Meet Samantha Lauren Pike | Founder of The Hosting Société

We had the good fortune of connecting with Samantha Lauren Pike and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Samantha Lauren, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Starting The Hosting Société was a gradual experience that began in 2019. At first, it was a simple concept. The idea originally came from the desire to treat myself. After a very busy season hosting guests at my first vacation rental, I was looking for my own getaway. I was in search for a property that provided the same level of attention to detail and curation.

I decided to reach out to a fellow host on Instagram and offer my place to them in exchange for theirs. To my surprise, they agreed. I was so enthused by their response that instead of arranging a trade, I began creating a community for hosts to connect and trade. As my search deepened, I discovered a new breed of vacation rental. The types of properties that caught my attention were the ones that were intentionally styled to provide elevated guest experiences, otherwise known as boutique accommodations.

Using Instagram as my guide, I started to reach out to established hosts from Canada, USA, and Australia and offered to feature them on my page as well as provide them with a private community to connect and socialize with each other. After bringing hosts from all over the world together, I started monetizing our community by offering monthly subscriptions for planned member gatherings, a private platform for trading, and expert lead classes to improve current offerings.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I have never considered myself as an artist until I had the opportunity to create my own Airbnb in 2018 and subsequently, The Hosting Société. Up until this point, I had been studying behavioural psychology and had considered a career as a professional, however in my heart, I always knew that this wouldn’t be my life path. The problem was, I had no idea what my life path would be. Unlike so many creatives I’ve witness, I didn’t have a calling from the start. My passion for boutique accommodations grew from curiosity and the new found freedom when creating a space with guests in mind.

My passion for boutique accommodations lives in all areas: design, marketing, and community. I love designing properties that jump off the screen and into your heart. I love promoting others and their works of art. I have had the amazing honour in meeting some of our members (and their properties). I of course, am one of their biggest fans. Finally, I love making connections within the hosting community. As talented hosts, our accommodations receive all the attention, as they should. But behind the property lives someone who is extremely passionate about creating a one-of-a-kind experiences for their guests. They are creating destinations, not just another place to stay. This is an art focused community. We have a lot in common. We share very similar values and intentions. And we admire everyone who is inside The Hosting Société.

To my knowledge, The Hosting Société is completely original. The concept of a curated community of talented hosts from around the world who connect and trade properties with each other is a new idea. I am highly selective about who joins in order to maintain quality and our values. I think this is one of the reasons why members enjoy being apart of it.

I am proud of the originality of my idea. Although, it does come with challenges. Since no one has ever heard of something like this before, new members take time to learn how it works. From a creation perspective, I have no one really to follow. So knowing what to do next or making decisions that will evoke change takes a bit of courage.

Creating this community has been the greatest venture for my personal growth. The biggest lesson I have learned so far is that seeds from the heart take time to grow. In the beginning, I was extremely eager to “make this a thing.” After a few years now, I have learned that great things take time. The process of trial and error is essential in creating something that will last. At this point, I have more of a relaxed approach to our growth and I am extremely proud of the community I’ve built today.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Ironically, it’s the community that I have built that encourages me to keep going. Being an entrepreneur is lonely. Without a guidebook and a clear sense of what will work, it can be very challenging to trust and believe in yourself to keep going. Luckily, with the support and kindness of the community members inside The Hosting Société, I have managed to continue our mission to provide an exciting exclusive international community for the established boutique accommodation host.

I have been lucky to work with women who have served as a mentor for me as I embarked on this wild journey as a solo entrepreneur. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Raechelle Minnie, Brenda Harwood, JJ, Lisa Gaupset, and Amanda Mitchell for encouraging me to keep going.

Thank you ladies. I will always be forever grateful.

Website: www.thehostingsociete.com www.samanthalaurenpike.com

Instagram: @thehostingsociete @samanthalaurenpike @pykefarms

Image Credits
Profile Picture: Amelia Viveiros from Amedia Social @amedisocial.ca Action pictures: Lucy Beaugard @lucybeaugard at @alpenglowcabin Janita Ohara @janita.ohara at my house called @pykefarms