Harsh Patil is the founder of xplor.earth. An Indian-American who is the true definition of “The American Dream” Patil worked in Finance & Operations within the music, fashion & publishing industries for over 25 years. Patel had always enjoyed the outdoors and hiking.
One day Patil decided to follow his inner voice after climbing Kilimanjaro and the Himalayan mountains. Through serious soul searching, he realized his true passion was travel and the outdoors. From all our previous travels he had copious notes about places he had visited leaving him with some of the elements in hand to start his business leading him to launch xplor.earth.
Today he heads this bespoke company as a travel expert on ways to travel luxuriously and with an adventurous touch through some of the world’s more remote places.
What is Xplor.earth all about?
Xplor.earth customizes luxury travel experiences in offbeat destinations across the globe. As travel experts, we create tailor-made itineraries to match your unique interests and travel pace, offering you unparalleled comfort and style. Our network of trusted partners and local guides will provide you with inside access for an authentic and unforgettable travel experience in the destination of your choice.
Tell us a bit of your background and how you started your company?
My educational background is in Finance & operations. I spent most of my working life building a sound career in Men’s Fashion, Music Publishing, Strategy Consulting, and finally, the Publishing industry at various world-renowned houses. So even my career choices were non-traditional compared to most of my peers. I admit that I eventually hit a wall in terms of advancement, especially with the rising threat posed by everything-internet and constant business consolidation in Publishing. Finally, I ran out of zeal and was languishing in direction.
About 6 yrs ago, I ascended Mt Kilimanjaro for the 1st time and subsequently went on an African safari. My euphoria and sense of accomplishment reached a zenith, and I came away with the knowledge that I loved this experience and wanted to do more. So, I went on more arduous expeditions. After returning from the 2nd time to Mt. Kilimanjaro, it didn’t take me long to scrap my previous career and launch headlong into starting an adventure travel outfit, xplor. Earth. I talked to friends in the travel space, researched different agency models, leafed through our previous travel chronicles and pictures, read my travel notes, and thought about how I would differentiate myself in the crowded travel space. The notion of highly custom and worry-free travel for discerning clients in the luxury space was born.
What would you say are the top 3 skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur, and why?
I would say that every successful venture needs to start with a clear vision for itself and then needs to be backed by product & competitor knowledge. Finally, a strong team is critical to executing on this vision.
What are your plans for the future? How do you plan to grow this company?
Our goal is quite simple – we strive to be the trusted travel advisors on the destinations we offer, and we want our journeys to be unique in the experiences we offer. For example, when publications like CNTraveler, T&L, Outdoor, Afar, Forbes etc., make recommendations on destinations and experts, we want to be included in that elite list. When travelers think of Africa, xplor.earth should come to mind.
How have the pandemic and Lockdown affected you or your new business?
As with other travel companies in the industry, Covid had a major impact on xplor.earth. However, we made the most of the situation by being one of the first in the industry to start our LIVE virtual travel series. We started by hosting a live virtual safari for our travelers and donated the funds raised to impacted Masai guides in Africa.
The biggest lesson learned was that despite the closure of international borders, it was possible to leverage the situation and let people experience different cultures safely from the comfort of their homes.
How do you separate yourself from your competitors?
At xplor.earth, we strongly believe in delivering customized and unique immersive travel experiences to our customers. What also sets us apart is that we have personally visited every destination that we offer and ensure that we curate every occasion to the likes of our travelers. We do not believe in providing generic travel itineraries that can be found over the internet.
What were the top three mistakes you made starting your business, and what did you learn from them?
I should have launched my travel company earlier! And we did make a few errors early on – I signed up for some airline booking engines thinking I would better serve my clients but quickly realized that booking flights was a minuscule element when the real goal was to curate unique experiences. And then, we loaded up our website with a content-rich video that slowed down the browsing experience. Both these mistakes have since been rectified.
Tell us a bit of your marketing process, what has been the most successful form of marketing for you?
Our marketing involves a mix of social media posts, ads, and emailers to keep our audiences engaged and up-to-date with our offerings. We have also, in the past, tied up with influencers to enhance our market presence. However, what has worked best for us so far has been word-of-mouth marketing. Most of our clients are repeat customers who love our services, and they are often the ones that recommend xplor.earth to their networks.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
Our biggest challenge has essentially been the pandemic. In the year prior, we were firing on all engines but then had the wind knocked out of us. Luckily, our fixed overheads were relatively low, and we were able to salvage each of our bookings. So while valuable time expired, we have been fortunate to hit the reset button, and things have been on a steady upswing lately.
What are you learning now? Why is that important?
Attention to detail is always critical in our model, where we curate exclusive, worry-free journeys where we manage every little detail. The pandemic and the ensuing restrictions worldwide have taught us to be extra vigilant about constantly changing safety rules.
If you started your business again, what things would you do differently?
I believe we are on the right track with our model. Our most significant task ahead is to scale up this model.
What are the top 3 online tools and resources you’re currently using to grow your company?
- KW finder and Google Trends: these help with keyword research for the blogs published on our website and help with SEO efforts.
- Calendly: this is a beneficial software to schedule calls with customers
- Travefy: This tool we use to generate and manage our itineraries and is a visually appealing way of showcasing upcoming trips to travelers.
What’s a productivity tip you swear by?
It sounds old school, but I like to maintain to-do check-lists on paper.
Can you recommend one book, one podcast, and one online course for entrepreneurs?
I’m more a reader of history, so not qualified to write about entrepreneurial biographies.
If you only had $1000 dollars to start a new business, knowing everything you know now, how would you spend it?
It might sound harsh, but most businesses need a solid financial footing, especially a steady cash flow. Many ventures fail because they lack the cash flow required to keep the lights on. So with a limited purse, I would consider becoming an online reseller of inexpensive but not easy-to-find products.
What helps you stay driven and motivated to keep going in your business?
Our venture is more of a passion for travel than it is a business. I love what I do, and seeing our clients come back with heartening memories is the first reward. Financial success follows as long as we continue expanding our network and repeating what we’re experts at.
What is your favorite quote?
Adventure awaits. Let’s go find it!
What valuable advice would you give new entrepreneurs starting out?
Start with a plan and then another plan on how you are going to execute.
Who should we interview next and why?
Any of our clients who have been on our curated trips worldwide. They will vouch for the unique and memorable experiences xplor.earth created for them.
What is your definition of success?
Success in our realm is when we get a lot of social media mentions by our clients and then being referred to other leads.
How do you personally overcome fear?
I started this outfit after successfully ascending Kilimanjaro and I am somewhat of an adrenaline junkie, so I personally will do most anything that gives me a rush.
How can readers get in touch with you?
Interested readers can visit our website at www.xplor.earth and can send us a message on our contact us pop-up. Alternatively, you can shoot us an email on info@xplor.earth with the destination of your interest or you can schedule to speak with our travel advisors.
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