Shawn Kisielius is no stranger to owning a business. His personal enterprise — Canadian Barn Hunters— reclaims wood and other materials from old barns and keeps Shawn plenty busy during his day. Keeping up with this thriving business prepared him well for jumping into the world of RV rentals.
Shawn didn’t purchase his 2008 Pilgrim International Cirrus with the intention of starting yet another money-making venture. “I did not buy it knowing I could rent it,” Kisielius tells us. He eventually discovered the rental opportunity and chose to list the rig on Outdoorsy.
Why? Well, as he puts it, “I thought the platform was professional and easy to navigate.”
It took some time for his rental business to take off. The wait would be discouraging for most people. Luckily, Shawn decided to wait it out. “It took about 6 months over winter before bookings came in around March,” he says. “I have now made around $13,000 in the year-and-a-half I have been using Outdoorsy.”
$13,000 is a lot of money. How did he do it? “I lowered my recommended nightly rate to $90 to increase my booking requests, and similarly lowered my weekly and monthly rates,” Kisielius explains.
Not only was this decision great from a business perspective, but it’s also given Shawn the opportunity to meet a number of new people. “I have met all different types of people, from road trippers and families to musicians and young people partying,” he tells us.
He then shares what he hopes his trailer does for these awesome people: “I hope it encourages people to get outside with their families and explore this great country!”
All about Shawn Kisielius
Favorite morning beverage:
“Cesars”
Favorite campsite meal:
“Steak and root vegetables”
Music you like to play on the radio:
“House music”
Best game to play on the road or at your campsite:
“‘I Spy’ on the road (points for livestock and wildlife views)”
Favorite season:
“Winter”
Last photo you took:
“Wild orchid”
What’s your Outdoorsy spirit animal:
“Golden Eagle”
If you could travel anywhere in an RV, where would you go?
“North of Pemberton, BC.”
