7 minute read
Glamping Entrepreneurs: Starting from Scratch
Land deal puts michigan glamping entrepreneurs within reach of their dream.
Mike and Melissa Crowe have been in the glamping business for a few years now, but they have yet to host a single guest – or even open their park. But that might be changing soon.
The Crowes are the owners of the Mitten Getaways Glamping Company – a Michigan based firm that has been stretching the definition of “startup” since 2020. But the persevering duo (he’s a full-time pharmacist and she’s a full-time mom) had big news this month . . . they finally have a purchase agreement for land for their 12-unit resort.
“We found our land and we have it under contract,” Mike Crowe said. “It’s about 100 acres on a private lake near Howell, Michigan (midway between Lansing and Detroit). It’s surrounded by hundreds acres of state land, so we’ll have the seclusion we want without having to purchase the extra land around us.”
The Crowes, like hundreds of entrepreneurs around North America, long dreamed of hosting glamping guests along their own quiet lakefront. But unlike most, they’ve now managed to take their project well beyond the dream stage.
Method To The Madness
The Crowes have gone about things in a very methodical, yet less-than-traditional manner. Mike channeled the attention to detail required of a pharmacist into gathering reams of data on glamping and worked with consultants to develop detailed feasibility studies regarding his glamping facility.
At the same time, the two got busy on the marketing side, launching a slick website as well as a very active presence on social media to both pump up their fledgling brand and help gauge consumer interest in central Michigan glamping.
On their website, you can now purchase your own Mitten Getaways merchandise from shirts to hats, backpacks, mugs and even baby onesies.
There’s also a monthly e-newsletter that already has eight issues, and a new podcast called Mitten Minute (hosted by Mike and Melissa) that is being launch on the popular Woodall’s Campground Magazine website.
While it may seem the Crowes have things a bit out of order, they have been highly successful in building an online following and significantly raised the profile of their brand and their yet-to-be-built resort.
Things Have Changed
When we first wrote about the Crowes and Mitten Getaways in the February/March 2023 edition of Glamping Business Americas Magazine, they’d been stymied by government process paperwork, and an inability to close the deal of any piece of adequate land. They couldn’t find a seller willing to give them the time they needed to finalize a land deal.
“We had put in three different purchase agreements on two other pieces of land in Michigan, but we just couldn’t get the owners to give us enough time to put everything together and the land went to other buyers,” Crowe said. “Now, we are so glad that we didn’t get those first deals done because each piece of land we’ve looked at has been better than the last one.”
The new parcel near Howell is currently a private residence, with plenty of room to add the three dome structures, three safari tents, three pole tents, two covered wagons, and one teepee the Crowes plan to erect to launch Mitten Getaways. The Crowes plan to keep it simple, providing clean, quiet, and comfortable accommodations in a setting that allows guests to take advantage of the nature around them.
“We are both very excited,” said Crowe. “We’ve got our momentum back. We’ve learned a lot along the way, and we’ve fine-tuned our budget. We’re a lot smarter now about all of the different processes required and the timelines.”
The Crowes plan to open their new resort by June 2024. In the meantime, they still have their work cut out. They’ll need a completed Michigan wetlands delineation to ensure there won’t be any environmental restrictions on the land, and there’s plans for a more detailed independent feasibility study along with site surveys and other planning.
Being Good Neighbors
The Crowes have also grown to expect some degree of resistance from neighbors to their plans. “We’ve taken what we learned in the past,” he said. “We won’t be publicly divulging the exact location of the property until after township approval.”
Mike Crowe said he’s considering going doorto-door to introduce he and Melissa’s vision. He’s confident he can convince area residents that Mitten Getaways intends to be a very good neighbor, but he knows misconceptions combined with lead time could be detrimental to their success.
“If a private party purchased this land and moved in with a bunch of motorized toys, it would ruin it for the neighbors,” he said. “We in fact won’t allow those types of activities. Our resort will be a quiet place for our guests to relax. We also plan to be a destination pillar for the community and be very supportive of other local businesses. I envision a lot of partnerships with area businesses.”
Financing The Dream
Of course, a dream of glamping success is only a dream unless you have the financing.
“Our current approach is a USDA loan,” Crowe said. “We have to have 25% down on the total project cost, which is about $3 million.”
The Crowes are currently working with a bank loan and are also raising funds through private equity investment and a somewhat unique glamper loyalty program.
The Crowes hope their glamper loyalty program, called the 5 Finger Discount Club, can be a major piece in their financing puzzle. The discount club is already being promoted on the www.mittengetaways.com website.
For $500 every five years, Club members would receive their first night free; 10% off all future bookings; a free equipment rental (such as kayaks) during their stay; priority booking at least two weeks before non-members; and 5% off for friends and family you bring along for your stay. If you aren’t quite ready to be a club member, you can still purchase Mitten Getaways glamping gift cards online.
No one can accuse the Crowes of standing still: By the end of June, the Crowes had commissioned a “pitch video,” created an online investor’s page, and launched a first round of fundraising. They’ve also created corporate partnership packages, contracted with an engineering firm to create site plans, hired a general contractor, and are anxiously awaiting their state wetlands delineation in early July.
Advice From The Trenches
Crowe has simple advice for anyone thinking of following in their glamping footsteps . . . don’t go it alone.
“Surround yourself with experienced people,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help. I know that I’m not an expert in every aspect of pharmacy. It’s the same thing with the glamping industry. It takes a team to do this.”
More Info
If you missed Part 1 of Glamping Business Americas Magazine’s coverage of the Crowes and their Mitten Getaways glamping startup, you can read it here.
You can watch the Crowes’ Mitten Minute podcast on Woodall’s Campground Magazine’s Facebook, YouTube or LinkedIn pages or at www.mittengetaways.com/minute. The show will also be distributed as a podcast and can be listened to on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
About Mike Gast
Mike Gast was the Vice President of Communications for Kampgrounds of America, Inc. for the past 20 years. Now, he’s on to new adventures, helping others tell their stories through his freelance company, ‘Imi Ola Group. You can reach Mike at mike.imiolagroup@gmail.com
