Police officer takes his idea to the Dragons’ Den
‘Think Airbnb for RVs,’ he says of new venture that connects owners to renters
Ottawa police Const. Michael McNaught had just started his shift with a Tim Hortons coffee in hand when a call came in for a sexual assault suspect at a DriveTest location in April 2016.
McNaught would end up injured, his uniform ripped right off him, and his right bicep tendon torn through.
But in an unexpected twist, exactly one year later, he’d be in the Dragons’ Den, asking Canadian business icons on the CBC reality show for $150,000 in exchange for 10 per cent of a company he got off the ground while recovering, coming full circle after the injury disrupted life as he knew it.
McNaught, 34, grew up in Ottawa but started his policing career in Edmonton. He’s been an Ottawa officer for eight of the 10 years he’s been a cop.
McNaught worked as a neighbourhood officer and in the internet child exploitation unit. He went back to work patrol in 2016, and was injured shortly after.
It was 2 p.m. on a Tuesday when McNaught went to collar the suspect. The man, whose charges are still before the court, allegedly resisted and before long McNaught was in what he described as a “life or death” fight.
During the struggle, McNaught’s right bicep tendon was ruptured. “My arm was a noodle,” he said. Backup arrived and things were soon under control, but the injury to his arm meant months of time off work, and a loop of multiple surgeries and recovery.
The biggest challenge for McNaught was trying to keep busy. He owned rental properties, played sports, lifted weights, took care of his three children, was finishing a university degree and took opportunities for paid-duty jobs as an officer — but after the injury, he couldn’t really do any of it.
McNaught had owned an RV for years and considers himself an outdoor enthusiast. He bought it to enjoy with his family but realized that despite the significant investment, the RV sat in the driveway for 11 months of the year.
He would rent it out through Kijiji or classified ads, but with the extra money came some issues — no security or peace of mind in knowing who was renting. Money changed hands, but it didn’t feel safe. He had an idea.
“Think Airbnb for RVs,” McNaught said.
He reached out to friend Will Thompson — a military veteran with whom he had discussed the business idea before — and they figured it would be something to sink his teeth into while he was injured.
And so, RVezy (pronounced R-Veasy) was born — a website that connects RV owners to renters, on a safe and secure platform, with full insurance and decent cost savings, which McNaught says could run from 40 to 50 per cent off.
McNaught and Thompson will appear on a “Heroes” episode of Dragons’ Den, featuring Canada’s entrepreneurial first-responders, airing Thursday at 8 p.m.
The show held an open audition in Ottawa and the pair decided to try it out. They went, made their pitch to a producer, then got a call back weeks later asking them to come to Toronto for a taping in April — one year to the day after McNaught was injured.
He’s back to work now on a job share where he and another officer split one full-time position. He works as an officer seven days a month.
There are eight people working at RVezy right now, based out of a hip Hintonburg office space. There are full-time developers needed to run the site, but both co-founders remain at their day jobs.
They asked the Dragons to help them grow the company and “be that Canadian marketplace for RV rentals,” McNaught said. “We want to be Canada’s brand.” McNaught won’t reveal whether the bid was successful, but he is holding a viewing party.
There are eight people working at RVezy right now, based out of a hip Hintonburg office space.