business. Walking a property that you know is ‘the one’ is an incredible feeling.

But don’t let the sexiness overrule the boring stuff. I wrote a whole dispatch on this last month, but here’s the condensed version:

• Do a thorough market analysis 

• Figure out availability of power, water and septic long before budgeting

• Find out the zoning designation and the county permitting process

• Check the road access is suitable

• Speak to insurers early

The ADA

The Americans with Disabilities Act is something that most operators don’t think about, but ignoring it could cost you your business. Piss off the wrong person and you’ll have a major lawsuit on your hands.

There are two things you need to bear in mind with the ADA:

1. Accessible design

2. Proper staff training and procedures

On design, you may need a certain number of accessible units. Think wider doors, ramps rather than stairs, and wet rooms instead of basic showers.

On procedures, you need to ensure staff are trained up on accessibility laws. The last thing you need is them trying to charge a pet fee for a service dog.

I recorded a whole podcast on the ADA last year. Check it out on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Youtube.

Licenses

Serving food at your property? You’ll probably need a license. Same goes for alcohol.

Recruitment Practicalities

If your property is in the middle of nowhere, you may find hiring a challenge. Potential recruits probably won’t want a 2-hour commute every day.

The typical solution here is to provide on-site accommodation for staff. This could be in the form of buildings, cabins, or even just an RV hookup. 

Just make sure it’s allowed with your zoning first. Some zoning designations will have specific rules on staff accommodation. 

Insurance

I’ve said this a few times, but insurance can get super expensive, particularly in coastal areas where there’s a high risk of natural disasters.

To avoid a nasty shock, speak to insurers early to get a proper feel for the costs.

I always recommend speaking to Chris Hipple for your insurance needs. I get nothing from it, but he understands the market like the back of his hand.

And that’s it for the boring stuff! See, that wasn’t so bad. I promise next week’s dispatch will be more exciting!

💡Idea of the Week - Raise Prices When You Go Viral

This was stolen from Ben Wolff, founder of Onera and StayOasi.

As well as being marketing whizzes, Ben and his team are revenue management experts. It’s why Posh Outdoors has brought him to maximize rates and occupancy at our partner locations.

Ben gave away a golden revenue management nugget in his newsletter this week. If one of your social media posts goes viral, demand for bookings will spike. And not only will more guests want to book, they’ll be less price sensitive, as they have to stay in the world-class units they’ve just seen.

This is the time to raise prices. If you don’t, you’re leaving money on the table.

🌎️Insider’s World

I’ve been listening to Inhaler’s latest album, Open Wide, all week. They’re an Irish alt-rock band, and their frontman is Bono’s son.

It’s more poppy than their previous two albums, but it’s a fun listen if you like that kind of thing. Would recommend.