Paul Kacir On The Five Things You Can Do To Become More Resilient During Turbulent Times

Environmentally, traveling via RV versus an airplane yields a MUCH smaller carbon footprint. The fuel they use for airplanes is just terrible for the environment. Not to mention, those who travel in RVs are typically conservationists. They’re out in nature, they’re hiking, bird watching, camping, and they really appreciate and care for the world around them.

As part of my series about “How To Create A Travel Experience That Keeps People Coming Back For More”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Paul Kacir.

Before starting RVnGO, Paul cultivated over 25 years of experience leading new or growing technology companies. His educational background in Economics, Law and Business paired with decades of experience running tech startups have given him the tools and insights on how to run his very own peer-to-peer travel tech company, RVnGO.

Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I was retired at the time, and my daughter and I were embarking on a long road trip to Canada when I noticed the sheer number of RVs on the freeway. This was in 2015 when Airbnb and VRBO were really taking off, so I was inspired by these companies that didn’t need to own their assets to succeed. I saw an opportunity and a whitespace in the marketplace to create a travel platform that would offer RV rentals where we could allow our renters total transparency and the RV owners could keep 100% of the profits from booking their RV. From 2015 to 2019 we worked on developing the concept and infrastructure, and we launched in early 2020.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

I was on a trip to Disney in March of 2020, and not really keeping an eye on the news because I was on vacation. I noticed the park was really quiet and empty at the time and thought it was strange. Soon after that thought crossed my mind, I got a text from a friend all about COVID and asking if I was coming home anytime soon.

Just like everyone else, at the start of the pandemic, we really didn’t know when it was going to end and what was going to happen. Businesses, particularly in the travel space, were shutting down all around us. We thought we must have picked the worst time to launch. Then about a month into the pandemic, we absolutely blew up. We were getting more demand than we could keep up with. Turns out, RV travel would be the one of the safest ways to travel, and with almost everyone was working remotely, people wanted to get out of their houses, get away and go. We provided a need at the most unique time.

A lot of travel businesses suffered because of COVID, but we actually thrived.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Well, as they say, timing is everything and launching right before the world shut down felt like a pretty huge mistake at the time. No one knew what was going to happen. At the start of the pandemic, we actually shut down very briefly to regroup, but then the travel boom happened, and we could hardly keep up with the demand! We paused to gather ourselves but then came in strong! It is hard enough launching a business, but when you have to deal with explosive growth and layer on top of that doing it remotely. It’s like getting behind the wheel of a new car, finding out it’s rocket-powered, and then taking off blindfolded!

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?

When someone can take a vision, bring it to life and share it out to the world, that’s a pretty amazing thing to find. Our web developer, Viswa Rao, is one of those unique partners who is able to take our visions and turn them into reality.

Web design is such an integral part of launching a company. His skills and expertise have allowed us to not only look good online but to actually differentiate us from our competitors by creating unique features no other peer-to-peer RV rental service has. One major differentiator is that we work directly with different RV dealerships from all around the U.S., which offers a large assortment of RVs that our customers can choose from. RVnGO sets the industry standard in transparent transactions, and we have industry-leading insurance coverage and roadside assistance.

Thank you for that. Let’s jump to the core of our discussion. Can you share with our readers about the innovations that you are bringing to the travel and hospitality industries?

RVnGO is the FIRST peer-to-peer RV rental platform that brings people together without charging any fees to hosts or guests. We’re really the most transparent rental platform on the market. We are the ONLY online platform that allows hosts to keep 100% of their rental income for each booking.

We also provide peace of mind to RV owners and renters by automatically including RV rental insurance for all rentals covering up to $1M in liability for the hosts and the guests. We’re truly the most transparent rental company out there and we pride ourselves on that.

Which “pain point” are you trying to address by introducing this innovation and how do you envision that this might disrupt the status quo?

As I said before, we are so transparent, and we are also putting more money in the pockets of the RV hosts. Plain and simple. We really want to be the company people turn to due to the fact they can fully trust us and they know exactly what to expect as either a host or a guest.

Unlike many other travel booking sites or peer-to-peer rental companies, we don’t have any hidden fees. I think that’s a major pain point in the industry that we’ve eliminated through RVnGO and we hope others will follow.

As you know, COVID19 changed the world as we know it. Can you share a few examples of how travel and hospitality companies will be adjusting over the next five years to the new ways that consumers will prefer to travel?

In the first year of the pandemic, RV sales went up something like 600% and RV rental platforms couldn’t keep up with the demand. People are returning to the open road. It’s a safe, more convenient and affordable way to travel.

I think the pandemic shifted a lot of how people value their time and money spent. It’s made people realize we really don’t know what could happen tomorrow or a month from now or a year from now. So, it’s become a priority to live and to cultivate valuable memories. A lot of Americans are still working fully remote, and they’ve realized they don’t have to remain within their four walls to maintain their lifestyle.

You are a “travel insider”. How would you describe your “perfect vacation experience”?

It really comes down to being able to have flexibility and affordability, and above all, to spend quality time with loved ones. When you travel in an RV, you’re not tied to check-out times, airport logistics, crowds, or any other headaches that come with traditional air travel.

When you save money through RV travel, you have more money to spend on quality experiences. Better yet, when you’re not tied to an airfare or check out schedule, you have more time and flexibility to explore, overall getting more from your trip.

Best of all, I think RV travel allows people from all walks of life to explore the American roads. We lose so much when we travel on an airplane and stay in a resort. There’s such a special community with RV travelers — many find connections with their fellow RVers and are open to talk to each other and help one another out.

Travel is not always about escaping, but about connecting. Have you made efforts to cultivate a more wellness driven experience? We’d love to hear about it.

Environmentally, traveling via RV versus an airplane yields a MUCH smaller carbon footprint. The fuel they use for airplanes is just terrible for the environment. Not to mention, those who travel in RVs are typically conservationists. They’re out in nature, they’re hiking, bird watching, camping, and they really appreciate and care for the world around them.

I’ll also emphasize a point I said earlier — cultivating a sense of community, sharing experiences, getting to know people from each corner of the country while out on a trip is something really special that I think is lost when you fly somewhere and stay at a resort.

Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your experience and success, what are the five most important things one should know in order to create a travel experience that keeps bringing people back for more? Please share a story or an example for each.

Transparency
Flexibility
Affordability
Community
Experiences with loved ones (consumers want experiences more than product)

Can you share with our readers how you have used your success to bring goodness to the world?

RVnGO allows people to explore the United States safely. We bring people together and cultivate a sense of community by offering this more affordable and accessible travel option.

Lastly, by allowing people to rent out their RVs and keep 100% of the booking profit, allows everyone to win. We’re raising their standards of living and allowing hosts to better their livelihoods as well.

You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 😊

At RVnGO, we like to think of ourselves as a platform that brings people together. People who may have never crossed paths before. The more people who get outside and see the real America and see other real Americans without the filter of television or the internet, the more people realize we have more in common with each other than differences.

There are lots of really friendly wonderful people you’ll meet at RV sites who are excited to meet new people, help others out, share experiences and talk to one another. No matter your background, you have RVing in common. RVnGO is connecting America through this travel platform experience. By not focusing on what divides us, we can focus on what unites us.

How can our readers follow you on social media?

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!