So far only a two places show up and one is San Francisco. Not so sure about this
So far only a two places show up and one is San Francisco. Not so sure about this
Why would anyone want to rent a room or a house from a runner? Even a famous one? What the hell?
$100 a night? That blows.
Why did you feel you needed to announce your retirement at the same time? Why do you feel you need to announce it at all?
doo doo wrote:
So far only a two places show up and one is San Francisco. Not so sure about this
Yes, but I was really looking for a place to stay in South Amboy, New Jersey. Now I have it!! Score!
if you just look at the letsrun group, there aren't a lot of people posting, yeah. but on the site at large there are a heap of listings.
Bareut Doll wrote:
Hey Chris - don't flatter yourself. There have been plenty of pro runners posting on this sit. Radcliffe, Webb, Daniel Komen to name a few. You are not the first and you won't be the last.
webb? really? where?
Yeah, you have to start somewhere right? Go to
to see places all over the world. Over 1500 cities and 95 countries. The idea is to launch a group feature that people could join, allowing you to travel the world within an interest group, alumni network, etc. If you want to go to New York or San Francisco via AirBnB, there are more than a few places to stay.
Yes, this is somewhat like couch surfing. Sure there are couches for rent, but also villas that rent for over a $1000/night.
Couch surfing is a great community, I won't argue with that. When you introduce a monetary exchange for letting someone stay with you the relationship changes. People open up and the host feels a certain obligation to give the guest a great experience. We have a user feedback and review system built in to rate hosts and guests alike. This forces people to treat each other well.
Mind you, this is not the final design of the page. It is simply hacked together to get feedback.
Wait, Chris who???????
0/10.
I know for a fact webb has posted here about 4 years ago....but I doubt he goes on the site now. Chris confirmed that pros come here all the time.
by the way - some of you guys don't understand the term "start up" .... don't knock his site. Every business needs to start from somewhere. I respect him for trying.
You're too young to retire. (and too good) Some runners do better when they are working and not sat at home thinking about running all day.
Site sounds a bit similar to one that's succesful - only there people swap homes for a holiday in different countries
Maybe, I'll shift the cat out of the back bedroom for London 2012!
This is why the E. Africans are dominate. Setting aside whether it is Chris or a troll, American runners always have options. They make serious sacrifices, financially and personally, to make it on the international scene. If they come up short, they fall back on their education and get a great job and make as much, if not more, than they did make or would have made as a runner. The E. Africans, by contrast, basically have the choice between being a successful runner or living in severe poverty. So, the E. Africans stay with running as long as they can, while Americans debate whether to keep beating themselves up or go get a better paying desk job. Thus, the E. African advantage is really their broader disadvantage.
Good luck Chris. Hope you keep in shape and wreak havoc on your local road racing scene. The website looks like it has great potential.
Chris - Nice idea to use a "retirement announcement" to launch your web site thingy, but ah lets be honest here...you're quitting running. Care to explain it to the letsrun community? To get so far as a pro and then just bail is a bit odd. Seems like there must be more to it.
Chris, I'm just curious but how can this new occupation/career/job be gratifying to you in any way? Besides the potential to make a good amount of money, I don't see how this new occupation will make you happy and satisfied emotionally.
I believe in people following their dreams and "true calling" but seriously, finding places to stay for people? I apologize if I've come off as critical to your decision......
you don't think a person can be happy and emotionally fulfilled from a business??
If I book a night at your place, can I pay an extra $50 for you to stay in the bed with me? That would be special. Also, it would give you a new career angle to supplement this one: hooker.
PLEASE CHRIS DO NOT QUIT.
You are my favorite American miler.
wejosquad wrote:
Cool idea, but I don't want any message board freaks like me spending the night at my place.
Effing Word.
I think we have a Yoko Ono type situation here
newname wrote:
Why would anyone want to rent a room or a house from a runner? Even a famous one? What the hell?
$100 a night? That blows.
Why did you feel you needed to announce your retirement at the same time? Why do you feel you need to announce it at all?
He announced his retirement at the same time in order to make his career transition offical, and to get a small amount of publicity for his company. Nothing wrong with that -- although, frankly "Air" may have gotten more publicity to pay him to run with their logo on it!
Race across Europe for launch.
While at first "Air" seems like couchsurfers dot com only renting from the strangers, not bumming a free sleep...
...The appeal is the same, meet and stay with locals who can give you the inside word on what to see, cheap great eats etc. when you are in the area. The advantage (HOPEFULLY) of paying to stay at someone's house would be things like...higher assurance of quality people and comfy accommodations; more likelyhood (hopefully) of finding someplace to stay where hotel rates are 3 times+ the " Air" rate. Also potentially more reliable dates etc.
I see some liability here, like who the heck qualifies the people who "host" or rent out to others? (* Yes, membership terms will protect "Air" from real liability, but branding liability will still be a hurdle, with coachsurfer it is "bum beware," here it will be "buyer beware," and since people will be paying, they'll expect more.
This can be mitigated greatly -- and this is probably part of the Air biz model -- if Air acts as an escrow holder until the renter gives their thumbs up of a satisfactory experience.
Commanding a set bottom line, will be both a market qualifier and a market limiter.
The business model is a gamble. If they are VC funded, I can imagine the revenue models and statistics they used... Possibly the funders are gambling on the track record of the key team members...but it is still a gamble.
All start ups are gambles, and that is part of what makes them compelling and exciting.
...Also, while I think Chris's attempt at "marketing humor" misses the mark a bit, he's young and cocky and inspired about building something -- which is the American Way. His humor may not translate well to this medium, and he'll learn FAST in marketing how "personality"
often doesn't work in marketing.
He's young, wish him well, experience will hone out the rough edges.
Yeah, isn't he that AFA coach's boy-toy?