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If tennis is your pleasure, she'll arrange for you to admire the whites of Wimbledon from the Royal Box. She'll hook you up with a shark-diving outfit off the coast of Mexico. Then it's time for truffles at the private chef's table at Alain Ducasse, the famed restaurant in New York.
com, a type of concierge service that serves up over-the-top experiences usually reserved for the more luminary among us. Much like a personal assistant for hire, she'll pull some creative strings to secure a fantastic experience -- from a front-row seat at Fashion Week in New York, to a ride in a Nascar racing car on an Alabama speedway. The cost for what she calls a "discerning learning" experience, of course, isn't exactly bargain-basement. But Wilson says she's worked out deals with vendors so she can provide special packages -- there's about 100 listed on the site -- to clients at retail cost. com, target the customer with discriminating tastes and a hearty dose of disposable income. A culinary tour in Provence, for instance, sells for $3,495 (not including airfare). But the amenities can't be beat: The package includes a seven-night stay at the hilltop home of a French diplomat, along with cooking classes, wine tastings and tours of local markets. Customers who don't see a prepackaged program they like can ask for a customized adventure. Wilson will try to arrange anything, as long it doesn't include adult entertainment or overly risky activities. To date, Wilson has sold 23 customized packages, and more than 20 prepackaged experiences. A $12,000 trip from San Francisco to New York (via private jet) for dinner at a five-star restaurant, and an overnight stay at a luxurious residence. Wilson came up with the name "Wallbounce" in 2004, when she was practicing tennis and hitting a ball against the wall over and over. She registered the domain name, but did little else until inspiration struck months later when regaling friends with a tale about backstage passes at a celebrity fundraiser. "My girlfriend was like, 'I would pay anything to be back there,'" says Wilson, a former consultant and executive recruiter, who immediately pressed her friend on how much she really would be willing to pay. That's when Wilson realized she could play matchmaker -- brokering deals for those seeking something truly special -- and build a business around it. Wilson was already an entrepreneur -- she had opened a high-end home-renovation company in 2000 -- and was interested in starting another business. She opened up her rolodex and spent the fall of 2005 calling restaurants, tour operators, chocolatiers and other vendors, putting packages of once-in-a-lifetime experiences together. Wilson persuaded vendors to charge her wholesale prices, so she could bill her clients the retail price and make a profit off the spread. Most vendors, especially mom-and-pop businesses that have little budget for marketing, are willing to comply if Wilson brings them a customer, she found. Wilson doesn't book any commercial travel (which, for legal reasons requires a $1 million bond) unless the package includes a ride on a private jet. She has a staff of three, but uses outside agencies to keep operating expenses at a minimum. A call center answers Wallbounce's 800 number, and an outside web developer handles the site's design. "Today, to start a company, you don't need to have in-house employees," she says. What remains to be seen, though, is whether the concept of so-called "branded experiences" (which in marketing parlance means that customers connect the brand Wallbounce with unique adventures) will take off. com that provide tips on hot or off-beat entertainment ideas. Part of Wilson's plan for success is to create a community of clients and potential clients through the Wallbounce web site. "Members," or registered users, get email blasts about new packages and exclusive access to special events, such as a private pastry party at the New York restaurant Payard. Wilson won't disclose exactly how many members Wallbounce currently has, but says it's between 1,000 and 5,000, located in 40 states and four countries. The goal is to have 25,000 members by the end of year, and to be profitable within 18 months, she says. Ultimately, success for Wallbounce will ride on the ability to dazzle customers. Visitors to New York City, for example, won't be loaded onto a crowded tour bus with diesel fumes billowing up. Instead, Wilson is currently negotiating a package that includes lodging at a $4 million apartment on the Upper East Side with butler services, Broadway tickets, and dinner at trendy Tao restaurant. In other words, with Wilson's help, you can find out what it's really like to live the good life -- if only for a night or two.
My advisers include friends in private equity, many of whom are adventure travelers. My friends have been involved in critique from the start of the web site, to tell Wallbounce about different experiences they would want to purchase. What do you know now that you wish you'd known when you started? We have partnered with some phenomenal charities and helped them develop phenomenal fundraising options for their online auctions. For instance, we helped Dress for Success with a recent gala, selling great things via an online auction. Po Bronson's book titled, "What Should I Do With My Life?" And extra credit, please answer: when/where was your last vacation?
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