The World’s Finest Luxury Villa and Home Rentals.
Leading luxury vacation rental platform pairing discerning affluent and ultra-affluent clients with unique ultra-luxury homes in exclusive vacation destinations worldwide.
How did it all begin?
Having led businesses for over 20 years in the travel sector, of which the last 15 years in the Vacation Rental sector, I had been aware for some time that there existed a significant gap in the market for ultra-luxury travel.. This is a multi-trillion dollar market from what is considered by most as a niche audience owing to its size in number, whereas its size in value is colossal.
I conducted customer research for the Affluent and Ultra-Affluent segments specifically and spoke to researchers in the luxury sector at large, which revealed some key traits and provided fascinating insights.
Marrying the two led me to not only refine the opportunity that I saw and am passionate about, but also shed a new light and define a differentiated approach from anything I had seen during my research. This is how the vision for the Edge Retreats that you see today was born.
I conducted customer research for the Affluent and Ultra-Affluent segments specifically and spoke to researchers in the luxury sector at large, which revealed some key traits and provided fascinating insights.
Marrying the two led me to not only refine the opportunity that I saw and am passionate about, but also shed a new light and define a differentiated approach from anything I had seen during my research. This is how the vision for the Edge Retreats that you see today was born.
What sets your business apart?
We have rapidly grown into a showcase of the world’s finest luxury villas and homes, from minimalist architectural showstoppers to Instagram-worthy interiors and old-world masterpieces. Our unparalleled portfolio includes 6,200 private villas, castles, estates, islands in 164 destinations worldwide.
From one-on-one conversations with our luxury travel experts during the exploration process to enriching in-destination experiences, each journey is seamlessly crafted around the guest and their needs. We design every step of each stay and the personal touches of luxury travel are elevated to uniquely tailored vacations to create unforgettable memories.
Our NPS stands at an outstanding 95%. We are also proud to be developing differentiating technology for the future of luxury travel.
From one-on-one conversations with our luxury travel experts during the exploration process to enriching in-destination experiences, each journey is seamlessly crafted around the guest and their needs. We design every step of each stay and the personal touches of luxury travel are elevated to uniquely tailored vacations to create unforgettable memories.
Our NPS stands at an outstanding 95%. We are also proud to be developing differentiating technology for the future of luxury travel.
What is the concept behind your business or the problem you’re solving?
Affluent & Ultra-affluent travel is sold offline. No one ‘’clicks here’’ to pay $50,000. Luxury transactions still mostly take place offline, e.g. 40% through travel agencies. Digital experience is needed but is not available. Millennials and Gen-Zers expect it.
The sector is fragmented worldwide. There is no single worldwide platform for this target client which means clients have to do their due diligence for destinations they choose. Also, for luxury property managers and owners, it is hard to acquire the target clients at scale.
Finally, the value proposition for the target audience isn’t differentiated and neither is the competitive landscape. This is a poorly understood market with frequent confusion between mass-affluent and affluent audiences.
The sector is fragmented worldwide. There is no single worldwide platform for this target client which means clients have to do their due diligence for destinations they choose. Also, for luxury property managers and owners, it is hard to acquire the target clients at scale.
Finally, the value proposition for the target audience isn’t differentiated and neither is the competitive landscape. This is a poorly understood market with frequent confusion between mass-affluent and affluent audiences.
Where to next/What is your brand vision?
The vacation rental industry has been the fastest growing segment in travel for the past fifteen years, and the luxury segment in particular is the fastest growing segment within the global vacation rental sector. More affluent and ultra-affluent travellers seek enhanced privacy for their families while on vacation and this global audience is forecasted to grow +50% CAGR 2020-2025.
We want to be able to offer clients the option of choosing a hybrid experience of digital + human. This will be especially important for and relevant to Millennials and Gen-Zers once they reach financial maturity.
An underfunded area in the vacation rental industry lies in building products to serve the affluent luxury market, which is especially drawn to private homes for their stays – this is where we excel. We are developing a platform that humanises the digital experience via advanced technologies and doing so in a manner that is adapted to the luxury consumer and playbook.
We want to be able to offer clients the option of choosing a hybrid experience of digital + human. This will be especially important for and relevant to Millennials and Gen-Zers once they reach financial maturity.
An underfunded area in the vacation rental industry lies in building products to serve the affluent luxury market, which is especially drawn to private homes for their stays – this is where we excel. We are developing a platform that humanises the digital experience via advanced technologies and doing so in a manner that is adapted to the luxury consumer and playbook.
Aurelie Lepercq
CEO & Founder of
Edge Retreats
What do you feel passionate about/what drives you?
Travel and the fascinating sector of Luxury.
Share an example of early life that has shaped you?
I have been travelling since I was age 7. My father was in the Navy and so we moved from country to country every 2 to 3 years. Travel has given me the gift of curiosity and appreciation for cultures, people and landscapes across the World from an early age.
Highlights of your business journey so far?
I have over 20 years of experience in scaling up digital businesses from inception through to multi-country and multi-brand organizations. Thanks to years of working with tech disruptors, I have built an expertise in marketplaces and their internationalization. My track record in leadership and hyper-growth includes two venture capital-backed enterprises who successfully exited, of which HomeAway Inc which I joined from the early days in 2006 through to its global leadership. HomeAway Inc was sold for $3.9bn to the Expedia Group.
Key lessons you have learned along the way?
The makeup of your Cap Table is critical.
Best piece of advice you have received?
Fundraising always takes longer than expected.
Advice to an aspiring entrepreneur or woman just starting her career?
If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, be ready to develop a thick skin and yes the data out there about the roadblocks to women raising finance are real. But your passion and resilience will pull you through. Enjoy the journey; you’ll learn faster setting up a business than in any other career path. You’ve got this!
What funding route have you chosen for your business and why?
Our investors are angels and super-angels which is appropriate for our stage.
Some of the challenges you have faced and how you overcame them?
Where do I start…? There are frequent challenges and curve balls when leading a business. At the risk of sounding cliché, I would say the main challenge is raising finance and finding a way around biases towards women founders. I use challenging meetings as education opportunity for the investors present, whether that is during the meeting with subtle re-phrasing of questions or after the meeting with links to resources.
Why is it important to support women-led business?
As we start the 21st century, my hope is that we will soon be in a position where we don’t need to ask this question. There is plenty of data out there on the high return that women provide to investors yet the data also shows little to no change in funding going to women-led businesses, and generally to non-white-male led businesses. Overcoming biases is key and whilst it may be harder to change the approach of the current generation of investors, let’s make sure that the next generation of investors is more educated to change the game.
60
Seconds
with
Aurelie Lepercq
My inspiration is...
our team, customers and villa partners.
My greatest fear is...
humanity being too late to halt climate change.
The most courageous thing I’ve ever done is...
scuba diving with sharks.
Guilty pleasure?
Tiramisu.
Mantra you live by?
find a way, or create one.
Female role model?
the iconic Dr Sylvia Earle, and Sallie Krawcheck.
Women-led brand you love?
Concierge Auction, Ellevest, Me+Em.
Top productivity tool?
Hyper-prioritisation.
