Company description
GuestVessel is a safe and secure community that provides a place for screened members to trade their free living space, for extra living space when and where they need it.
Traditional home exchange clubs, that do direct swaps, lack flexibility, which means that they only appeal to a small percentage of people.
GuestVessel's token system adds the flexibility needed to open the home swap market to a far broader audience.
And because of the token system, people can now use the service when guests visit them. So if you have friends or family visiting you and no room to put them up, then you can put them up for free in other members' homes near yours.
http://www.guestvessel.com/gv/how_it_works.php
It like a hybrid between home exchange and time share, but far cooler than that!
1% of Americans have tried a home swap...over 40% would "given the right opportunity" (Tripadvisor survey)
Team
Eliot Yaxley
Although on his first startup as Founder, Eliot has always been an entrepreneur at heart. With a honors degree in marketing communications and market research, he knows the foundations of understanding what the customer wants, what they are missing and how to bring a solution to that problem.
He has turned an idea into a fully working website service with a relatively small investment, partnering with a technology company and utilizing a string of advisors and contacts.
Our aim is to build our membership base enough to start charging memberships and prove traction to investors.
Key Advisors
Nicole Frank - Most respected independent home swap blogger for market intelligence, contacts and strategic alliances.
Roger Wu - Founder and CEO/CTO of Kickable.TV - technology advise as well as marketing and contacts
Business model
3 streams of revenue:
1. Annual membership fees
2. Highly targeted advertising - city guides/entertainment/airlines etc.
3. Licensing to established groups/communities i.e. alumni associations
Competitive advantage
- Nothing like this is market (only direct swaps or 2nd homes)
- Fast Growing area as people look to save money on travel
- 40% of US pop would do a home swap "if given the right opportunity."
- Token system opens up market to hundreds of millions of people worldwide, that previously found home swaps too inflexible.
- Only company to not only verify properties, but also conduct criminal background checks on all members
Eliot Yaxley
I like this update!
