OUTDOORSY

HEADQUARTERS: Austin, Texas

FOUNDERS: Jeff Cavins (CEO), Jen Young EMPLOYEES: 125

Recreational-vehicle peer-to-peer marketplace Outdoorsy began the pandemic like many other travel-focused companies: watching cancellations pile up. “April 1—our lowest bookings day on record—was our worst nightmare,” says Young, 47, the company’s chief marketing officer. She and life partner Cavins, 59, who founded Outdoorsy five years ago to connect would-be outdoor lovers with owners of the 17 million North American RVs that sit unused much of the year, shifted its marketing strategy to focus on SEO. As Americans got cabin fever and realized RVs could solve the conundrum of “socially distanced travel,” Outdoorsy showed up at the top of Google’s search results. Now the summer of the RV is turning into the opportunity of a lifetime for Outdoorsy, with renters booking longer trips on shorter notice. The result is top-line growth, with sales expected to reach $62 million this year, versus last year’s $38 million.