Good Revenue 29 | 🔥 The Startup That Broke All The Rules — And Sold for Millions Without Investors! 💥💸 with Alexis Bowen (Elsewhere.io by Lonely Planet)
Alexis Bowen is the co-founder of Elsewhere.io, a travel marketplace acquired by Lonely Planet in 2022.
In this episode of Good Revenue, host Neeta Bidwai and Alexis cover:
- Elsewhere’s rapid development and sale within a year during the COVID-19 pandemic (the company connects travelers directly with local travel agencies to plan and book international trips).
- Insights on the challenges of launching a startup during a pandemic.
- The company’s unique approach to branding and product development, which led to early profitability without external investments.
- Strategic use of partnerships and influencer marketing to gain traction.
- How the exit strategy & decision to sell to Lonely Planet evolved so quickly, including the emotional and business considerations behind the move.
- Alexis emphasizes the importance of compelling storytelling and an all-in culture in building a successful business.
_
Where to find Alexis:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexis-bowen-9ba18423/
Where to find Neeta:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/neetabidwai/
Where to find Good Revenue:
https://goodrevenue.io/goodrevenue
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHrhuWbpYnUwrR75H2Ip4yQ
_
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:30 The Journey of Elsewhere.io
00:39 Building a Marketplace Model
02:12 Starting During the Pandemic
05:22 Bootstrapping to Success
13:39 Marketing Strategies and PR Hustle
17:33 Decision to Sell and M&A Process
23:02 Integration and Final Thoughts
_
Referenced:
• Elsewhere.io: https://www.elsewhere.io/
• Lonely Planet: https://www.lonelyplanet.com/
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.