What It's About
Two friends start a profitable business that turns the perception of bats upside down.
Business Model
Skills Required
Complexity
Profit Potential
Words of Wisdom
Here's some great advice from Chris:
"A lot of people think that people who have successful, small businesses (especially ones that attract a lot of media attention) just had a lightbulb moment of genius and then acted on their well of inspiration. I’d say that’s rare. What we did, and what I advise to others is to commit to doing something. You may not know what yet, but commit to it.
Once you’ve committed everything that follows can be broken down into steps—even learning what the next step is. As you take those steps, you build momentum as you see what you are able to accomplish."
Fun Fact
Did you know? Without the assistance of bats, you can wave goodbye to bananas, avocados, and mangoes. Over 300 species of fruit depend on bats for pollination, and bats help spread seeds for nuts, figs, and cacao too. Without bats, we also wouldn’t have plants like agave or the iconic saguaro cactus.
Also, bats can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes per night, making them far more effective than pesticides without any of the negative environmental effects!
Notes from Chris
Episode 877
The year was 2016, and the fear of the Zika virus was getting bad. Governments in Latin America were advising women to not get pregnant for two years. The United States prepared for a pandemic as summer arrived and mosquitos came out. And then came the sprays. Millions of gallons of pesticides spread all over the country to try to avoid the coming plague… which never really arrived. The massive uptick in pesticide use disturbed Chris Rännefors and Harrison Broadhurst, two friends in Lexington, Kentucky. Didn’t people know that a single bat could eat 1,000 mosquitoes per hour—all without needing an ounce of chemicals? Nope. Apparently, people had no idea, and one day as the two friends walked around Wal-Mart and noticed there were dozens of bug sprays and not a single bat house for sale, they realized there was an opportunity to do something about it—potentially a very profitable opportunity. They both had experience with woodworking and conservation. What if they built beautiful bat houses and taught people how helpful (and not dangerous) having bats around could be? The idea seemed doable—and important. As I learned while researching this episode, bats need our help to adapt to the urban world, and we need their help to keep mosquito populations down. It felt like the perfect symbiotic relationship! There was no magic bullet to this process. Just regular, disciplined, organic involvement on the platforms—and sure enough, people started visiting the website and putting in their emails. After six months of prototyping and nearly $10,000 invested, it was time to launch the BatBnB Indiegogo campaign. Chris reached out to their email list—now nearly 2,000 names long—and announced the launch in July. He also sent a press release to dozens of local publications and conservation websites. The following week, the campaign went live. Chris and Harrison anxiously stared at the clock. Would people really buy $220 bat houses? Were they going to get stuck building a bunch by hand? But the fear didn’t last long. After a few minutes of silence, the first sale rolled in. Then another, and several more. Within days, BatBnB had sold over $50,000 worth of bat houses. In the two years since their Indiegogo campaign, Chris and Harrison have continually invested in the community they built, and that community has become their biggest driver of sales. They’re preparing for an upcoming appearance on Shark Tank and are excited about their newly released budget-friendly $95 bat house. And although the monthly $4-5k profits are thrilling, the greatest reward is knowing they’ve helped over 100,000 bats find great homes—and built a sustainable business they’re proud of while doing it.MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
- BatBnB: Hang out over on Chris and Harrison's website to learn more about their eco-friendly, mosquito-fighting solution
- Indiegogo | BatBnB: Check out Chris and Harrison's Indiegogo campaign!
SEE ALSO:
- Beekeepers Build Buzzing Backyard Business: After learning to care for bees by watching YouTube, this European couple living in Australia turns it into a full-time income
- Rent the Chicken! An Egg-Cellent Idea Clucks Into Cash: Yes, really: this Pennsylvania couple rents out 2,000 chickens to people interested in urban homesteading. It’s a side hustle worth clucking about!
- Worm Composting Empire Brings in $400/Month: Texas man stumbles upon a worm composting method that turns into an interesting hobby and a fun side hustle. Don’t let your hustle idea wiggle away!
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Resources
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To infinity and beyond,
