Roamlike

Product placement with a difference - that's the concept behind Roamlike. Airbnb hosts or owners of vacation homes can secure beautiful furnishings and goodies for free via the platform and thus spice up their vacation home. The only requirement is that you occasionally receive guests. Thus the products of the co-operation partners of Roamlike are recruited. The guests are pleased and the best if they are interested in one of the products and buy it, then the landlord receives also still another commission. Win-win thus. How the team of founders and friends of roamlike came up with this idea and whether the concept also works during Corona you can read here.

With your start-up "Roamlike" you offer product placements in Airbnbs and vacation rentals, how did you come up with this idea?

Jens was a superhost on Airbnb himself and successfully rented out his apartment. Guests kept asking about the products they could find in the apartment. The mattress, the towels or the soap were always in the focus of the conversations with the guests. Jens was working as a marketing consultant and understood that this interest was better than the previous way of making people aware of products, because these real experiences on vacation inspire.

Can you explain the process in a little more detail? How do I go from being an Airbnb host to a Roamlike user with a fully furnished apartment?

The process is very simple: you register with Roamlike with your apartment or project. Roamlike then verifies your information and unlocks you. Roamlike helps hosts threefold: ● Better furnishing through advice and friendship prices on furniture. More favorable renting through selected low-priced consumables such as shampoo or toilet paper. ● Honestly inspire through changing free products as goodies for your guests.

Who are you currently working with and how difficult was it for you to land the first customer?

Our record time for a customer approval is 3 minutes. We are happy about that because it proves that our concept is very well received. Our brand partnerships are very diverse, because for home furnishings alone, Roamlike offers thousands of products from various manufacturers. We work with furnishing brands such as Home24, Muuto or even young furnishing companies to be able to furnish vacation homes in a style and budget-friendly way, while always offering guests that certain something. The needs of landlords of an Airbnb or a vacation home are very diverse.

Starting with the furnishings with bed, sofa or kitchen, textiles and hygiene products such as towels, shampoo & Co. to guest gifts, snacks or drinks. All these things are needed by landlords. In addition, guests are happy about highlights, such as mobility or entertainment offers. With vouchers for guests, such as from ShareNow, Roamlike completes the feel-good package for guests and even offers free mobility for the vacation.

What was the most valuable tip someone gave you during your startup phase?

"Just do it!"

What is your next big challenge?

Our goal is to further establish Roamlike as a full service partner for vacation rental hosts and Airbnbs. Being first in the market and having good contacts in the industry, it is important that our service meets the needs of the landlords. Not only the right products are important for us, but also knowledge transfer and advice. To do this, we talk to hosts on the phone every day and learn.

Your business model is basically based on people going on vacation and staying in Airbnbs or vacation homes. Things that are currently difficult to do. How are you dealing with the challenges of the Corona crisis? And are there things you've learned from it?

We have benefited from Corona. It wasn't so easy at first, of course, but through the many conversations we had with our landlords, we learned that we can help especially by offering friendship prices for the right products. Our store for hosts offers exactly that: selected products that hosts need and friendship prices that are gratefully used especially in times of crisis.

Where did you meet as a team?

We've known each other since elementary school. Martin and Jens went to elementary school together. Tim and Jens had two bands together. Martin, Hendrik and Tim went to Latin class together. All in all, we've been friends for over 60 years and bring different experiences from tech, consulting and advertising, and the rental industry to Roamlike.

Now hand on heart, do you guys still have a real social life since you started?

Yes - we actually maintain a good work-life balance. Both as founders and especially for our employees. Of course, that was a bit different in the beginning.

Do you have a role model and if so, who?

I think each of us founders has different role models and that's a good thing. During our time in Silicon Valley, we had the opportunity to personally meet impressive and successful personalities. This time has shaped us a lot.