Why a Strong Moat Made Boondockers Welcome an Acquisition Target
When it comes to increasing the value of your business, few things matter more than this:
What makes you tough to compete with?
That’s your moat—the thing your customers value that your competitors can’t easily replicate. Whether it’s a system, a community, a technology, or just the way everything works together, your moat is what gives you Monopoly Control. And businesses that have it are more attractive, more resilient, and significantly more valuable.
According to research from The Value Builder System™, companies with a strong moat (or virtual monopoly) are 40% more likely to receive acquisition offers, and those offers tend to be 25% higher than businesses without one.
Let’s look at how one small startup created a moat that made them irresistible to a strategic buyer.
Building a Marketplace That Couldn’t Be Duplicated
Boondockers Welcome was founded by Marianne Edwards and her daughter, Anna Maste. Think of it like Airbnb for RVers—travelers could find hosts willing to let them park their RVs on private land, for free. In return, hosts got to connect with like-minded people and share their space with fellow adventurers.
But what made Boondockers Welcome valuable wasn’t just the idea. It was the moat.
Two-sided marketplaces are notoriously hard to build. You need both supply and demand to grow together. Not enough hosts? Travelers leave. Not enough guests? Hosts lose interest. That balancing act is what makes these businesses difficult to start—and nearly impossible to copy once they hit critical mass.
Edwards had already built a loyal audience from years of publishing travel guides, and Maste had the tech know-how to make the platform scalable. Together, they used that built-in community to seed the network with high-quality hosts early on—giving them a head start no one else could match.
Over time, the network grew to more than 3,500 host locations across the country. That growth created a self-sustaining loop and a clear competitive advantage—one that couldn’t be recreated overnight.
Why Harvest Hosts Made the Call
Eventually, Boondockers Welcome caught the eye of Joel Holland, CEO of Harvest Hosts, another membership service for RVers. Holland saw the synergy—his company offered camping experiences at wineries and farms, while Boondockers offered overnight stays with individual hosts. It was a natural fit.
At first, Maste and Edwards weren’t interested in selling. But Holland wasn’t just buying a concept—he saw the power of their network moat. He asked them to name their price.
They doubled what they thought their business was worth. After a short negotiation, Holland said yes. The deal closed in weeks.
A Moat Doesn’t Just Attract Customers—It Increases Company Value
Apple is another classic example. Their integrated ecosystem—where iPhones, iPads, Macs, and services like Apple Pay and iCloud work seamlessly together—is their moat. That level of convenience and brand loyalty keeps customers in their ecosystem and competitors out.
You don’t need to be Apple. But you do need to ask:
What makes my business harder to compete with every year?
That’s the moat investors and acquirers are looking for. And the wider it gets, the more leverage you have when it’s time to sell.
Ready to discover and expand your company’s competitive moat?
Let’s talk about how to position your business for stronger value, better offers, and a more strategic exit.
📩 Email: paulwildrick@provengain.com
📞 Call: 925.963.9665
🌐 Visit: www.provengain.com
