They Raised $1M in Five Weeks (with no investors)

What is Experiential Hospitality with Isaac French?

This is the audio version of my weekly newsletter, Experiential Hospitality, where I share stories and insights to help you craft unforgettable spaces and experiences through design & hospitality.

The view took my breath away.

Wisps of mist rose from Emerald
Farms blanketing the Valley.

Four, like a patchwork quilt,
curling up to meet clouds.

Freckling the sunlit sky.

I stood at the edge of a
mountaintop in eastern Tennessee,

just drinking it all in.

If you haven't guessed yet,
this is Bolt Farm, tree House,

the Iconic Tree House retreat.

Created by Seth and Tory Bolt who
invited me out to visit in May.

I haven't been able to stop replaying
their story in my head ever since.

Their journey to hosting folks in
the Clouds began a decade ago as a

wedding gift for his bride to be Seth
Handbuilt, a tree house with his dad

in South Carolina for their honeymoon.

The experience was so magical that
he decided to build four more.

The internet went wild.

Tons of big press.

An Instagram.

Following that quickly,
rocketed past 150,000.

Then disaster struck a small but
vocal group of local cave people.

That's my moniker for Citizens
Against Virtually Everything.

Got angry that short-term rentals
were being developed in the

area and organized a protest.

Blindsided and heartbroken.

The bolts were forced to shut
down and sell the property.

Just imagine the devastation.

Crushed but not broken.

They moved to Tennessee and using Google
Earth found attractive mountaintop

land in the middle of nowhere.

It wasn't officially for sale, but
they befriended the owner and got it

under contract for 12,500 an acre.

This time, their dream was even bigger.

But the bank didn't exactly get it.

So Seth and Tori took matters into
their own hands using their last $500.

They commissioned renderings and
pitched the idea directly to their

Instagram audience, inviting them
to pre-book stays at this yet to

exist resort in just five weeks.

They raised a million dollars without
giving up a single share of equity.

I know my mind was blown
when I heard that step.

Seth told me with a chuckle about his
banker calling him up in disbelief.

Hey man.

Um, yeah.

Um, there's been a ton of money deposited
in your account in the past few weeks,

and you don't even own the land yet.

Uh, you guys dealing drugs or something.

Seth inwardly pumped
his fist just a little.

I can relate.

I've said it before and
this is a perfect example.

Conviction attracts capital and that's
why storytelling matters so much.

What I haven't mentioned,
Seth is a literal rockstar.

For 23 years, he's been making
music and touring with his band.

Need to breathe While he was out on
tour, Tori who met her husband while

interviewing the band as a news anchor
years before was thrown in the deep

end, managing a ragtag construction
crew, attempting to build a one of

a kind retreat on top of a mountain
in six months with a hard deadline.

As stressful as any deadline, they
made it down to the last minute.

Tori herself was cleaning the
finishing touches when the

first wide-eyed guest arrived.

A rocket ship is the only
way I can describe it.

Here's bolt farm by the numbers today.

681,000 followers, a hundred
percent direct bookings, 93%

total occupancy, a team of 60.

Over $9.4

million in revenue this year
to date, which is on track

to double year over year.

They've continued to expand, opening a
state-of-the-art wellness facility and

more tree houses, which now total 50.

My own experience was dreamy the winding
two track through the dense forest

tunnel, the perfectly lit tree, house
of vinyl record, spinning in the corner

and candles flickering sunrise through
those panoramic windows the next morning.

What a perfect example of great hardware.

IE real estate meets great
software, hospitality, pure magic.

We hosted the bolts at the French
Farm this week, and I'm full of

inspiration and fresh vision.

Theirs is one of my favorite
stories I've yet to encounter.

Let it be a little reminder for
whatever you're dreaming of building.

You don't need permission to start
and if, or actually when your

dream seems crushed, don't give up.

Just find a higher mountain.