In this ongoing series, we're sharing tips, advice, and insights from real entrepreneurs who are out there doing business battle on a daily basis. (Responses have been edited and condensed for clarity.)
Justin Gordon is the founder of JokeCodea company specializing in web and mobile application development with a focus on React AND Ruby on Rails. His latest venture, HiCheeis transforming the way people book vacation rentals by allowing users to compare listing prices on major platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo and Booking.com.
How did you start your business?
I have been a computer enthusiast since childhood. As a freelance programmer, I was lucky enough to have a client who saw my potential and encouraged me to expand my team. Thus ShakaCode was born. I didn't know I was starting one entrepreneurial journey! In 2013, we were early adopters of React and Webpack, which later became industry standards thanks to our popularity React in Rails gem.
Even while building projects for clients, I couldn't shake the dream of creating my own product. The entrepreneurial spirit is contagious in Silicon Valley, where everyone seems to have a business plan. I think I caught the bug!
What sparked the idea for HiChee?
Living in Hawaii, I was naturally drawn to it vacation rental space. After an initial idea didn't quite pan out, I ran into a common frustration among travelers: the same property could have wildly different prices on different platforms. In other words, if a rental is on both Airbnb and Vrbo, who wouldn't want to know the prices on both platforms? I knew there had to be a better way. That's when the light bulb went off: HiChee, a platform that aggregates vacation rental listings and empowers users to compare prices and sometimes book directly for even bigger savings.
How did you finance your business?
For now, HiChee is fully funded by ShakaCode. It's a labor of love and we're focused on building a loyal user base and establishing a strong reputation before exploring monetization options. Providing value to consumers is our top priority.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Collecting and matching global vacation rental data is no walk on the beach—it's technically complex. But with Ninth US Circuit of Appeals rules on legality of web scraping, we have been able to transform this challenge into an opportunity. Using our expertise, ShakaCode now offers sophisticated data collection services featured on HiChee. This has attracted a growing clientele that recognizes the value of data-driven insights in the age of AI.
A key way HiChee has evolved to meet user needs is by addressing the hassle of copying and pasting links from Airbnb, Booking and Vrbo to check prices. HiChee addressed this concern in two ways.
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A Chrome extension allows users to access the full power of HiChee directly on Airbnb, Booking and Vrbo websites, although this feature is currently limited to Chrome desktop users. However, this requires using Chrome on the desktop.
To address the limitations of the Chrome extension for mobile users, HiChee also introduced the Travel List feature, which provides synchronization of Airbnb Wish Lists with HiChee so that users can take an Airbnb listing to heart and see comparison information on HiChee. Even better, HiChee offers price and availability alerts, so once a listing is saved, a HiChee user can be the first to snag a great deal when a host has dropped a price.
What has been your most rewarding moment as a business owner?
Witnessing HiChee's impressive organic growth – over 200,000 unique users per month for several years – has been extremely rewarding. It's a testament to the value we're offering travelers. And positive media attention from outlets like Fox News, Washington PostAARP, and popular travel columnist Chris Elliott has been the icing on the cake.
What is your best business advice?
Embrace challenges as opportunities for innovation. Listen to your customers and adapt to their needs. And never underestimate the power of persistence and a great team.
Where do you see your business in five years?
I foresee HiChee becoming the leading platform for comparing and booking vacation rentals, empowering travelers to make informed decisions and save money. With ShakaCode's expertise in web aggregation and data analytics, we will continue to expand our services and help businesses harness the power of data.