Waiter to Glamping Millionaire: How to Build a Six-Figure Luxury Camping Business

What if you could turn 10 acres of rural land into a million-dollar hospitality empire while working a full-time job?

Garrett Brown from Cameron Ranch Glamping strategically “land hacked” his way into a multi-six-figure operation that’s now worth $1.5 million and generates over $100,000 per year.

By day, he teaches short-term rentals at BiggerPockets, but his real wealth-building happens through his real estate side hustle with $400+ nightly rates without the overhead of a traditional hotel.

Listen to Episode 686 of the Side Hustle Show to learn:

• How “land hacking” lets you get started with minimal down payment
• The 60-30-10 rule for choosing profitable glamping locations
• Why 80% of his bookings come directly through social media (not Airbnb)

But First, Grab Our Playlist of the Best Real Estate Side Hustles

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The Land Hacking Strategy

Garrett’s breakthrough came from applying the house hacking concept to land purchases, what he calls “land hacking.”

Instead of buying raw land (which requires 50% down and expensive utility development), he found a $550,000 house on 10+ acres in an unrestricted area outside Houston.

He put just 5% down on the house, then negotiated a 3% seller concession, bringing his actual down payment to about 2%, roughly $12,000 total.

And then that saved money funded his first glamping structure.

Garrett’s 60-30-10 Location Rule:

• 60 minutes from a major city (Houston market)
• 30 minutes from attractions (Lake Livingston, state parks, national forest)
• 10 minutes from civilization (gas station, Dollar General, Walmart)

This formula ensures you can attract weekend warriors while still having access to contractors, cleaners, and emergency services.

Building Your First Glamping Structure: The $30K Geodome

For his debut structure, Garrett chose a geodome from Pacific Domes, essentially a glorified tent made of steel and 10-year canvas for about $13,000.

Startup costs for the first unit:

• Geodome structure: $13,000
• Road/access: $5,000
• Septic system: $9,000
• Utilities connection: $5,000
• Total: $32,000

The geodome came with architectural plans, making county permitting much smoother.

Garrett’s advice: Call multiple county permitting offices before choosing your location.

Rural counties vary dramatically in their openness to alternative structures.

Pro tip: Having a house on the property eliminates the biggest raw land challenges — electricity is already there, water systems exist, and you’re not starting from scratch on utilities.

The Numbers That’ll Blow Your Mind

Here’s where the math gets exciting:

Geodome Performance (Year 2):

• Average daily rate: $422 (including cleaning fees)
• Occupancy: 88%
• Gross revenue: $95,000
• Net profit: $60,000 (after covering the entire mortgage on the main house)

At those rates, the geodome paid for itself in under one year and now generates pure cash flow while building equity in the underlying real estate.

Creative Financing: The $129K Cabin They Got for Free

Garrett wanted a $129,000 mirror cabin from OOD, an Estonian company, but didn’t have the cash.

So he called the company and pitched a revenue-sharing partnership.

The deal was OOD provided the cabin for free in exchange for 30% of gross revenue. Garrett only paid about $20,000 in site prep and utilities.

It was successful because the mirror cabin averages $498/night with 90% occupancy, grossing $115,000 in year one — with zero money down.

“It’s almost like an infinite cash on cash return when I get a free place… and just split profits,” Garrett explains.

Marketing: 80% Direct Bookings Without Paid Ads

Most people would guess Airbnb dominates bookings, but Garrett achieves 80% direct bookings through his website using:

1. Building in Public

Garrett documented his entire building process on social media for a year before opening, building 10,000+ followers and creating a waitlist of potential guests.

2. Viral Content

His “cowboy pool” (stock tank pool) video hit 20 million views across platforms, driving massive awareness and bookings.

3. Local Content Creators

Garrett found creators with authentic storytelling ability. One creator with just 1,000 followers generated a million-view video.

4. Organic Content Strategy

His team now posts 7 TikToks and reels per week, focusing on organic SEO and social media growth rather than paid advertising.

Essential Tools and Tech Stack

Garrett now manages 10 glamping properties while maintaining his BiggerPockets role. His tech stack:

Property Management:

• Lodgify – Central booking system connecting all platforms
• Turno – Automated cleaner dispatch and scheduling
• Price Labs – Dynamic pricing (adds 15-20% to revenue for $20/month)

The system: When a booking comes in, Lodgify automatically notifies cleaners through Turno, while Price Labs adjusts rates based on demand — similar to hotel revenue management.

Team building approach: Pay cleaners well above market rate to ensure quality and retention. Garrett’s cleaners even handle extra tasks like propane refills because they’re invested in the business’s success.

What Clients Are Really Buying

Yes, they’re booking accommodation. But Garrett’s guests are really purchasing:

• Time (no trip planning stress)
• Experience (Instagram-worthy moments)
• Peace of mind (everything handled)
• Connection (unplugged time with loved ones)

His tagline “disconnect to reconnect” captures this perfectly. The business was named after his brother who passed away from suicide, highlighting mental health and taking time for yourself and loved ones.

Guest demographics: Primarily couples seeking romantic getaways, anniversaries, birthday celebrations. Most stays are 1-2 nights, with some extending to 4-5 days.

Getting Started: Permission and Permits

Before buying land:

1. Call permitting departments in target counties
2. Ask local contractors which counties are easier to work with
3. Have architectural plans ready (Pacific Domes includes these)
4. Be honest about your project goals

“Most of these smaller counties have one or two people in their permitting department. Just call them and ask if they’d allow this.”

Expensive Mistakes and Surprises

Biggest ongoing cost: Land maintenance. Between road upkeep (gravel needs refreshing after heavy rains), constant mowing, and landscaping, the “pristine element” that commands premium rates requires significant ongoing investment.

What he underestimated: The infrastructure costs beyond the structures themselves—septic systems, road building, and ongoing grounds maintenance add up quickly.

Scaling lesson: Don’t skimp on your cleaning team. High-quality, reliable cleaners are worth premium pay and will go above and beyond when they feel valued.

What’s Next for Garrett?

Garrett just released The Glamping Investor through BiggerPockets, a comprehensive guide containing five years of research and real-world experience for just $20 paperback or $10 digital.

His approach mirrors BiggerPockets’ philosophy: providing real education at accessible prices instead of $10,000 masterminds promising unrealistic overnight success.

Garrett’s #1 Tip for Side Hustle Nation

“You can’t be great unless you start, but you also don’t fail until you quit.”

Don’t Forget: Get Your Free Real Estate Side Hustles Playlist

Episode Links

• Cameron Ranch Glamping
• The Glamping Investor Book
• BiggerPockets
• Pacific Domes
• Airbnb
• OOD Mirror Cabins
• Lodgify Property Management
• Turno Cleaning Management
• Price Labs Dynamic Pricing
• Glamping Hub
• Hipcamp
• FHA Loans
• USDA Rural Development

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