Meet James Hohenlohe | Founder & President – Spotsurfer

We had the good fortune of connecting with James Hohenlohe and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi James, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I was always curious about solving problems … especially everyday problems. Being a big skier, I would drive through resort towns and there was nowhere to park. Literally nowhere to park … all the garages were full, etc. But I noticed there were other parking spots open at banks or churches or schools or at lodges where they had extra parking. So, I thought, wow, if I could lease those spots and then market them as being available online, there might be something here. Kind of like AirBNB … but for parking. I did some testing and all the responses were positive. Spotsurfer was born! Our now CEO, Erik Davison, came on board and we built out a great team, developed the technology and began building partnerships. We’re a Colorado company and Vail has really been our epicenter and proving ground. Though partnerships with lodges, commercial properties, private homeowners, lodges and more, we developed an inventory of spots we could list online. And then drivers coming up for the day started using Spotsurfer to reserve these spots in advance. It all just came together. Of course, there were adjustments along the way but with each adjustment, the business worked even better. Over time, we’ve developed more and more partnerships and more and more parking inventory. We also enhanced our technology, with the help of a development team we brought in-house. From humble beginnings and a simple idea, Spotsurfer has just take off, we’re solving a vexing parking problem in resort towns and allowing people to spend less time in their cars search for parking and more time outside … doing what they most love.

What should our readers know about your business?
Well, we are a Colorado company and this is where we started and where we really proved our concept. Getting to where we are was easy and tough both! I was easy in some ways because our concept just worked, we kept things simple and executed well. And it was so well received. But it was tough too. We had to make adjustments. Not everything we did worked. There were times we would get frustrated. But we stuck with our core mission, continued to develop an awesome team and made important refinements along the way. We always liked to our partners and customers. They are the ones who helped guide us most. We’re very proud of these relationships. I think in terms of what I want people to know about our company is that we’re authentic. We’re true to our word. We know we are solving problems. And we believe very strongly in the communities in which we operate.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, I’d say we go to Vail here in Colorado! From hiking to rafting to skiing to outdoor adventure, it’s just gorgeous and there is so much to do. There are so many activities … whether you’re on your own, with a partners, friends or have you family in tow! And, there are TONS of bars, restaurants and great places to eat, see and visit. And, of course, we have incredible paragon spots right in the heart of Vail … so that is a bonus!!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
In my case, I want to shout out to the University of Colorado – Boulder … and all the incredible professors, educators and staff there. It’s such a great world of talented people. And a shout out to Erik Davison who was (and is!) my mentor and is now, I am proud to say, CEO of Spotsurfer!

Website: https://www.spotsurfer.com

Image Credits
Company logo, stock image of Vail, CO