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These Airbnb Alternatives Offer Safe Spaces
WSJ
Austin, Texas-based Golightly has “a mission of safety” as its motto. “I discovered some people like me feel safer in a t...
Problem
The vacation rental industry isn't designed with women's safety in mind
Golightly co-founder Victoria O'Connell experienced a horrible, dangerous situation while hosting on one of the major rental platforms. These platforms — Airbnb (IPO $100B), Booking.com ($75B), HomeAway (Sale to Expedia $39B) — are massive and anonymous, and abound with horror stories.
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Solution
Creating the most secure global network of travel for women, by women
Our mission is to provide a trusted platform for women to connect, host guests and book accommodations safely, empower them with a software to build and grow their businesses, and create the world’s most interconnected, international women's network, fostering sustainable businesses within our global community.
Product
More than a rental platform
- S
aaS platform provides an internal social network and travel forum fostering conversations, connections, recommendations and tips - Global networking through our proprietary software & LinkedIn integration
- Exclusive events, trips and retreats
- Unique activations and offers with our
brand partners - Custom brand content: web, social
and email
Traction
$750K, 17K+ members and 38K properties in 100 countries — despite COVID
- A high growth, engaged, community-driven brand built through a referral-based sustainable network effect
- With no marketing spend, grown to 17K+ members &
38K properties through word-of-mouth - Members and properties in 100 countries
- Members include olympic medalists, doctors, activists, writers, filmmakers, artists, ambassadors, CEOs, Supreme Court judges & professional moms
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Milestones
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- Secured $750K
- Built product, internal social forum, proprietary tech
- Bookings secured
- Recurring revenue
- Massive social reach (150K+)
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Press
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Customers
Community at a glance
- Golightly members are influential, international, affluent travel lovers & hosts — dreamers & doers who are passionate about our mission and community.
- Members include Olympic medalists, doctors, activists, writers, filmmakers, artists, ambassadors, CEOs, Supreme Court Judges & Professional Moms.
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Business model
Fee-based revenue
- Golightly operates as a fee-based platform, collecting from the host and traveler. Additional revenue generated through membership fees, events and tours, custom travel / owner insurance, property photography and brand partnerships.
- Golightly is a double-bottom-line company — measuring our success not only on revenue but also positive social impact and sustainability.
Market
$253B TAM
558M Alternative Accommodation Travelers
x
$453 per traveler*
*(Average annual revenue per Alternative Accommodation User in 2019 | Statista)
Market trends
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The Intersection of the Female Traveler...
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...and the Female Homeowner:
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Competition
We stand apart in focusing on women's safety
We don’t consider Airbnb & Vrbo direct competitors, as we’re a private club for women. Our solution is better for female hosts and travelers, providing a safer, more accountable platform. Many of our advisors are former Vrbo executives, and they agree...
Vision and strategy
Our mission of safety in travel is resounding with women around the world
...and with > 50% of the population, the growth potential is limitless.
As more and more women discover Golightly and her game-changing ways to enable safer travel globally, we are looking to grow our resources to support this fast growth and in turn to be able to support our community and their needs. We have not yet fully invested in Marketing, so once we are able to dedicate budget for more women to discover us, our growth is predicted to thrive globally.
Next Steps
- Launching Trips
- Roll out Tiered Memberships
- Grow corporate sponsors to support mission of women’s safety
- Invest in Marketing
Raise funds to:
- Support Rapid Growth
- Expand Team
- Support acquisitions
- Accelerate growth across US, Canada and Europe
- Advance the product, user experience and tech platform
- Invest in membership and supply acquisition for recurring revenue
Funding
.....
We have secured $750,000 in friends
& family investment on SAFE notes.
.....
Founders
V
ictoria O’Connell
Founder & CEO
Victoria is a tech entrepreneur with over 19 years of experience co-founding and managing JDP Global. She led the company’s initiative into e-commerce, which resulted in profitability in year one. Victoria also invests in a female-owned real estate portfolio with both long and short term rental properties in London, Dubai and Miami.
James Hirsch
Co-Founder & COO
James is a seasoned marketing executive with a passion for travel. He previously worked as creative director at HBO where he oversaw strategy and development. James left HBO to launch Good Corporate Citizen, a digital marketing agency focused on providing tailored marketing solutions for start-ups.
