Wanderlust Waypoints
Summary
I founded Wanderlust Waypoints in 2017 to connect vanlifers, overlanders, and other self-contained travelers with private properties where they could safely stop, stay, and explore. The idea grew from a simple observation: many travelers were looking for more personal, memorable alternatives to traditional campgrounds, while property owners often had beautiful land that was underused or difficult to monetize.
I built the business from the ground up, developing its brand, website, marketing strategy, property-partner program, booking workflows, guest experience, and operating systems. I created the tools and processes needed to support both sides of the marketplace, from recruiting and onboarding property owners to promoting locations, managing reservations, communicating with guests, and coordinating the details of each stay
The result was a distributed hospitality network that served 650+ travelers, partnered with approximately 30 properties, and reached more than 250,000 people through its digital presence. The business created value for both sides of the marketplace: travelers gained access to unique destinations beyond traditional campgrounds, while property owners gained a professionally managed way to welcome guests and generate revenue from their land.
Over time, Wanderlust Waypoints became more than a collection of overnight locations. It developed into a recognizable travel brand and community built around discovery, independence, and meaningful connections between travelers and the places they visit.
Conclusion
Wanderlust Waypoints has been an ongoing lesson in what it actually takes to operate the thing after the branding, website, and launch are finished.
I’ve had to think simultaneously about customer acquisition, property partnerships, pricing, booking technology, guest experience, operations, marketing, financial management, communications, and the hundreds of small decisions that determine whether a business works outside of a pitch deck.
What began as an experiment in connecting travelers with unused private land grew into a hospitality network that has welcomed 650+ travelers, worked with approximately 30 properties, built a reach of 250,000+ people, and created an entirely new way for property owners and nomadic travelers to find one another.