1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,280 We just like handed the hostel over to him after a couple months of training. We're just like we're out 2 00:00:04,280 --> 00:00:08,720 We need a vacation like oh my god, you know, we're talking 80 to 90 hour work 3 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:16,180 No employees no weekends no romance, you know, just like we made the sacrifice just to scale our business like long days 4 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:18,080 No sleep, you know 5 00:00:18,080 --> 00:00:23,880 Trips no vacations and then and then we just gave it to the Andrew and then and then did a stress test, right? 6 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:31,960 Oh, and then we just we just went to Thailand and we came back didn't burn down and things things worked like it went well 7 00:00:53,880 --> 00:01:01,020 With hostile operators or travel influencers to hear about their real success discuss trending hostile topics 8 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:07,040 Enclose with tips for travelers who are seeking to have the ultimate experience from visiting each destination 9 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:11,960 You can't afford to miss this trip a bass in your seat belts and let's hit the road 10 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:21,800 Welcome back to the hostile road trip podcast 11 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:27,100 Really excited about today's episode with a hostile legend a living legend 12 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:33,760 Branky Medusa of the bunk and brew hostile in Bend, Oregon, but that's just 13 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:39,720 The beginning of Frankie and that's just the tip of the iceberg because his journey has been super 14 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:47,000 Amazing in so many ways and he's found himself over in Portugal working on this abroad project and he's also 15 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:51,560 One of the founding members of the Daha the North American Hostile Association 16 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:56,320 So the biggest question is how are we gonna fit it all into one episode? 17 00:01:56,760 --> 00:02:02,440 I don't know. I've been doing push-ups in the corner for the past 10 minutes trying to get jacked up to keep up for it 18 00:02:02,440 --> 00:02:07,480 But let's dive in I'm with Frankie Medusa and Robert Dyer 19 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:14,920 My co-founder and partner of IGH hostels and we're ready to rock out an awesome episode. Thanks for being here guys 20 00:02:14,920 --> 00:02:17,400 Thanks guys. All right excited to be here 21 00:02:18,040 --> 00:02:19,400 Yeah, all right 22 00:02:19,400 --> 00:02:24,040 So this is our you know, second attempt Frankie is a adventurous man 23 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:31,160 And that's one of the things I've always loved about Frankie is that he never lost the genuine traveler within him 24 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:38,280 Despite having these entrepreneurial ambitions because a lot of times one devours the other 25 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:41,880 You know, you're you've got the traveling gypsy within you 26 00:02:41,880 --> 00:02:47,240 And it it never lets your entrepreneurial aspirations come to light on the flip side 27 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:53,080 You might be the traveling gypsy and then all of a sudden your entrepreneurial aspirations start to kill that gypsy 28 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:59,880 So I love to see that the gypsy still lives inside you despite all these awesome adventures you're taking 29 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:04,360 And things that you're doing but tell us where you're at right now in the world 30 00:03:05,560 --> 00:03:08,600 No, thanks. Great. I'm in Portugal right now 31 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:11,400 What part of Portugal is a lesbian Lisbon Portugal 32 00:03:11,800 --> 00:03:14,440 I am just north of Lisbon by about two hours 33 00:03:14,440 --> 00:03:20,200 I'm in a small town called Omar Portugal and it's actually the uh, the Knights Templar headquarters 34 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:24,600 And i'm still figuring out how to become a Templar. So okay 35 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:27,560 That's awesome 36 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:31,560 We're behind the scenes project I like it 37 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:33,880 Yeah, but obviously you started 38 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:40,920 Bunk and Brew with Jay. We just recorded an episode with Jay in which we focused a lot on the Bunk and Brew property 39 00:03:41,240 --> 00:03:45,320 And the awesome story that you guys had together 40 00:03:45,800 --> 00:03:50,840 And how you met in a soccer league and you know by chance via a mutual friend 41 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:58,040 And then just you know hit it off and had that compliment of opposites attract type of thing, you know 42 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:03,160 And complimenting skill sets and i've always looked at you and Jay as a similar 43 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:08,120 Style to Bobby and myself, you know, you know two guys that respect each other 44 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:13,080 Work well with each other and understand that each other have different talents that are bringing it to the table 45 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:17,560 And so i've always been a big fan of your guys, but give us a little bit of a 46 00:04:18,680 --> 00:04:23,160 Brief story of how you got to the point where you wanted to be a Templar 47 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:31,480 And you know and preceding Bunk and Brew what was your experience or your exposure to hostels that made you want to do this? 48 00:04:32,440 --> 00:04:38,600 Yeah, yeah good good points and good questions geez and i'm really excited to listen to that interview with Jay 49 00:04:38,600 --> 00:04:42,120 I purposely haven't listened to it yet. This will be great to compare 50 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:45,800 Yeah, so, you know, I think it's it's interesting 51 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:49,880 You know, I've been listening to a lot of people and I've been listening to a lot of people and I've been listening to a lot of people 52 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:56,600 Yeah, so, you know, I think it's it's interesting, you know, I've mentored some people now to like open hostels and people reach out 53 00:04:57,400 --> 00:04:58,680 um 54 00:04:58,680 --> 00:04:58,920 You know 55 00:04:58,920 --> 00:05:03,320 I think there's the traveler that has traveled the world and just knows they want to own one and be part of one for 56 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:05,320 The rest of their life and they want to start one 57 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:09,560 And then there was like me I I was just kind of working to travel and traveling, you know 58 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:14,040 Just getting money to sit in that corporate grind that corporate life and then just travel like that was what? 59 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:17,960 filled the void for me was just being enriched by other cultures and 60 00:05:17,960 --> 00:05:19,300 and 61 00:05:19,300 --> 00:05:20,460 experiencing 62 00:05:20,460 --> 00:05:23,660 Something new outside of my bubble. So 63 00:05:24,540 --> 00:05:26,860 It's weird. I never wanted to necessarily own one 64 00:05:26,860 --> 00:05:31,580 But then you know, like all of us do we neglect our own backyard and I was like, okay 65 00:05:31,580 --> 00:05:35,420 I come to this great state of the you know, Oregon. So the Pacific Northwest 66 00:05:35,420 --> 00:05:39,740 I was a Washington born native moved to Oregon in my young 20s for college and 67 00:05:40,060 --> 00:05:43,260 Mother Nature's it's on freaking steroids in that area. It is 68 00:05:44,780 --> 00:05:45,660 And 69 00:05:45,660 --> 00:05:50,780 Yeah, it's it's stunning. And so I'm started to just do a lot more and I was in Boy Scouts 70 00:05:50,860 --> 00:05:53,820 And so I did a lot when I was younger, but then I just started really doing a lot more 71 00:05:53,820 --> 00:05:57,420 I'm just tapping into the local scenes and then just discovered Ben's 72 00:05:58,300 --> 00:06:00,700 Um, I discovered it for the first time I think it's like 73 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:02,780 2015 74 00:06:02,780 --> 00:06:04,700 Um 1415 75 00:06:04,700 --> 00:06:07,820 And just fell in love with it. It was you know, three hours drive from Portland 76 00:06:07,900 --> 00:06:09,660 And just needing to get out of the big city 77 00:06:09,660 --> 00:06:12,860 And I tried to like check into a room and I think it was like 200 78 00:06:12,860 --> 00:06:17,900 300 a night at that even at that time and everything was full like well, where's the hostel? 79 00:06:17,900 --> 00:06:21,100 So I just started doing some research nothing no community. No affordability 80 00:06:21,820 --> 00:06:29,420 Nothing inexpensive. I was like, okay, like like something's going on here. So it was kind of like well, I didn't mean to reinvent 81 00:06:29,980 --> 00:06:34,780 It's just like if I'm affected affected personally, I think others are going to be affected 82 00:06:34,780 --> 00:06:37,900 I don't think I'm in the minority here. And so 83 00:06:38,860 --> 00:06:40,140 um 84 00:06:40,140 --> 00:06:42,140 Yeah, so it was just kind of like 85 00:06:42,140 --> 00:06:45,180 What are the next steps to put my life in motion to start a hostel there? 86 00:06:45,340 --> 00:06:50,220 It's like this it'll be better than the corporate grind of doing all this work for somebody else's gang, right? 87 00:06:50,380 --> 00:06:54,060 You know, you go to school for all that stuff and it's just kind of like well, you know 88 00:06:54,060 --> 00:06:58,220 I think i've done as much as I needed to do in five years. I felt like this is boring 89 00:06:58,300 --> 00:07:04,060 And so why not do something new and fun and adventurous and also enrich other people's lives and kind of check a box 90 00:07:04,140 --> 00:07:07,660 Uh, like okay. I want to move to ben. I also I need to start a business 91 00:07:08,060 --> 00:07:10,060 Uh to make that happen 92 00:07:10,060 --> 00:07:12,060 Uh, that's no that's all 93 00:07:12,300 --> 00:07:14,460 Yeah, it was really expensive to move there. So 94 00:07:17,900 --> 00:07:22,300 You bring up some great points, you know right right off the bat there, you know for 95 00:07:22,860 --> 00:07:24,940 potential hostel operators out there 96 00:07:25,420 --> 00:07:31,260 One of the great things that we always bring up is if you're willing to live off of the beast and live within the hostel 97 00:07:31,740 --> 00:07:32,620 uh 98 00:07:32,620 --> 00:07:38,620 You know you can find yourself living in tier one cities that you would never be able to afford, you know 99 00:07:38,620 --> 00:07:41,340 Or in situations in neighborhoods in certain cities that you're like 100 00:07:41,980 --> 00:07:47,740 We have an operation in little italy san diego, which is like a thriving up-and-coming very bougie neighborhood 101 00:07:48,140 --> 00:07:52,220 It's smack dab in the middle that you still got our bohemian hostel with the flags out front 102 00:07:52,700 --> 00:07:58,540 And it's pretty funny as you see all these hippies falling out of that house and people are like where did these people come from? 103 00:07:58,620 --> 00:08:00,620 We're like still holding strong, baby 104 00:08:01,740 --> 00:08:03,740 Sorry, it's 105 00:08:03,740 --> 00:08:09,260 Yeah, it's a cool thing in that but I also think it's you know, uh 106 00:08:10,140 --> 00:08:13,020 How you found yourself in that, you know, what's in my backyard? 107 00:08:13,660 --> 00:08:18,940 There are a lot of places throughout the country that could use a hostel where people would really think of it 108 00:08:19,020 --> 00:08:24,860 And if you're from there and you're a local, you know, you're that local ambassador already. You're that local champion 109 00:08:25,340 --> 00:08:28,300 uh, and that can be an awesome thing to continue to 110 00:08:28,300 --> 00:08:32,940 Bring you uh more saturation to the industry now 111 00:08:33,020 --> 00:08:37,820 Also, you know, so you you've got this bucket brew project and obviously we mentioned earlier that 112 00:08:38,380 --> 00:08:44,460 You know you from there you went on to do so many other things. What I think is really inspiring about your story 113 00:08:44,940 --> 00:08:48,620 and jay's story or one of the very inspiring things is 114 00:08:49,260 --> 00:08:50,380 you 115 00:08:50,380 --> 00:08:53,340 Started the hostel you opened it you rocked it out 116 00:08:54,060 --> 00:08:57,340 And then it wasn't a prison, you know a lot of people 117 00:08:57,340 --> 00:09:01,820 You know a lot of people get concerned and rightfully so, you know 118 00:09:01,900 --> 00:09:06,140 A lot of small business operators become an inmate to their own business, you know 119 00:09:06,540 --> 00:09:10,780 That is their prison that is their stuff. I I don't get to leave. I don't get to go on vacation 120 00:09:11,020 --> 00:09:16,860 I I have to be here all the time and that's a really scary thing to think of and I think it stops a lot 121 00:09:16,860 --> 00:09:18,700 Of people from trying it 122 00:09:18,700 --> 00:09:23,980 And I think you guys are a prime example of that doesn't have to be like that 123 00:09:23,980 --> 00:09:28,780 You know with the right systems and the right setup and things in the right business model 124 00:09:29,340 --> 00:09:30,780 clearly 125 00:09:30,780 --> 00:09:36,620 You were able to start that have that experience and then and you moved on to this portugal up 126 00:09:37,260 --> 00:09:42,540 Project which I want to dive into next but give us a little bit of insight on how you two pulled that off so quickly 127 00:09:43,020 --> 00:09:49,020 You were yeah, you opened it you were on site and then you guys were off on the run again in your own directions 128 00:09:49,020 --> 00:09:54,300 Yeah. Yeah, I mean I remember kind of the early days and first manager, you know 129 00:09:54,620 --> 00:09:58,140 I think a lot of people don't realize what they get themselves into when they open a hostel 130 00:09:58,140 --> 00:10:02,140 So jay, you know as you probably told you it comes from law and corporate background 131 00:10:02,220 --> 00:10:07,100 I come from health care it medicine background and we quit our great jobs in our corporate jobs and then 132 00:10:07,500 --> 00:10:12,940 Opened the hostel and we just turned ourselves into glorified maids and housekeepers and a bunch of pimps 133 00:10:13,820 --> 00:10:15,820 on the side on the side, but uh 134 00:10:15,820 --> 00:10:18,380 But uh, no no in all reality 135 00:10:19,180 --> 00:10:26,700 Scrubbing toilets making beds cleaning flipping right and you have no money to pay employees and we're just like god like how long is this going to go on for right? 136 00:10:26,700 --> 00:10:29,900 And so we kind of sat down. There's really looked at each other like okay 137 00:10:30,220 --> 00:10:33,740 Let's you know start documenting everything we do getting your systems down 138 00:10:33,740 --> 00:10:37,820 And so, you know jay likes to use that term if you're hit by a bus can the business survive without you? 139 00:10:37,820 --> 00:10:43,020 And I think a lot of small business business owners in america probably probably would say if I died 140 00:10:43,020 --> 00:10:46,140 You know if I walked across the street was hit by a bus my business will also fail with me 141 00:10:46,700 --> 00:10:53,260 And that's you know, that's sad because like you know small business. Yeah, what makes up america it runs america employees america and so 142 00:10:54,060 --> 00:10:56,060 um and so 143 00:10:56,060 --> 00:10:59,180 Uh, we started documenting everything and then we finally came into the money 144 00:10:59,180 --> 00:11:03,100 We're kind of like after about you know right around that year. They're like, okay jay 145 00:11:03,420 --> 00:11:09,260 We're like do we pay ourselves or do we hire somebody to do what we were doing to just kind of like go back from not you know 146 00:11:09,260 --> 00:11:15,340 Go back from not you know from being owner managers to being owners, you know working on your business not in your business 147 00:11:15,340 --> 00:11:17,820 and so what's what's that direction and so 148 00:11:18,460 --> 00:11:22,940 um we started we hired somebody as soon as we hired them we got them trained up and 149 00:11:23,260 --> 00:11:26,780 I think we went to thailand was our first trip together away from the business 150 00:11:26,940 --> 00:11:30,460 It was at like maybe a year and a half mark. It was like a one and a half month 151 00:11:30,780 --> 00:11:35,420 Maybe it was a two month trip. We did thailand and miamara actually and we just trained this manager up 152 00:11:35,420 --> 00:11:39,340 Um great guy still friends with him to this day. He's actually running a food truck now 153 00:11:39,980 --> 00:11:41,660 um, but uh 154 00:11:41,660 --> 00:11:45,580 Uh, his name is andrew love him if you've ever been got to eat at his uh smatch burger 155 00:11:45,980 --> 00:11:48,140 Uh food truck, but anyway, uh 156 00:11:49,340 --> 00:11:52,380 We just like handed the hospital over to him after a couple months of training 157 00:11:52,380 --> 00:11:57,820 We're just like we're out we need a vacation like oh my god, you know, we're talking 80 to 90 hour work 158 00:11:57,820 --> 00:12:05,340 It's no employees. No weekends. No romance. You know, just like we made the sacrifice just to scale our business like long days 159 00:12:05,900 --> 00:12:12,700 No sleep, you know, no trips no vacations and then and then we just gave it to andrew and then and then did a stress test 160 00:12:12,780 --> 00:12:17,420 Right, and then we just we just went to thailand and miamara and um, we came back 161 00:12:17,500 --> 00:12:21,660 Didn't burn down and things things worked like it went well and so 162 00:12:21,660 --> 00:12:27,420 Um, we probably stayed on on site for another year and a half. So I was there for probably about three to four years 163 00:12:27,820 --> 00:12:30,460 Um after a couple years of living with the staff 164 00:12:30,540 --> 00:12:34,940 I did a whole van life build out and then lived another uh, two more years out of my vehicle on site 165 00:12:35,100 --> 00:12:41,100 Um the dirt bag van life jay, he he had a romance. Um, you know traveled abroad 166 00:12:41,100 --> 00:12:42,620 I was a little bit more hands-on on the site 167 00:12:42,620 --> 00:12:48,140 He kind of remote a little bit sooner than I did but then I was able to achieve uh, being fully remote and I think 168 00:12:48,780 --> 00:12:50,780 You know going back to those business owners 169 00:12:50,780 --> 00:12:54,140 That you know have their idea have their baby their babies their business 170 00:12:54,460 --> 00:13:00,300 Sometimes they just can't let it go. I think us as like entrepreneurs and business owners. We're the risk taker, right? 171 00:13:00,300 --> 00:13:02,300 We're the visionary. We're the creative people 172 00:13:02,460 --> 00:13:05,100 But like ultimately I didn't go to school for like business 173 00:13:05,100 --> 00:13:10,460 I didn't go to school for tourism and hospitality which are like degrees that we've hired managers and they have those degrees 174 00:13:10,780 --> 00:13:15,820 Like I know there's a lot more smarter people out there that could really manage my business better than me 175 00:13:15,820 --> 00:13:21,980 but I just had the guts and the vision and the creativity to like take those steps to like plant that seed and to grow it and 176 00:13:21,980 --> 00:13:28,220 Then hopefully like hands it off right and to not and to get in the cheese that freedom. So yeah, how did you uh, 177 00:13:28,700 --> 00:13:33,820 How did you ever have the challenge of like being the business owner leaving and then having? 178 00:13:34,300 --> 00:13:36,300 blowback from the staff like 179 00:13:36,380 --> 00:13:39,900 Oh, you're the owner. You should be doing this, you know, or or they took you know 180 00:13:39,900 --> 00:13:45,260 They how did you manage that as we battle that with having various different businesses and it's you know 181 00:13:45,260 --> 00:13:47,260 We've learned better approaches 182 00:13:47,500 --> 00:13:51,180 Um, but did you ever find those challenges or how did you handle some of those? 183 00:13:52,380 --> 00:13:59,020 Good question. I actually remember some of the challenges, uh remotely during coven before I got back on site 184 00:13:59,020 --> 00:14:03,040 I was traveling I was remote things were going into shutdown lockdown 185 00:14:03,820 --> 00:14:09,420 And you know a hostel is kind of like a commune. There's a lot of live-in staff and it's a community 186 00:14:09,420 --> 00:14:16,460 And what I didn't realize is there were some conversations that were happening behind closed doors about us and how things should be done 187 00:14:16,940 --> 00:14:21,340 Um prior to our meetings where you know the gini would jump on the team and some of them 188 00:14:21,340 --> 00:14:24,460 I just felt like wow, I just got fed to the wolves and they just 189 00:14:26,460 --> 00:14:31,740 And just the opinions were already made up and just like it was it was nasty 190 00:14:31,740 --> 00:14:35,980 And I you know, you just learn to listen and you have to take it but um 191 00:14:37,100 --> 00:14:38,380 I felt 192 00:14:38,380 --> 00:14:44,460 Like that was the first realization that um, there could be you know, those side conversations happening behind owners 193 00:14:45,020 --> 00:14:46,860 and managers doors 194 00:14:46,860 --> 00:14:53,900 Um, and and opinions being drawn going into the meeting which is really sad for just people to kind of come to conclusions before it's discussed 195 00:14:54,460 --> 00:14:56,220 um, but 196 00:14:56,220 --> 00:15:01,820 um, I think at the end of the day it I think to lead by example is just to have 197 00:15:02,460 --> 00:15:05,740 really solid solid, um, uh a path 198 00:15:05,740 --> 00:15:09,660 And just stick to that path, but be willing to kind of deviate and just you know 199 00:15:10,940 --> 00:15:12,380 Your staff needs to be heard 200 00:15:12,380 --> 00:15:18,460 But sometimes it might not be in the best interest of the business and some people might be like a little selfish and want it in their own interest 201 00:15:18,860 --> 00:15:24,700 And so this was all kind of around covid and running business and shutdowns and occupancy and and quarantines 202 00:15:25,100 --> 00:15:29,820 Testing and all this stuff. And so, you know, we're trying to navigate with you know, government guidelines 203 00:15:29,820 --> 00:15:34,460 We're also trying to survive the pandemic and not be one of the statistics and close our business, right? 204 00:15:34,460 --> 00:15:38,620 So there's a big there's a big fine line right there and um 205 00:15:39,500 --> 00:15:40,700 um 206 00:15:40,700 --> 00:15:45,420 You got it. Everybody needs to be heard and then it's just it's just drop the hammer and just implement it 207 00:15:45,980 --> 00:15:47,980 And if you burn some bridges along the way 208 00:15:48,540 --> 00:15:53,180 Those people are probably not the ones you want to be like kept kept around or surrounded surrounded by 209 00:15:53,580 --> 00:15:58,620 And we also have found the one staffs that are like the loudest or the most opinionated 210 00:15:58,620 --> 00:16:04,380 It's like if you start um giving your energy and all your all of your energy to them 211 00:16:04,380 --> 00:16:06,380 They just kind of consume and take and then they're gone 212 00:16:06,460 --> 00:16:09,580 Anyway, they just say they just look for the next best opportunity and it's like hey 213 00:16:09,580 --> 00:16:15,420 I really like work with this person spend a lot of time kind of almost cater to them and then boom they're gone. So 214 00:16:16,140 --> 00:16:19,980 Just recognize that as a human instinct behavior pattern and just kind of 215 00:16:20,460 --> 00:16:23,420 You know pick up on those cues. I suppose you know, so 216 00:16:23,420 --> 00:16:31,120 That's that's great really great advice, uh, and so true in our unique business model of having on-site 217 00:16:31,740 --> 00:16:33,180 exchange members 218 00:16:33,180 --> 00:16:36,700 In that community feel and then they can start to 219 00:16:37,420 --> 00:16:40,620 Make, you know operation requests that are more so catered to their personal 220 00:16:41,660 --> 00:16:46,540 Interests or wants or desires, but what you really hit on for me is the time that you can waste 221 00:16:47,260 --> 00:16:52,540 Going down that rabbit hole with that type of character and personality and what we learn through the 222 00:16:52,540 --> 00:17:00,140 Trial and error that you did the same way is that you know, a lot of those types of characters and personalities are hardwired for this 223 00:17:00,140 --> 00:17:02,700 So that the more you give the more they're going to take 224 00:17:03,420 --> 00:17:05,980 And then they're just going to drain you out to the point where 225 00:17:06,620 --> 00:17:12,940 They're they're really just going to move on to their next victim at that point. It's like what we do in the shadows. Those uh, the energy vampires 226 00:17:13,500 --> 00:17:19,980 Yeah, yeah, and then you're just left there like wow. Oh my god. I jumped backwards. I made all these different things 227 00:17:19,980 --> 00:17:25,500 I I tried so I made it almost like a competitive game to meet all of your demands and requests 228 00:17:25,980 --> 00:17:28,460 And then if poof that person's gone 229 00:17:29,100 --> 00:17:31,100 Never to come back never to be seen again 230 00:17:31,580 --> 00:17:36,300 And you know, you're left to deal with what's you know left behind in that situation 231 00:17:36,300 --> 00:17:40,460 So I I love that insight that you give and then also the dropping of the hammer 232 00:17:40,940 --> 00:17:44,540 You know, that's so true in the way of you've got to stick to your guns at some point 233 00:17:45,100 --> 00:17:47,100 And you know, there's going to be some spilt milk 234 00:17:47,100 --> 00:17:52,700 You know, you're going to break some eggs to make an auto type of aspect of things and you know, there are going to be 235 00:17:53,660 --> 00:17:58,380 that that type of character that we talked about is going to probably say some very nasty things about 236 00:17:59,180 --> 00:18:03,340 You or the company and you've just got to keep on rolling because that's a lot better 237 00:18:04,140 --> 00:18:12,140 Yeah, the situation of having them linger around for months on end and continuing to drain yours and everyone else's energy 238 00:18:12,220 --> 00:18:15,660 So yeah now so going through that though 239 00:18:15,660 --> 00:18:19,980 You know and you've lived on site for a couple years and I love that, you know 240 00:18:19,980 --> 00:18:24,620 Modify then you went off site into the the van life thing and you know 241 00:18:24,780 --> 00:18:28,780 I encourage everyone to get creative with that because it's kind of like a step phase, you know 242 00:18:28,780 --> 00:18:29,580 Like, you know 243 00:18:29,580 --> 00:18:34,220 You're inside in the staff room sometimes and to start with it and then you get your own little room 244 00:18:34,380 --> 00:18:37,900 Then you might have a camper off site and all of those little changes 245 00:18:38,300 --> 00:18:43,660 Do make the difference on the way to the point where you can leave and uh do what you did 246 00:18:43,660 --> 00:18:46,060 Uh, and you know, and that's such a 247 00:18:46,700 --> 00:18:49,740 An awesome, you know feeling to know that 248 00:18:50,380 --> 00:18:54,140 You are able to take your hands off the wheel and it still drives forward 249 00:18:54,540 --> 00:18:59,100 You know in the direction and it does take a lot of trust like you brought to point 250 00:18:59,740 --> 00:19:05,580 Hiring smart people knowing that you know, they've studied the industry and maybe you haven't and trusting 251 00:19:06,300 --> 00:19:08,300 in that, you know, it can really be a 252 00:19:08,840 --> 00:19:10,300 rewarding freedom 253 00:19:10,300 --> 00:19:14,460 But what brought you to this point of portugal? 254 00:19:14,780 --> 00:19:19,820 So, you know you're in bend oregon and I can see and I can understand like for us 255 00:19:20,620 --> 00:19:22,620 It was more so 256 00:19:22,860 --> 00:19:25,580 Let's get this thing to the point where we could 257 00:19:26,780 --> 00:19:31,020 Take our hands off this wheel. Let someone else drive it so we can be opening up in another city 258 00:19:31,820 --> 00:19:33,500 in the same state 259 00:19:33,500 --> 00:19:37,580 You're all of a sudden in bend oregon and somehow find 260 00:19:37,580 --> 00:19:41,580 And oh, let me go to portugal. My guess has always been that it was a woman 261 00:19:42,060 --> 00:19:44,060 What brought you over there? 262 00:19:44,060 --> 00:19:48,540 Oh a good guess but um, yeah, I came over solo. I didn't know anybody 263 00:19:49,500 --> 00:19:51,500 I actually I knew 264 00:19:51,740 --> 00:19:58,060 People only through some hostile conferences. So really distant acquaintances that I just met at like some conferences and stuff, but um, 265 00:19:58,620 --> 00:20:01,980 um, I knew nobody and uh, you know again traveling the 266 00:20:02,460 --> 00:20:06,860 Work to travel to travel the world and I was kind of always looking for that quality of life cost of living 267 00:20:06,860 --> 00:20:10,780 That's my scale and then those are the two buckets and what goes in those buckets and that's going to 268 00:20:11,340 --> 00:20:17,420 Make me happy. So as you know cost of living is pretty obvious, you know, what's your health care with the insurance? What's your 269 00:20:17,900 --> 00:20:21,980 Um, you know things and quality of life. Do you have those things? Do you have that good access to those? 270 00:20:22,540 --> 00:20:27,100 Is it um climate is it food? Is it cuisine? You know, so security safety so 271 00:20:27,740 --> 00:20:33,820 Cost of living quality of life. This is just my scales. You know, you go to asia and uh, the food's really good 272 00:20:33,820 --> 00:20:38,860 But i'll never speak its own language and the climate. I don't like humidity like I could do desert dry hot 273 00:20:38,860 --> 00:20:42,540 But you know, it kind of gets it separated central south america starts a line 274 00:20:42,540 --> 00:20:47,580 I speak pretty good spanish and I love the culture down there, but it's a little it's hard to own real estate 275 00:20:47,580 --> 00:20:52,700 This crime or some corruption, you know, I don't know is that where I want to like raise a family live the rest of my days 276 00:20:52,700 --> 00:20:57,260 I don't know and then you know you go over to europe. Well a lot of places in europe are pretty expensive 277 00:20:57,420 --> 00:21:00,780 You look at the kind of those I like to call them second world developing, you know 278 00:21:00,780 --> 00:21:07,020 You still have your spain your italy your greece your parisia your portugal, you know, they're very pro-immigration 279 00:21:07,020 --> 00:21:13,100 They need work. They need labor. You know, if you step foot outside of you know, barcelona madrid or lisbon in porto 280 00:21:13,100 --> 00:21:15,900 It's like okay. You see how people really live, you know 281 00:21:16,540 --> 00:21:18,060 It's different. Um 282 00:21:18,060 --> 00:21:20,060 And that that was kind of attractive to me 283 00:21:20,460 --> 00:21:27,260 For opportunity for across the living for health care for crime and portugal just checking all those boxes 284 00:21:27,260 --> 00:21:34,700 Oh, it was and and i'm proud to be an american, but I also just kind of figured you know when I was hitting about uh, 285 00:21:35,340 --> 00:21:38,220 30 I was like I don't think I needed to be an american the next 286 00:21:38,620 --> 00:21:41,100 You know 30 years of my life that was just kind of like 287 00:21:41,740 --> 00:21:45,740 It was just like that's my next adventure. Like I feel like i've done the corporate, you know 288 00:21:45,820 --> 00:21:48,540 Done college done the corporate job started a small business 289 00:21:49,020 --> 00:21:53,820 Well, you know wife and kids maybe someday and then move to another country and open up a business in another country 290 00:21:53,820 --> 00:21:57,900 You know what else can enrich me and you know be adventurous, you know, and so um 291 00:21:58,700 --> 00:22:02,700 So so yeah, that's that's kind of what drew me away from the states 292 00:22:02,860 --> 00:22:07,500 And um, those were the things that I was looking for and again portugal check those boxes and that's how I landed here 293 00:22:08,140 --> 00:22:09,180 so 294 00:22:09,180 --> 00:22:11,180 That's yeah 295 00:22:11,580 --> 00:22:14,620 That's impressive. I mean, that's so much more methodical of a process 296 00:22:14,620 --> 00:22:21,740 That's what I thought. Yeah, there's a lot to it. You met some beauty and then chased her car but that was that's gorgeous. Right? Yeah 297 00:22:21,820 --> 00:22:23,820 Did you have some help up there? 298 00:22:24,860 --> 00:22:27,340 No, yeah, that was a very good way to figure it out 299 00:22:27,420 --> 00:22:31,100 And I think especially during that time during pandemic everyone's kind of like, you know 300 00:22:31,100 --> 00:22:37,580 The whole digital nomad culture got built and people kind of figured like okay so I can manage my business I can work online 301 00:22:38,220 --> 00:22:41,340 You know, where can I find a place that maybe I want to spend? 302 00:22:41,340 --> 00:22:46,780 Yeah, the second half of my life and I went through a similar experience and that brought me down to mexico after exploring some different 303 00:22:46,860 --> 00:22:50,060 Places, but I think I was like six months behind you at one point 304 00:22:50,140 --> 00:22:53,580 I think you were going to the destinations and then I would see where you were and I went there next 305 00:22:55,580 --> 00:23:00,300 I didn't wasn't ready to follow you to portugal. So I ended up sticking back in mexico, but uh, 306 00:23:00,780 --> 00:23:02,780 yeah, I think a lot of people went through that and uh 307 00:23:03,580 --> 00:23:07,820 And then so you were here in portugal and then you were like, let me do I make another hostel? 308 00:23:07,820 --> 00:23:11,820 Do what do I do or how did you yes, you know, what struck your next business move? 309 00:23:12,540 --> 00:23:15,740 Yeah, so I actually come from a bit of a small farm background 310 00:23:16,220 --> 00:23:23,420 Growing up in washington. You had 15 acres and I actually made a couple offers on some farm houses here in portugal 311 00:23:23,740 --> 00:23:25,740 That I was going to open up some wolfing 312 00:23:25,980 --> 00:23:28,620 Um, I was going to look at buildings that were going to be independent 313 00:23:28,620 --> 00:23:32,860 So I'd have my own floor have some volunteers working on organic farms. You know some volunteers on top 314 00:23:32,860 --> 00:23:38,620 Um, I was going to get into making wine. Um the olive oil the fruit everything's here 315 00:23:39,020 --> 00:23:43,580 The farms are great and I was kind of going back to my roots. Well, I had some failed negotiations with that 316 00:23:43,980 --> 00:23:46,620 Um, I sold a house in portland had some extra income 317 00:23:46,780 --> 00:23:50,300 Uh, and I just started to think a little bit differently and look let's look at some uh, 318 00:23:50,780 --> 00:23:56,220 Some other real estate in this town that I fell in love with which is tamar and I found a beautiful building that is 319 00:23:56,220 --> 00:24:03,180 Um, uh located right next to the train station in historic town. Um, so amazing walkable distance to get right off the train you there 320 00:24:03,660 --> 00:24:04,860 um 321 00:24:04,860 --> 00:24:08,460 It is actually part of the uh, an eu, um urban 322 00:24:09,820 --> 00:24:14,220 Zones or a small um urban growth zone. So there's a lot of funds 323 00:24:14,700 --> 00:24:19,100 Um for for for restoring uh, restoring or starting a business in this area 324 00:24:19,660 --> 00:24:25,580 um, i've had meetings with central tourism of portugal for funding and uh meetings with the city and uh, 325 00:24:25,580 --> 00:24:29,820 I have my permits all in the pipeline right now. They're probably going to be approved this august 326 00:24:30,460 --> 00:24:35,980 And uh, so yeah, I just kind of went from this like farmhouse kind of idea pivoted back to well, you know 327 00:24:36,460 --> 00:24:42,700 What I know best is lodging in hostels and experiences and so i'm going to actually create a co-living experience 328 00:24:42,700 --> 00:24:49,340 It's not going to be a hostel. There's actually already a hostel here in this town. Um, I think they serve do a great job 329 00:24:49,420 --> 00:24:51,580 Just downtown sweet little quaint area 330 00:24:51,580 --> 00:24:58,620 Um, but i'm gonna uh do private rooms in-suite baths. Um a whiskey bar on top 331 00:24:58,620 --> 00:25:05,980 That's open to the public and then i'm gonna do co-working. Um cafe kind of pacific northwest style cafe ground floor in portugal 332 00:25:06,220 --> 00:25:11,180 It's not so common for people to really go to the coffee shops and hang out and post up and work like it is in the u.s 333 00:25:11,260 --> 00:25:18,100 And other maybe other places. Um, they just kind of come have their food or they stand at counters drink their little coffees little 334 00:25:18,100 --> 00:25:24,620 Dicas and um an espresso and then kind of on their ways, um, but um, I kind of want to create this little bit more of a 335 00:25:25,180 --> 00:25:30,180 Multiculture hub, of course, we'll have a sauna. I'll have showers. I'll service fan lifers and people coming through 336 00:25:30,780 --> 00:25:32,780 um, and so 337 00:25:33,100 --> 00:25:39,660 That's what i'm gonna create here. It's gonna be um more of a co-living experience. Um, uh, one would say so 338 00:25:39,660 --> 00:25:47,580 This is hostile. But uh, yeah, so that's that's uh, that's and there's a lot of amazing funding 339 00:25:48,140 --> 00:25:50,300 For for starting businesses in portugal 340 00:25:50,780 --> 00:25:56,380 Um, so i'm super stoked to tap into that some really really good funding grants up to 300 000 341 00:25:56,860 --> 00:26:00,860 Um some uh small business loans into the millions with zero interest 342 00:26:01,420 --> 00:26:06,780 Um, so, um, I think you just have to have the right project in the urban area projects won't qualify for like, you know 343 00:26:06,780 --> 00:26:13,260 Porta, what lisbon, you know big cities, you know madrid barcelona like but if you go to the outskirts into up and coming towns in some 344 00:26:13,580 --> 00:26:16,400 Cool areas. There's a lot of funding for rehabilitating 345 00:26:17,340 --> 00:26:23,020 Buildings and starting small small businesses. So tap into that. Wow, that's uh, that's amazing 346 00:26:23,340 --> 00:26:26,540 I'm interested here how you kind of learned about that is we've uh 347 00:26:27,420 --> 00:26:31,100 James and I we branched out into mexico as we have a passion for mexico 348 00:26:31,740 --> 00:26:33,100 um 349 00:26:33,100 --> 00:26:38,780 And but it's definitely been very challenging getting a business started in another country a foreign country where you don't speak the language like 350 00:26:39,420 --> 00:26:44,780 It's nearly impossible for uh, you know a gringo to go in there and and just however other countries operate 351 00:26:45,020 --> 00:26:45,980 um 352 00:26:45,980 --> 00:26:48,060 I've never that I should look at that in mexico 353 00:26:48,060 --> 00:26:53,020 I've never even thought about trying to get a a branch or a loan or a development loan in mexico, but 354 00:26:53,580 --> 00:26:55,740 Picking a country that had that is a good idea, too 355 00:26:55,820 --> 00:27:01,100 How did you how did you even figure that out that you could get money and how did you go navigate the portuguese? 356 00:27:01,100 --> 00:27:03,100 Yeah, speaking the portuguese 357 00:27:03,660 --> 00:27:09,100 Yeah, so I I did qualify for a home loan. So using bunk and brew a hostile income 358 00:27:09,660 --> 00:27:13,900 Um that helped me get my d7 visa. It helped me move to uh, that's a 359 00:27:14,220 --> 00:27:19,180 It's kind of known as a retiring visa because most people with social security and passive passive income have it 360 00:27:19,180 --> 00:27:25,260 But I have kind of both active and passive income through short-term lodging and also through some investments like stocks or crypto 361 00:27:25,900 --> 00:27:30,060 Um, and so it's active and passive income so that I get the visa was a first step 362 00:27:30,060 --> 00:27:31,100 and then 363 00:27:31,100 --> 00:27:33,100 um portugal's 364 00:27:33,100 --> 00:27:38,540 They're very friendly with lending so I just um presented my my income my tax statements 365 00:27:38,860 --> 00:27:45,420 Gave it to the bank and they ran it up the ladder to the bank of portugal. They slapped some uh, uh approval on it and uh 366 00:27:45,740 --> 00:27:48,860 I got a I bought this building in 2022 367 00:27:48,860 --> 00:27:51,820 I've been living out of it while i've been working on designs and permits 368 00:27:51,820 --> 00:27:55,900 Um, it was I got a little bit uh delayed and slowed up because um, I had to go back to the u.s 369 00:27:55,900 --> 00:28:00,380 One for visas but two for um, some end of life stuff with my father in cancer, but all that's done 370 00:28:01,100 --> 00:28:03,100 and so um 371 00:28:03,100 --> 00:28:06,860 Now i'm back here in portugal and really seeing the project and making sure it stays in track 372 00:28:07,500 --> 00:28:11,900 Um, but uh, I got like a 2 30 year fixed rate interest on this building 373 00:28:12,620 --> 00:28:15,100 Um, so interest rates are also quite low 374 00:28:15,100 --> 00:28:18,700 I think interest rates might be around six to seven percent right now in the u.s 375 00:28:18,700 --> 00:28:21,740 They're like four percent right now in portugal like right now as we speak 376 00:28:21,740 --> 00:28:25,900 And you know fed rates are coming. They're going to be cut. I think um, in september 377 00:28:25,900 --> 00:28:30,700 But also probably a couple times by the end of the year. So rates will come down euro rates will probably follow 378 00:28:31,340 --> 00:28:32,540 hopefully 379 00:28:32,540 --> 00:28:34,060 um, but um 380 00:28:34,060 --> 00:28:41,020 I had a portuguese friend who actually ended up being a real estate agent and he was like hey like your tourism project 381 00:28:41,020 --> 00:28:45,820 There's tourism funds. Let's go check that out and his english is very good portuguese really good 382 00:28:45,820 --> 00:28:49,900 And so he was one just to kind of plant that seed like let's do it. Let's set a meeting 383 00:28:49,900 --> 00:28:55,020 You just set these meetings and you go and there was a whole like business chapter and you know 384 00:28:55,020 --> 00:28:58,140 It's kind of like small sba basically but portugal version 385 00:28:58,860 --> 00:29:02,700 um here and uh, that's how that's how I got plugged in and then 386 00:29:02,700 --> 00:29:05,820 I went to the meetings had some meetings with the city had some meetings with them 387 00:29:06,540 --> 00:29:10,140 Um keeping that got the right emails keeping them in line showing them uh, 388 00:29:10,940 --> 00:29:16,300 The plans the projects, um, they love that. I have a past business history that they reference and lean on 389 00:29:16,300 --> 00:29:20,620 When I walked away from my first meeting they were basically like when are you gonna have a free plan? 390 00:29:20,620 --> 00:29:23,740 When can we fund you and I was like, whoa, hold on. I just wow 391 00:29:24,300 --> 00:29:27,900 It's gonna be like great like I just was gonna meet and greet and stuff 392 00:29:27,900 --> 00:29:31,100 But it was like we're ready and I was like, holy shit 393 00:29:31,100 --> 00:29:36,940 And so it almost scared me but um, i'm ready. They're ready. I'm stoked. They're stoked 394 00:29:37,740 --> 00:29:39,740 Um, it's a win-win for everybody. So 395 00:29:41,100 --> 00:29:43,100 That's awesome now with the 396 00:29:43,100 --> 00:29:46,140 facility that you're building how many people will be 397 00:29:46,140 --> 00:29:50,380 You know based on the plans that you have will the occupancy be how many people? 398 00:29:51,180 --> 00:29:57,180 Yep, if I it'll be a seven. Well one quarter is going to be staff quarters 399 00:29:57,180 --> 00:30:01,980 I am doing a penthouse suite on top. It'll be like my penthouse and then i'll hand it off to the manager 400 00:30:02,780 --> 00:30:05,820 Jim kinnett would be proud to you. Yeah. Yeah 401 00:30:07,820 --> 00:30:09,500 Learn that one from jim put the 402 00:30:09,500 --> 00:30:15,180 Penthouse on top and make it the living quarters. So yeah, that's what i'm doing. So i'll have a rooftop bar 403 00:30:15,820 --> 00:30:18,380 Dining area and then my penthouse all on top 404 00:30:19,580 --> 00:30:22,540 And then i'll have two floors of of of lodging 405 00:30:23,100 --> 00:30:29,020 One main floor and then one basement the basement will be like bath house sauna and also a kitchen and patio 406 00:30:29,020 --> 00:30:31,260 I'm also going to have with the patio 407 00:30:31,820 --> 00:30:36,540 A rock wall inside my co-living so you can get on some top railing 408 00:30:36,540 --> 00:30:39,820 And top of the land climb all the way up so that's ah 409 00:30:39,820 --> 00:30:45,420 very nice in in andalusia in southern spain and even southern portugal they build a lot of the buildings with 410 00:30:45,900 --> 00:30:51,580 Patio, which is basically just a circular enclosed space. So the internal rooms will have fresh air and windows 411 00:30:52,300 --> 00:30:54,300 And also when it um 412 00:30:54,300 --> 00:30:57,500 It rains you have this whole green space that comes through to a drain 413 00:30:57,980 --> 00:31:02,780 So hopefully i'll have a water catch system to help raw recycle water maybe for flushing 414 00:31:02,780 --> 00:31:09,340 Um, some european places use rainwater to wash laundry. Um, and then um, i'll have the uh 415 00:31:10,140 --> 00:31:14,140 Yeah, like I said the patio the bar and everything so this whole building's kind of got some eco component to it 416 00:31:14,140 --> 00:31:16,620 But um, but those two floors each floor will have 417 00:31:17,260 --> 00:31:20,140 Um, I think a total of I think it'll be 15 418 00:31:21,100 --> 00:31:24,380 Rooms with a one bedroom for the managers on top 419 00:31:24,380 --> 00:31:29,820 And so each room will be designed with double beds and in-suite baths and the desk 420 00:31:29,820 --> 00:31:36,780 And so, um, it will be allowed for double occupancy. So i'd say about 30 people on site if there's two people in one room 421 00:31:37,660 --> 00:31:42,940 Nice the initial business idea and plan is to do one month minimum reservations 422 00:31:43,500 --> 00:31:46,780 Like price points at one month three six nine in a year 423 00:31:47,420 --> 00:31:51,260 If uh, if I did do a year, I wouldn't do i'd probably only do one third of the building 424 00:31:51,260 --> 00:31:55,420 I still want to have a vibe people coming and going. I don't want everybody just to be one year tenants 425 00:31:55,420 --> 00:32:01,500 If I can't sell my occupancy and my beds in my rooms, i'll scale it down to maybe like two week minimum reservations 426 00:32:02,220 --> 00:32:05,580 So i'll play with that number. Uh, hopefully it's all one month 427 00:32:06,460 --> 00:32:11,020 Um, I like that that like concept because you need a lot less staff 428 00:32:11,660 --> 00:32:15,500 Um when everybody's just one month and 15 rooms, you know, I might only have 429 00:32:16,060 --> 00:32:20,860 Maybe one to two checkouts with 15 rooms in one month, right? Just depending how everybody's staggered. So who who? 430 00:32:20,860 --> 00:32:27,820 So it's a little bit on the low side, but I think the bar and restaurant and other revenue streams should help offset. Um the cost 431 00:32:28,620 --> 00:32:30,620 Like those side and occupancy 432 00:32:31,180 --> 00:32:32,060 Yeah 433 00:32:32,060 --> 00:32:39,020 We uh, we did a co-live operation for about over 10 years in san diego near balboa park 434 00:32:39,580 --> 00:32:44,220 And that was a really cool experience of you know, very much in the hostile theme 435 00:32:45,020 --> 00:32:47,020 As we are hostile operators 436 00:32:47,020 --> 00:32:52,860 But it was just now you had long-term residents and some people lived there four or five years 437 00:32:53,420 --> 00:32:58,940 And eventually the developer knocked down the whole like city block and is building up these condos 438 00:32:58,940 --> 00:33:03,340 So we shut down that location but really cool to see that 439 00:33:03,980 --> 00:33:08,780 Co-living experience based off of like the hostile roots and I know yours will be the same 440 00:33:08,780 --> 00:33:12,380 So i'll be anxious to come take a look at that place. That sounds awesome 441 00:33:12,380 --> 00:33:16,620 I'll put you guys up for a month. We'll have a lot of fun. Is it going to be a maximum? 442 00:33:18,540 --> 00:33:22,540 Uh, uh, a maximum would be one year and so here minimum 443 00:33:22,860 --> 00:33:25,500 Minimum ideally is one month maximum stay would be one year 444 00:33:25,980 --> 00:33:29,900 And uh, yeah, and then different price points kind of like on a quarterly system 445 00:33:30,460 --> 00:33:34,780 What is the target open date right now you forecast? Yeah, good question 446 00:33:34,780 --> 00:33:37,900 So I think I should have plans end of end of end of this 447 00:33:37,900 --> 00:33:43,260 Winter so early next year, so that's 2025 construction will take at least I think a year and a half 448 00:33:43,740 --> 00:33:45,740 So I want to hopefully open 449 00:33:46,540 --> 00:33:48,540 um a summer of 450 00:33:49,100 --> 00:33:53,900 2027 I guess because that'll be 2024. Oh, sorry summer of 2026 451 00:33:54,860 --> 00:33:58,860 Is okay deal. It'll be like all of 2025 construction 452 00:33:59,660 --> 00:34:03,420 Um, and maybe into early early spring of 2026 453 00:34:03,420 --> 00:34:10,460 Construction summer 2026 is the ideal open date fingers crossed but it's portugal. It's a mediterranean lifestyle 454 00:34:10,460 --> 00:34:12,460 Everything could be 2028. Who knows? 455 00:34:14,060 --> 00:34:16,060 I'll have a lot more gray hair by then 456 00:34:17,340 --> 00:34:19,580 Well, I I think that's so cool though 457 00:34:19,580 --> 00:34:25,660 It's a good example of if you purchase the real estate and you're able to look at it in that long haul 458 00:34:26,460 --> 00:34:28,460 30 year pick, you know 459 00:34:28,460 --> 00:34:34,140 Long game plan you that you have the ability to do what you're doing as if you were ever releasing a property 460 00:34:34,140 --> 00:34:39,180 You know, you'd be in a situation where you're panicked. You're rushing you have to get it open, you know 461 00:34:39,740 --> 00:34:41,740 And you find yourself out of business 462 00:34:42,060 --> 00:34:49,900 But it's amazing how if you have the savvy real estate investor like you've got you can change that whole dynamic by living on site 463 00:34:49,900 --> 00:34:53,260 Giving yourself the time necessary to let that 464 00:34:53,260 --> 00:34:58,620 Project cultivate and run its course without the disruption of it being rushed along 465 00:34:58,940 --> 00:35:05,020 And then you're having to change your vision on the run to accommodate a timeline and a pressure 466 00:35:05,020 --> 00:35:09,900 So that's a really cool example of the advantages of a savvy real estate investment 467 00:35:11,020 --> 00:35:15,660 Yeah, I think it's always smart to just have equity and leverage your equity like you know 468 00:35:16,220 --> 00:35:22,700 It's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's 469 00:35:22,700 --> 00:35:24,620 It's a good way to 470 00:35:24,620 --> 00:35:28,060 You know, it's it's kind of going back to the bunking group if I circle back a little bit 471 00:35:28,060 --> 00:35:34,380 It's you know, paying the managers more than the owners is is what is giving us this j&i this lifestyle of our freedom 472 00:35:34,460 --> 00:35:37,820 But you know, we've got been getting the equity in the buildings. And so 473 00:35:39,020 --> 00:35:41,020 you know once 474 00:35:41,580 --> 00:35:45,420 It'll eventually flip, you know as as you scale but um, yeah 475 00:35:46,220 --> 00:35:50,060 It's been it's been giving us the lifestyle we want to have and it's giving us the opportunities 476 00:35:50,060 --> 00:35:52,060 You want to you want to chase? 477 00:35:52,540 --> 00:35:58,460 That is a really good point if you have the equity in the building and every month you're gaining that equity by the operation paying for it 478 00:35:58,940 --> 00:36:03,740 You know, then you can justify paying the people who are operating it if you're thousands of miles away 479 00:36:04,380 --> 00:36:05,660 uh to 480 00:36:05,660 --> 00:36:11,260 Do it well and uh, keep keep that rolling for you. So that's a great example of that now to flip it 481 00:36:11,820 --> 00:36:14,380 Forward over to the to the nah-ha 482 00:36:15,020 --> 00:36:16,780 Yeah 483 00:36:16,780 --> 00:36:21,260 Uh before we let you go, we definitely want to touch base on this awesome 484 00:36:22,140 --> 00:36:25,020 Uh creation that you jim and jay put together 485 00:36:25,740 --> 00:36:30,540 Out there in the pacific northwest and really have a nice momentum going on 486 00:36:31,100 --> 00:36:38,540 What had been attempted in the past, you know, let's say five or ten years. There's a lot of talk of the need for a 487 00:36:38,540 --> 00:36:46,720 Uh, association for hostels that represented the whole states and you guys even went a step further to include canada in mexico 488 00:36:47,120 --> 00:36:49,440 which I I love that and I 489 00:36:50,240 --> 00:36:52,240 I think that you've got the 490 00:36:53,120 --> 00:36:55,120 best momentum 491 00:36:55,120 --> 00:36:59,600 Out of the you know previous operations that started up in an attempt to do this 492 00:36:59,840 --> 00:37:02,480 and I think you're going about it in a lot of the right ways and 493 00:37:02,480 --> 00:37:10,800 the formation of a board and the process of it and uh, you know putting in that time to let it grow and cultivate but 494 00:37:10,800 --> 00:37:17,440 Give us a little bit of background and story about how you guys got this started what it's all about and what's coming up 495 00:37:17,440 --> 00:37:19,440 You know new and exciting news for the nah-ha 496 00:37:20,480 --> 00:37:26,560 Yeah, great. Um, I mean it really I think during covid. We just all started meeting a lot regularly 497 00:37:27,200 --> 00:37:31,280 Uh with zoom stuff because it was like our businesses are closed. Well, let's just 498 00:37:31,280 --> 00:37:34,320 start, you know networking and meeting and so that's when a lot of uh, 499 00:37:34,960 --> 00:37:38,240 um kind of the ideas and and momentum started and then 500 00:37:38,880 --> 00:37:40,880 of nah-ha and uh 501 00:37:41,120 --> 00:37:44,800 Came out of that and then um boom our businesses, you know 502 00:37:44,880 --> 00:37:49,200 covid ended and the businesses are back open and everybody got busy for a couple years just trying to you know 503 00:37:49,200 --> 00:37:53,840 Write their ship again from from sinking and uh, and then we picked it back up 504 00:37:53,840 --> 00:37:58,720 We kind of got to a good place again where we could start putting in our own time. I mean we're right now 505 00:37:58,720 --> 00:38:04,560 Nobody's been paid. It's all non-profit all the money staying in the in the non-profits and we're all volunteer based 506 00:38:05,040 --> 00:38:09,840 And so um, there has been a good amount of work. I'd say jay jim and erin with uh, get from gas 507 00:38:10,400 --> 00:38:15,600 Gasoline hostel. She has been instrumental and uh and and myself I can't once take my own credit, but uh, 508 00:38:16,080 --> 00:38:19,920 I've been enjoying the journey along the way and learning from some of these guys and 509 00:38:20,960 --> 00:38:22,480 and uh 510 00:38:22,480 --> 00:38:24,640 I'm doing a big uh hostile reach out and 511 00:38:24,640 --> 00:38:30,000 I guess i've they made me chair of membership committee. So i'm trying to onboard people but uh, 512 00:38:30,640 --> 00:38:33,040 um, yeah, you know, I think it was just 513 00:38:33,760 --> 00:38:38,640 There's power and collective bargaining and you know hostels just needed a voice 514 00:38:38,640 --> 00:38:42,320 You know all these little cities and towns just don't know what we are and how to regulate us 515 00:38:42,320 --> 00:38:45,760 And so we just needed it and um as long overdue 516 00:38:46,400 --> 00:38:49,440 So now we hope to take on you know insurance companies 517 00:38:49,440 --> 00:38:54,480 We hope to have great deals with um with software companies, you know 518 00:38:54,480 --> 00:38:59,520 From we have one in place with uh cloud beds. We have one in the pipeline for price point 519 00:39:00,480 --> 00:39:05,600 Hopefully more to come. Um, you know, these are all software companies that help run hostels 520 00:39:07,120 --> 00:39:11,600 Hostel world has even helped us shown up and did a donation to get the non-profit 521 00:39:12,320 --> 00:39:14,320 Started so that was an amazing instrumental 522 00:39:14,320 --> 00:39:18,960 Um, so we did some fundraising and um, yeah, geez with that that first conference 523 00:39:18,960 --> 00:39:24,400 I mean, I think we had like what over a hundred hostels from around, you know, canada us and mexico join 524 00:39:24,400 --> 00:39:27,600 I mean it blew my mind. I didn't really know how many would come but uh, 525 00:39:28,160 --> 00:39:31,840 I remember some very late nights of just going through spreadsheets and in 526 00:39:32,880 --> 00:39:37,280 I guess google and just looking up every state and just combing 527 00:39:37,840 --> 00:39:40,480 Through any information I could find and 528 00:39:40,480 --> 00:39:45,600 And actually I had a spreadsheet during covid that I made kind of covid slash pre-covid 529 00:39:46,160 --> 00:39:50,720 And then um, I readdressed that post-covid to do the reach out for our conference 530 00:39:51,280 --> 00:39:55,920 And wow, I was finding about this 50 closure rate of a lot of mom and pop 531 00:39:56,480 --> 00:40:00,800 You know bed and breakfasts that had bunk beds and some hostels and some hybrid models 532 00:40:01,280 --> 00:40:05,120 Just around the u.s. That just closed and shut down. It was it was a lot 533 00:40:05,120 --> 00:40:10,480 Yeah, um, man, yeah, it was it was sad to the industry and so um, 534 00:40:11,200 --> 00:40:14,320 Yeah, so i'm stoked. Uh, you know, I think nah 535 00:40:14,880 --> 00:40:19,520 Um, you know part part of it is uh every year we're gonna have a new location for the conference 536 00:40:19,520 --> 00:40:26,320 You know whether you know west coast central east coast of us canada same thing north or west and 537 00:40:27,200 --> 00:40:29,600 And east coast and I guess it's not a whole lot a lot in the middle 538 00:40:29,600 --> 00:40:36,000 Um mexico as well. I think uh, there's rumor that there's rumor our next conference could be heading south. I don't want to 539 00:40:36,400 --> 00:40:38,400 Yeah, come on down yet 540 00:40:39,280 --> 00:40:43,920 But uh, that's the rumors on the street, you know, so it sounds like we're going south for our next conference 541 00:40:43,920 --> 00:40:45,920 I think that'll be like we may pull again 542 00:40:46,640 --> 00:40:47,920 so 543 00:40:47,920 --> 00:40:49,920 south of the border 544 00:40:51,440 --> 00:40:52,000 Yeah 545 00:40:52,000 --> 00:40:52,400 Yeah 546 00:40:52,400 --> 00:40:55,200 So I don't know, you know, I think we're gonna have to do that 547 00:40:55,200 --> 00:40:59,920 Um, you know, we really want to be there for the hostels. We want to you know, we want to be a voice for our members and 548 00:41:00,960 --> 00:41:07,520 And and actually our members will have uh, that's something we took away from the conference is members will basically vote on 549 00:41:08,320 --> 00:41:13,680 Driving the nonprofit of what we should tackle and what's the most important for them and that could change every year 550 00:41:15,520 --> 00:41:19,120 Yeah, definitely welcome too from the owners, you know, it's cool to have a place to be 551 00:41:19,120 --> 00:41:24,480 Uh, hostile owners can meet up and gather and because a lot of times, you know, you're working by yourself in this area 552 00:41:24,480 --> 00:41:29,360 You have a partner, you know, but you're at most you have a partner, you know, and then uh, 553 00:41:30,000 --> 00:41:32,720 You're by yourself in your little town. So we've definitely 554 00:41:33,520 --> 00:41:39,920 As a hostile owner felt the love and it's been great to see you guys put it all together and excited to see where we can go from here 555 00:41:40,720 --> 00:41:44,720 Yeah, me too. I'm excited for it. I'm excited for it. I'm excited for it. I'm excited for it 556 00:41:44,720 --> 00:41:50,560 I feel like there's people now reaching out to naha the email and um, and us still directly have just mentoring 557 00:41:50,560 --> 00:41:54,160 They're like I want to start a hostile at this that and so just the other day 558 00:41:54,160 --> 00:41:57,840 I had a couple emails in an hour long phone call with the gals trying to start one up. So 559 00:41:58,960 --> 00:42:04,800 Eventually, they'll become members of the non-profits and we'll have a really solid mentorship program in place and hopefully the mentors are 560 00:42:05,360 --> 00:42:07,360 In in like the geographically location 561 00:42:08,080 --> 00:42:10,720 To where they're going to be and so we're going to be able to do that 562 00:42:10,720 --> 00:42:14,960 And then we'll have a really good mentor in in like the geographically location 563 00:42:15,680 --> 00:42:18,240 You know to where they're trying to start their project 564 00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:22,960 I think every state is almost represented with hostiles. I feel like so 565 00:42:24,240 --> 00:42:28,080 Just about and that that's such a great thing you're doing with that again 566 00:42:28,880 --> 00:42:34,560 The younger people that are starting or even older that are starting up hostile and you go back to like what's available to that person? 567 00:42:34,560 --> 00:42:40,640 Our shoes when we started and you'd find one book from vicki and that was it, you know, and then you can go to darren's website 568 00:42:40,880 --> 00:42:47,920 And you know hostile management.com and you know read, you know and read all their articles on things, you know, and it was very limited 569 00:42:48,400 --> 00:42:51,440 Uh, so I think what you guys have created is like a new 570 00:42:52,400 --> 00:42:59,620 2.0 of that. Yeah, you know in in real time, you know like access mentoring these really cool conferences 571 00:42:59,620 --> 00:43:07,460 Uh, and I really do want to applaud you guys for making it an inclusive process like your first ever 572 00:43:08,100 --> 00:43:12,340 Conference wasn't even a conference. It was just a gathering for ideas on what it should be 573 00:43:12,900 --> 00:43:13,300 You know 574 00:43:13,300 --> 00:43:19,220 And that was a that was a real testament to what you guys were doing and how you were going to drive it moving forward 575 00:43:19,540 --> 00:43:24,820 And I was very inspired by that and that's why we always come to those conferences not only ourselves 576 00:43:24,900 --> 00:43:26,900 But we bring as many people as we can 577 00:43:26,900 --> 00:43:32,660 Uh from all of our locations and it's a amazing time and I love to hear about you guys exposing 578 00:43:33,300 --> 00:43:35,300 Or you know helping out 579 00:43:35,460 --> 00:43:36,980 younger people 580 00:43:36,980 --> 00:43:42,100 New hostile owners getting involved because that's what it's all about in the awareness and expanding in the industry 581 00:43:42,260 --> 00:43:44,420 Especially in the u.s where there's so many gaps 582 00:43:45,220 --> 00:43:46,500 but uh 583 00:43:46,500 --> 00:43:47,940 Really are all in it together 584 00:43:47,940 --> 00:43:52,260 You know, it's like we're not being hotel changed trying to compete for every bed and occupancy like now 585 00:43:52,260 --> 00:43:54,820 There's plenty of pieces of pie like we're in this together 586 00:43:54,820 --> 00:43:58,820 Oh, yeah, absolutely. Yeah, the more the more people that are aware 587 00:43:59,380 --> 00:44:01,380 And that have a positive outlook 588 00:44:01,620 --> 00:44:04,340 About the industry the pie will only get bigger 589 00:44:04,900 --> 00:44:07,700 And you know, so it shouldn't be a thing that 590 00:44:08,260 --> 00:44:10,820 There's only one hostile like in each city 591 00:44:11,300 --> 00:44:14,340 You know, there should be a variety there should be different styles, you know 592 00:44:14,340 --> 00:44:20,660 Oh, yeah, and you know and that can cater to a bigger part of the market. But what we need to do is bring better 593 00:44:21,220 --> 00:44:24,180 awareness and better positivity and overcome that 594 00:44:24,180 --> 00:44:27,460 And overcome the stigma of like those horror films, you know 595 00:44:28,020 --> 00:44:32,580 That within this industry really set us back still to this day 596 00:44:32,820 --> 00:44:39,700 And you know, so the the more that we can all do collectively to overcome that the bigger the pie will be for everyone 597 00:44:40,260 --> 00:44:42,180 Yeah, yeah 598 00:44:42,180 --> 00:44:43,380 but 599 00:44:43,380 --> 00:44:47,540 You know, I I just want to thank you so much. Thank you for taking the time 600 00:44:48,420 --> 00:44:50,660 to uh be with us today and 601 00:44:50,660 --> 00:44:56,100 Do this awesome recording and uh, we'll have it up on the website as soon as possible 602 00:44:57,300 --> 00:44:59,300 Yeah, and all the uh 603 00:45:00,340 --> 00:45:03,700 Thank you. Yeah, i've already guessed that's great. That's great 604 00:45:03,700 --> 00:45:07,540 I've already sent the link to a couple people that are like, I can't find much content 605 00:45:07,540 --> 00:45:14,100 Like you were talking about the the the vicki's book to the hostile management like like the content just needs to be fresh and updated 606 00:45:14,100 --> 00:45:17,300 So what you guys are doing? It's super fun. It's really awesome to listen to them 607 00:45:17,300 --> 00:45:22,660 And i've already sent the link to a couple uh, uh young young people that want to get into today. So 608 00:45:23,140 --> 00:45:26,260 Appreciate you guys. Awesome. Well, thank you. Appreciate you too, man 609 00:45:26,740 --> 00:45:28,020 Yeah 610 00:45:28,020 --> 00:45:30,020 See you in april 611 00:45:30,020 --> 00:45:32,020 Heck yeah 612 00:45:32,020 --> 00:45:48,020 April