business model, customer development, e245, engr245, lean launchpad, lean startup, stanford, startup, steve blank

2. Doki Doki
From:
Creating a marketplace
to enable fellow
travelers to discover
multi-day adventures
To:
Discover the best outdoor
experiences around you
178 interviews
3 pivots
5 prototypes
2 iterations of 1 site

3. Michael Xing Max Wang Jen McPhillips SeungPyo Son Annie Riley
CS CS GSB MS&E Coterm GSB
Former Oracle
dev with deep
experience in
backend service,
cloud computing
+ embedded
systems
Experienced in
design thinking +
Previously built
travel app for
discovering
events + activities
Reformed BCG
consultant
Product @
Sidewalk Labs
Summer
internship @
Airbnb
Experiences
Former
marketplace
startup founder
(during two-year
sabbatical from
Stanford)
Employee #9 and
former exec team
member + VP
North America
Local Ops @
HotelTonight

4. We got out of the building - and the country!
178 Interviews
131 users
25 experts
22 suppliers

5. Cost Structure
- Supplier onboarding & training costs
- Supplier merchandising costs - e.g., photo, video, editorial
- Marketing & customer acquisition costs
- Payment transaction costs
- Trust & safety costs
- Web and app development costs
Key Resources
- Human capital (software
developers and sales)
- Cash financing
- Data storage
Key Partners
1) Brand partners (e.g.,
Backcountry.com,
Patagonia)
2) Web platform (Google,
Facebook)
3) Travel influencers
4) Publications (e.g.
Outdoor Magazine +
Travel & Leisure)
Key Suppliers
Adventure tour companies
+ guides
Customer Relationships
- Get = Social + brand
partnerships + PR
- Keep = Email marketing
+ loyalty program
- Grow = Platinum
membership + new
experiences
- Customer Support = 24/7
on-demand
Customer Segments
Young professionals under
the age of 40 living in
metro areas who are
planning a much-needed
vacation away from their
busy work schedule.
Channels
Responsive web + mobile
app
Revenue Streams
- Customers are willing to pay for the value of convenience & curation -
including the ability to pay with credit card
- We take an intermediation fee on every reservation booked
- Industry standard OTA margins are 15-30%
- Suppliers can bid a higher margin in exchange for better website
placement
We started by building an adventure marketplace Week [1]
Key Activities
- Selling to local
merchants
- Merchandising suppliers
- Trust & safety
- Supplier quality control
- Marketing & acquisition
- Customer discovery
Value Propositions
Finding & booking travel
adventures is a frustrating
and tedious process.
People want to find unique
experiences … but in a
quick and efficient way
(e.g. mobile-first). They
want to know their trip will
be amazing and safe.
We’re building a site for
busy travelers to reserve
curated adventures that
are guaranteed to be safe,
vetted and fun.

6. Cost Structure
- Supplier onboarding & training costs
- Supplier merchandising costs - e.g., photo, video, editorial
- Marketing & customer acquisition costs
- Payment transaction costs
- Trust & safety costs
- Web and app development costs
Key Resources
- Human capital (software
developers and sales)
- Cash financing
- Data storage
Key Partners
1) Brand partners (e.g.,
Backcountry.com,
Patagonia)
2) Web platform (Google,
Facebook)
3) Travel influencers
4) Publications (e.g.
Outdoor Magazine +
Travel & Leisure)
Key Suppliers
Adventure tour companies
+ guides
Customer Relationships
- Get = Social + brand
partnerships + PR
- Keep = Email marketing
+ loyalty program
- Grow = Platinum
membership + new
experiences
- Customer Support = 24/7
on-demand
Customer Segments
Young professionals under
the age of 40 living in
metro areas who are
planning a much-needed
vacation away from their
busy work schedule.
Channels
Responsive web + mobile
app
Revenue Streams
- Customers are willing to pay for the value of convenience & curation -
including the ability to pay with credit card
- We take an intermediation fee on every reservation booked
- Industry standard OTA margins are 15-30%
- Suppliers can bid a higher margin in exchange for better website
placement
We ended up focusing on different customer needs ...
Week [2]
Key Activities
- Selling to local
merchants
- Merchandising suppliers
- Trust & safety
- Supplier quality control
- Marketing & acquisition
- Customer discovery
Value Propositions
Finding & booking travel
adventures is a frustrating
and tedious process.
People want to find unique
experiences … but in a
quick and efficient way
(e.g. mobile-first). They
want to know their trip will
be amazing and safe.
We’re building a site for
busy travelers to reserve
curated adventures that
are guaranteed to be safe,
vetted and fun.

7. Cost Structure
- Supplier onboarding & training costs
- Supplier merchandising costs - e.g., photo, video, editorial
- Marketing & customer acquisition costs
- Payment transaction costs
- Trust & safety costs
- Web and app development costs
Key Resources
- Human capital (software
developers and sales)
- Cash financing
- Data storage
Key Partners
1) Brand partners (e.g.,
Backcountry.com,
Patagonia)
2) Web platform (Google,
Facebook)
3) Travel influencers
4) Publications (e.g.
Outdoor Magazine +
Travel & Leisure)
Key Suppliers
Adventure tour companies
+ guides
Customer Relationships
- Get = Social + brand
partnerships + PR
- Keep = Email marketing
+ loyalty program
- Grow = Platinum
membership + new
experiences
- Customer Support = 24/7
on-demand
Customer Segments
Young professionals under
the age of 40 living in
metro areas who are
planning a much-needed
vacation away from their
busy work schedule.
Channels
Responsive web + mobile
app
Revenue Streams
- Customers are willing to pay for the value of convenience & curation -
including the ability to pay with credit card
- We take an intermediation fee on every reservation booked
- Industry standard OTA margins are 15-30%
- Suppliers can bid a higher margin in exchange for better website
placement
… with more specific segments …
Week [3]
Key Activities
- Selling to local
merchants
- Merchandising suppliers
- Trust & safety
- Supplier quality control
- Marketing & acquisition
- Customer discovery
Value Propositions
Finding & booking travel
adventures is a frustrating
and tedious process.
People want to find unique
experiences … but in a
quick and efficient way
(e.g. mobile-first). They
want to know their trip will
be amazing and safe.
We’re building a site for
busy travelers to reserve
curated adventures that
are guaranteed to be safe,
vetted and fun.

8. Cost Structure
- Supplier onboarding & training costs
- Supplier merchandising costs - e.g., photo, video, editorial
- Marketing & customer acquisition costs
- Payment transaction costs
- Trust & safety costs
- Web and app development costs
Key Resources
- Human capital (software
developers and sales)
- Cash financing
- Data storage
Key Partners
1) Brand partners (e.g.,
Backcountry.com,
Patagonia)
2) Web platform (Google,
Facebook)
3) Travel influencers
4) Publications (e.g.
Outdoor Magazine +
Travel & Leisure)
Key Suppliers
Adventure tour companies
+ guides
Customer Relationships
- Get = Social + brand
partnerships + PR
- Keep = Email marketing
+ loyalty program
- Grow = Platinum
membership + new
experiences
- Customer Support = 24/7
on-demand
Customer Segments
Young professionals under
the age of 40 living in
metro areas who are
planning a much-needed
vacation away from their
busy work schedule.
Channels
Responsive web + mobile
app
Revenue Streams
- Customers are willing to pay for the value of convenience & curation -
including the ability to pay with credit card
- We take an intermediation fee on every reservation booked
- Industry standard OTA margins are 15-30%
- Suppliers can bid a higher margin in exchange for better website
placement
… different growth strategies …
Week [4]
Key Activities
- Selling to local
merchants
- Merchandising suppliers
- Trust & safety
- Supplier quality control
- Marketing & acquisition
- Customer discovery
Value Propositions
Finding & booking travel
adventures is a frustrating
and tedious process.
People want to find unique
experiences … but in a
quick and efficient way
(e.g. mobile-first). They
want to know their trip will
be amazing and safe.
We’re building a site for
busy travelers to reserve
curated adventures that
are guaranteed to be safe,
vetted and fun.

9. Cost Structure
- Supplier onboarding & training costs
- Supplier merchandising costs - e.g., photo, video, editorial
- Marketing & customer acquisition costs
- Payment transaction costs
- Trust & safety costs
- Web and app development costs
Key Resources
- Human capital (software
developers and sales)
- Cash financing
- Data storage
Key Partners
1) Brand partners (e.g.,
Backcountry.com,
Patagonia)
2) Web platform (Google,
Facebook)
3) Travel influencers
4) Publications (e.g.
Outdoor Magazine +
Travel & Leisure)
Key Suppliers
Adventure tour companies
+ guides
Customer Relationships
- Get = Social + brand
partnerships + PR
- Keep = Email marketing
+ loyalty program
- Grow = Platinum
membership + new
experiences
- Customer Support = 24/7
on-demand
Customer Segments
Young professionals under
the age of 40 living in
metro areas who are
planning a much-needed
vacation away from their
busy work schedule.
Channels
Responsive web + mobile
app
Revenue Streams
- Customers are willing to pay for the value of convenience & curation -
including the ability to pay with credit card
- We take an intermediation fee on every reservation booked
- Industry standard OTA margins are 15-30%
- Suppliers can bid a higher margin in exchange for better website
placement
… eliminated some key activities …
Week [5]
Key Activities
- Selling to local
merchants
- Merchandising suppliers
- Trust & safety
- Supplier quality control
- Marketing & acquisition
- Customer discovery
Value Propositions
Finding & booking travel
adventures is a frustrating
and tedious process.
People want to find unique
experiences … but in a
quick and efficient way
(e.g. mobile-first). They
want to know their trip will
be amazing and safe.
We’re building a site for
busy travelers to reserve
curated adventures that
are guaranteed to be safe,
vetted and fun.

10. Cost Structure
- Supplier onboarding & training costs
- Supplier merchandising costs - e.g., photo, video, editorial
- Marketing & customer acquisition costs
- Payment transaction costs
- Trust & safety costs
- Web and app development costs
Key Resources
- Human capital (software
developers and sales)
- Cash financing
- Data storage
Key Partners
1) Brand partners (e.g.,
Backcountry.com,
Patagonia)
2) Web platform (Google,
Facebook)
3) Travel influencers
4) Publications (e.g.
Outdoor Magazine +
Travel & Leisure)
Key Suppliers
Adventure tour companies
+ guides
Customer Relationships
- Get = Social + brand
partnerships + PR
- Keep = Email marketing
+ loyalty program
- Grow = Platinum
membership + new
experiences
- Customer Support = 24/7
on-demand
Customer Segments
Young professionals under
the age of 40 living in
metro areas who are
planning a much-needed
vacation away from their
busy work schedule.
Channels
Responsive web + mobile
app
Revenue Streams
- Customers are willing to pay for the value of convenience & curation -
including the ability to pay with credit card
- We take an intermediation fee on every reservation booked
- Industry standard OTA margins are 15-30%
- Suppliers can bid a higher margin in exchange for better website
placement
… updated partners …
Week [6]
Key Activities
- Selling to local
merchants
- Merchandising suppliers
- Trust & safety
- Supplier quality control
- Marketing & acquisition
- Customer discovery
Value Propositions
Finding & booking travel
adventures is a frustrating
and tedious process.
People want to find unique
experiences … but in a
quick and efficient way
(e.g. mobile-first). They
want to know their trip will
be amazing and safe.
We’re building a site for
busy travelers to reserve
curated adventures that
are guaranteed to be safe,
vetted and fun.

11. Cost Structure
- Supplier onboarding & training costs
- Supplier merchandising costs - e.g., photo, video, editorial
- Marketing & customer acquisition costs
- Payment transaction costs
- Trust & safety costs
- Web and app development costs
Key Resources
- Human capital (software
developers and sales)
- Cash financing
- Data storage
Key Partners
1) Brand partners (e.g.,
Backcountry.com,
Patagonia)
2) Web platform (Google,
Facebook)
3) Travel influencers
4) Publications (e.g.
Outdoor Magazine +
Travel & Leisure)
Key Suppliers
Adventure tour companies
+ guides
Customer Relationships
- Get = Social + brand
partnerships + PR
- Keep = Email marketing
+ loyalty program
- Grow = Platinum
membership + new
experiences
- Customer Support = 24/7
on-demand
Customer Segments
Young professionals under
the age of 40 living in
metro areas who are
planning a much-needed
vacation away from their
busy work schedule.
Channels
Responsive web + mobile
app
Revenue Streams
- Customers are willing to pay for the value of convenience & curation -
including the ability to pay with credit card
- We take an intermediation fee on every reservation booked
- Industry standard OTA margins are 15-30%
- Suppliers can bid a higher margin in exchange for better website
placement
… updated revenue streams …
Week [7]
Key Activities
- Selling to local
merchants
- Merchandising suppliers
- Trust & safety
- Supplier quality control
- Marketing & acquisition
- Customer discovery
Value Propositions
Finding & booking travel
adventures is a frustrating
and tedious process.
People want to find unique
experiences … but in a
quick and efficient way
(e.g. mobile-first). They
want to know their trip will
be amazing and safe.
We’re building a site for
busy travelers to reserve
curated adventures that
are guaranteed to be safe,
vetted and fun.

12. Cost Structure
- Supplier onboarding & training costs
- Supplier merchandising costs - e.g., photo, video, editorial
- Marketing & customer acquisition costs
- Payment transaction costs
- Trust & safety costs
- Web and app development costs
Key Resources
- Human capital (software
developers and sales)
- Cash financing
- Data storage
Key Partners
1) Brand partners (e.g.,
Backcountry.com,
Patagonia)
2) Web platform (Google,
Facebook)
3) Travel influencers
4) Publications (e.g.
Outdoor Magazine +
Travel & Leisure)
Key Suppliers
Adventure tour companies
+ guides
Customer Relationships
- Get = Social + brand
partnerships + PR
- Keep = Email marketing
+ loyalty program
- Grow = Platinum
membership + new
experiences
- Customer Support = 24/7
on-demand
Customer Segments
Young professionals under
the age of 40 living in
metro areas who are
planning a much-needed
vacation away from their
busy work schedule.
Channels
Responsive web + mobile
app
Revenue Streams
- Customers are willing to pay for the value of convenience & curation -
including the ability to pay with credit card
- We take an intermediation fee on every reservation booked
- Industry standard OTA margins are 15-30%
- Suppliers can bid a higher margin in exchange for better website
placement
… and a new cost structure …
Week [8]
Key Activities
- Selling to local
merchants
- Merchandising suppliers
- Trust & safety
- Supplier quality control
- Marketing & acquisition
- Customer discovery
Value Propositions
Finding & booking travel
adventures is a frustrating
and tedious process.
People want to find unique
experiences … but in a
quick and efficient way
(e.g. mobile-first). They
want to know their trip will
be amazing and safe.
We’re building a site for
busy travelers to reserve
curated adventures that
are guaranteed to be safe,
vetted and fun.

13. Cost Structure
- Marketing and customer acquisition cost
- Engineering cost
Key Resources
- Human capital
(software developers
and salespeople)
- Social media platforms
for influence
Key Partners
- Influencers + bloggers
- Publications (e.g.
Outdoor Magazine +
Travel & Leisure)
- Lifestyle brands (e.g.
Patagonia)
Customer Relationships
- Get = social media +
word of mouth, earned
media, content
marketing
- Keep = recommender
system and sharing
Customer Segments
- 25-40 year old tech
savvy travelers who use
social apps and love the
outdoors
- Spontaneous travelers
who decides things to
do while on their trip
- Locals who are looking
for new outdoor
activities on weekends
Channels
- Mobile app with
intuitive user interface
Revenue Streams
- Booking fee (take rate… affiliated model as a starting point)
- Advertising
- Partnership with hotels, white labels
… all driving a very different solution!
Week [10]
Key Activities
- Customer acquisition
- Getting potential
partnerships with hotels
and suppliers
- Booking potential
Value Propositions
- Discover outdoor
activities around you
- Curated
recommendation based
on personalization
settings
- Simple user interface
and discovery through
photos
- Recommendation from
users like you

14. ...but took many
twists and turns
to get here

15. Phase 1:
The Dark Days
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

16. Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
It turns out travelers have a LOT of different
pain points...

17. We went deeper on the customer learnings
and ran a LOT of tests
● Instagram test
● “Like me” vs. friends
● Map-based planning
● Map + social (x2)
● Today / tomorrow
1
2
3
4
5
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

18. “My favorite part of the planning process
was looking at photos for inspiration”
- Sunny, Consultant from SF
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
Travel discovery is very visual

19. Instagram test
1
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

20. SO WHAT?!

21. “I don’t think the kind of people who use
sites like TripAdvisor are the same kind
of people as me”
- Kathleen, Business Analyst from Denver
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
Customers use generic review sites
begrudgingly

22. Instagram test
1
Lauren John Liz
“This trip was amazing - one of the most
memorable experiences of my life”
Age: 26
Favorite past trips? Iceland, New Zealand,
Job? Grad Student in Education
Typical trip budget? As cheap as possible!
Hobbies: Volunteering, Sailing, Skiing
My Instagram:
“The trip was beautiful. We had so much fun
and we’re definitely coming back”
Age: 38
Favorite trips? Hiking the W trek in
Patagonia, Dolomites in Italy.
Job? Programmer
Typical trip budget? Mid-range
Hobbies: Stargazing, Hiking, Kayaking
My Instagram:
“I learned so much on this trip and had a the time
of a lifetime. Highly recommended”
Age: 34
Favorite past trips? Safari in South Africa, Amalfi
Coast, Caribbean cruise
Job? Consultant
Typical trip budget? Luxury
Hobbies: Reading, Museums, Photos, Wine
My Instagram:
“Like me” vs. friends
2

23. SO WHAT?!

24. “The hardest part of our trip was mapping
things out in relation to each other - and
figuring out what you should in what order”
- Cristobal, Stanford Grad Student
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
So we tested *another* customer pain point

25. Instagram test
1
Lauren John Liz
“This trip was amazing - one of the most
memorable experiences of my life”
Age: 26
Favorite past trips? Iceland, New Zealand,
Job? Grad Student in Education
Typical trip budget? As cheap as possible!
Hobbies: Volunteering, Sailing, Skiing
My Instagram:
“The trip was beautiful. We had so much fun
and we’re definitely coming back”
Age: 38
Favorite trips? Hiking the W trek in
Patagonia, Dolomites in Italy.
Job? Programmer
Typical trip budget? Mid-range
Hobbies: Stargazing, Hiking, Kayaking
My Instagram:
“I learned so much on this trip and had a the time
of a lifetime. Highly recommended”
Age: 34
Favorite past trips? Safari in South Africa, Amalfi
Coast, Caribbean cruise
Job? Consultant
Typical trip budget? Luxury
Hobbies: Reading, Museums, Photos, Wine
My Instagram:
“Like me” vs. friends
2 Settlement
Centre
Thingvellir
Reykjavik
Public
Pools
Thorsmork
& ..
Vestmannae
yjar
Natural Hot
Springs
Snaefellsn
es
Peninsula
Thorsmork &
Laugavegurinn It’s
one of those places
that looks too good
to be true. Bright
green mountains,
volcanic glaciers ...
þrír
frakkar
Seydisfjor
dur
Map-based planning
3

26. Instagram test
1
Lauren John Liz
“This trip was amazing - one of the most
memorable experiences of my life”
Age: 26
Favorite past trips? Iceland, New Zealand,
Job? Grad Student in Education
Typical trip budget? As cheap as possible!
Hobbies: Volunteering, Sailing, Skiing
My Instagram:
“The trip was beautiful. We had so much fun
and we’re definitely coming back”
Age: 38
Favorite trips? Hiking the W trek in
Patagonia, Dolomites in Italy.
Job? Programmer
Typical trip budget? Mid-range
Hobbies: Stargazing, Hiking, Kayaking
My Instagram:
“I learned so much on this trip and had a the time
of a lifetime. Highly recommended”
Age: 34
Favorite past trips? Safari in South Africa, Amalfi
Coast, Caribbean cruise
Job? Consultant
Typical trip budget? Luxury
Hobbies: Reading, Museums, Photos, Wine
My Instagram:
“Like me” vs. friends
2 Settlement
Centre
Thingvellir
Reykjavik
Public
Pools
Thorsmork
& ..
Vestmannae
yjar
Natural Hot
Springs
Snaefellsn
es
Peninsula
Thorsmork &
Laugavegurinn It’s
one of those places
that looks too good
to be true. Bright
green mountains,
volcanic glaciers ...
þrír
frakkar
Seydisfjor
dur
Map-based planning
3
Map + social (x2)
4

27. Instagram test
1
Lauren John Liz
“This trip was amazing - one of the most
memorable experiences of my life”
Age: 26
Favorite past trips? Iceland, New Zealand,
Job? Grad Student in Education
Typical trip budget? As cheap as possible!
Hobbies: Volunteering, Sailing, Skiing
My Instagram:
“The trip was beautiful. We had so much fun
and we’re definitely coming back”
Age: 38
Favorite trips? Hiking the W trek in
Patagonia, Dolomites in Italy.
Job? Programmer
Typical trip budget? Mid-range
Hobbies: Stargazing, Hiking, Kayaking
My Instagram:
“I learned so much on this trip and had a the time
of a lifetime. Highly recommended”
Age: 34
Favorite past trips? Safari in South Africa, Amalfi
Coast, Caribbean cruise
Job? Consultant
Typical trip budget? Luxury
Hobbies: Reading, Museums, Photos, Wine
My Instagram:
“Like me” vs. friends
2 Settlement
Centre
Thingvellir
Reykjavik
Public
Pools
Thorsmork
& ..
Vestmannae
yjar
Natural Hot
Springs
Snaefellsn
es
Peninsula
Thorsmork &
Laugavegurinn It’s
one of those places
that looks too good
to be true. Bright
green mountains,
volcanic glaciers ...
þrír
frakkar
Seydisfjor
dur
Map-based planning
3
Map + social (x2)
4

28. “I like to show up and explore and do things
as I go. So this would help me figure out the
best things around me in my destination”
- Haley, Stanford Grad Student
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
… and the feedback was not what we
expected!

29. Instagram test
1
Lauren John Liz
“This trip was amazing - one of the most
memorable experiences of my life”
Age: 26
Favorite past trips? Iceland, New Zealand,
Job? Grad Student in Education
Typical trip budget? As cheap as possible!
Hobbies: Volunteering, Sailing, Skiing
My Instagram:
“The trip was beautiful. We had so much fun
and we’re definitely coming back”
Age: 38
Favorite trips? Hiking the W trek in
Patagonia, Dolomites in Italy.
Job? Programmer
Typical trip budget? Mid-range
Hobbies: Stargazing, Hiking, Kayaking
My Instagram:
“I learned so much on this trip and had a the time
of a lifetime. Highly recommended”
Age: 34
Favorite past trips? Safari in South Africa, Amalfi
Coast, Caribbean cruise
Job? Consultant
Typical trip budget? Luxury
Hobbies: Reading, Museums, Photos, Wine
My Instagram:
“Like me” vs. friends
2 Settlement
Centre
Thingvellir
Reykjavik
Public
Pools
Thorsmork
& ..
Vestmannae
yjar
Natural Hot
Springs
Snaefellsn
es
Peninsula
Thorsmork &
Laugavegurinn It’s
one of those places
that looks too good
to be true. Bright
green mountains,
volcanic glaciers ...
þrír
frakkar
Seydisfjor
dur
Map-based planning
3
Map + social (x2)
4
Today / tomorrow
5

30. “I don’t care about the discounts. I want someone to select
these for me. I don’t want it to be just about selling
something and will not book if it’s just an advertisement.
But if someone behind it picked it for me, then I would be
much more interested”
- Gil, Restaurant Owner visiting from Israel
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
But customers didn’t care about the features
we expected…

31. Instagram test
1
Lauren John Liz
“This trip was amazing - one of the most
memorable experiences of my life”
Age: 26
Favorite past trips? Iceland, New Zealand,
Job? Grad Student in Education
Typical trip budget? As cheap as possible!
Hobbies: Volunteering, Sailing, Skiing
My Instagram:
“The trip was beautiful. We had so much fun
and we’re definitely coming back”
Age: 38
Favorite trips? Hiking the W trek in
Patagonia, Dolomites in Italy.
Job? Programmer
Typical trip budget? Mid-range
Hobbies: Stargazing, Hiking, Kayaking
My Instagram:
“I learned so much on this trip and had a the time
of a lifetime. Highly recommended”
Age: 34
Favorite past trips? Safari in South Africa, Amalfi
Coast, Caribbean cruise
Job? Consultant
Typical trip budget? Luxury
Hobbies: Reading, Museums, Photos, Wine
My Instagram:
“Like me” vs. friends
2 Settlement
Centre
Thingvellir
Reykjavik
Public
Pools
Thorsmork
& ..
Vestmannae
yjar
Natural Hot
Springs
Snaefellsn
es
Peninsula
Thorsmork &
Laugavegurinn It’s
one of those places
that looks too good
to be true. Bright
green mountains,
volcanic glaciers ...
þrír
frakkar
Seydisfjor
dur
Map-based planning
3
Map + social (x2)
4
Today / tomorrow
5
!??!!?!?

32. Instagram test
1
Lauren John Liz
“This trip was amazing - one of the most
memorable experiences of my life”
Age: 26
Favorite past trips? Iceland, New Zealand,
Job? Grad Student in Education
Typical trip budget? As cheap as possible!
Hobbies: Volunteering, Sailing, Skiing
My Instagram:
“The trip was beautiful. We had so much fun
and we’re definitely coming back”
Age: 38
Favorite trips? Hiking the W trek in
Patagonia, Dolomites in Italy.
Job? Programmer
Typical trip budget? Mid-range
Hobbies: Stargazing, Hiking, Kayaking
My Instagram:
“I learned so much on this trip and had a the time
of a lifetime. Highly recommended”
Age: 34
Favorite past trips? Safari in South Africa, Amalfi
Coast, Caribbean cruise
Job? Consultant
Typical trip budget? Luxury
Hobbies: Reading, Museums, Photos, Wine
My Instagram:
“Like me” vs. friends
2 Settlement
Centre
Thingvellir
Reykjavik
Public
Pools
Thorsmork
& ..
Vestmannae
yjar
Natural Hot
Springs
Snaefellsn
es
Peninsula
Thorsmork &
Laugavegurinn It’s
one of those places
that looks too good
to be true. Bright
green mountains,
volcanic glaciers ...
þrír
frakkar
Seydisfjor
dur
Map-based planning
3
Map + social (x2)
4
Today / tomorrow
5

33. Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

34. We pulled out the key “aha!” insights
Personalization matters (duh)
People value recommendations from people “like me” -- more
so than friends
People want recommendations “around me” for
spontaneous, on-trip planning
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

35. Phase 1
Phase 2:
The other side of the marketplace!
Phase 2 Phase 3

36. Meanwhile, we were also talking to
suppliers...

37. Santa Clara Adventure Travel Show

38. Tour operators are using rudimentary tools
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
“We manage our
availability and
operations using
an Excel
spreadsheet”
- Alaska Tour Company
“We have our own
systems for managing
inventory - and most
of it is manual”
- Nepal Trekking Company

39. “I don’t want to sit at a desk and manage my
business operations all day”
- Founder of Chulengo Expeditions
Current desktop solutions do not meet the
needs of on-the-go tour operators
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

40. Tour operators are reluctant to use 3rd parties
who interfere with customer relationships
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
“When you depend on a third party, you can’t
control the client experience and have to
make sacrifices in the relationship - we’d
rather be with our clients from the very start”
- Swiss Alps Trekking Company

41. Phase 1
And we learned interesting things from
competitors (because we’re students!)
Phase 2 Phase 3
Only 20% of tour operators are online
Booking platforms are in a land grab for supply
This is a HUGE market ($135bn in 2016 expected to reach
$183bn by 2020)

42. Phase 1
We thought we’d build a sales force to sell
directly into tour operators...
Phase 2 Phase 3

43. Phase 1
We thought we’d build a sales force to sell
directly into tour operators...
Phase 2 Phase 3
But they are hard to reach and the market is very
fragmented, with over 50% operators generating less
than $250k annual revenue

44. Instead we will start with an affiliate model
and will pull tours & activities from
existing sites
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

45. Phase 3:
Getting our MVP out of the bubble!
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

46. Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3

47. Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
We tested several channels to distribute the
site out of the bubble

48. Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
Hotels loved it - and advertised FOR FREE :)
“Sure! I will
give one to
every guest
who checks in
today”
- Dinah’s Garden
“Can I have a
laminated
version so I can
put one in every
room?”
- Holiday Inn

50. Phase 1
In the end, we got 400+ users
Phase 2 Phase 3
686 total site visits
7 min 6 sec on average per visit
3.59 page views/visit
2000+ page views

51. Phase 1
Customers said they loved it...
Phase 2 Phase 3
“There's no good place to
find this stuff today. I hate
googling ‘things to do in …’”
“I discovered awesome
options! I didn't know about
Pinnacles, sounds amazing!”
“I love that there's free nature spots
on the homepage. Focusing on that
makes me think that you actually
want me to enjoy the outdoors and
not simply be another site that
wants to charge me for tickets.”
“The simplicity of choices
across a few dimensions is
great, and I love the
recommendations”

52. Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3
… and we even got one
booking request

54. Keep hypotheses narrow and focused
Experiment design is key (but hard to get right!)
Be a storyteller
1
4
But the biggest value has been in the many
lessons learned through this process
Push yourself forward based on “AHA!” insights
2
3

55. Part of the team will continue to
explore the B2B opportunity
Next steps / explorations:
Mobile-first tools for operators
Concierge services for hotels & apartment
rentals (e.g., Zeus, Oasis)

57. APPENDIX

58. 1
69 interviews
- People want
“authentic” & local
- Online recs
crowded & not
trusted
- Planning = visual
3
99 interviews
- Social recs +
“like me” test
- Trust comes
from perceived
shared similarities
more than friends
5
128 interviews
- Marvel prototype
(social recs &
activity planning)
- Social proofing
- 80% suppliers
offline
7
165 interviews
- Coded / working
prototype!
- People loved it!
- Users want more
personalization
2
84 interviews
- Narrower focus
on type of traveler
- Instagram test
4
110 interviews
- Map test
- Improved
experiment design
6
143 interviews
- Last minute
activity & “around
me” activity test
- V2 of Marvel
map test
8
175 interviews
- V2.0 of coded
app
- Wide distribution

59. Competitor Leaf Diagram
Doki
Doki
Travel

60. This is a huge market opportunity
In-destination activities:
- Reached $135B globally in 2016
- Make up 10% global travel spend
- Larger than rail, car rental & cruise markets
- Expected to reach $183B by 2020

61. And yet 80% of tour and activity
reservations are still made offline

62. Phase 1
Looking at the preliminary financials, it will
be tough to make $$$
Phase 2 Phase 3
10,000 $100 25% 2 $500k
Customers Booking value
/ transaction
Take rate Transactions /
customer / yr
Annual rev /
market
10,000 1 / 100 1,000,000
Customers “Look to book” Users in one market
x x x =
÷ =
Target
revenue
Customers
required

63. MVP value prop
Personalization
Photo discovery
Around-me discovery - for weekends OR on-trip
Focus on Bay Area (it’s what we know best - AND helps us get the
most useful feedback)