Families who camp together, stay together, and Outdoorsy owner, Sirnette Dickerson, is well aware of this fact. “I enjoy traveling and spending time with my family, and RVing creates the perfect opportunity to blend the two,” she tells us.
Interestingly, Sirnette first learned how amazing RVing is as a renter: “I actually rented a vehicle myself on Outdoorsy prior to purchasing mine.” After that rental, Mrs. Dickerson realized just how beneficial having a rig of her own would be. She could camp whenever she liked, and might even be able to make a few bucks off of her investment.
However, this didn’t work out quite as she planned. “I purchased my RV with the intention of renting it out when I wasn’t using it for myself,” she explains. “But now it’s the reverse—I try to find some time to use it for myself when it’s not rented out.”
That’s right; this lady is so busy renting her RV to others, she hardly has time to use it herself! “I listed [the rig] in late August 2018, and my first booking was September 7th–9th, 2018,” she shares. “I’ve made approximately $20K in 22 months, and now the pandemic has created an interest in RV rental like never before.”
Having this much success on your own is fabulous; however, it’s even more fun to share such success with family. Lucky for Sirnette, she’s been able to do just that. “Oddly enough, shortly after I purchased my vehicle, my brother and sister-in-law purchased one as well, so now there are two—one based in Atlanta, and theirs which is in the Dallas/Ft Worth area.” Together, the two vans make up the small Sprinter Renters fleet, and the sibling duo makes the perfect business team.
“My brother and I take great pride in our vehicles and treat each renter as a personal guest in their home away from home,” Sirnette tells us. “We like to personalize the van by displaying customized welcome signs. We also understand that many are first-time renters, so we conduct a thorough walkthrough and orientation. We also use technology with the use of QR codes that provide instructions for operating items such as the TV or generator.
“We are very responsive before, during, and even after the rental period. Undoubtedly, there is always something that is left behind, and our renters are appreciative when we follow up and return their personal items.”
Besides being a lucrative business, Outdoorsy has also given Sirnette and her brother a chance to meet some really fun renters. “We have several celebrity clients who use the vehicles exclusively for travel,” says Dickerson. “Nick and Kim recently got engaged on a trip to Colorado. I also have a renter who rented it for his daughter’s prom. He chauffeured the girls around and sat in the RV and watched TV while the girls were inside enjoying the prom.”
“My hope is that my van brings family and friends together,” Sirnette continues. “It has certainly done that for me. I used it personally for a group of friends to attend a loved one’s funeral, and it made the experience as we were able to reminisce and exchange stories and memories while traveling to the service in Tennessee. I’ve also used it for family reunions and a girls’ getaway trip to Gatlinburg.”
All About Sirnette
Favorite morning beverage: “Hot green tea”
Favorite campsite meal: “Grilled salmon”
Music I like to play: “Old school, R&B”
Best game to play: “We actually like to bring our portable microphones and sing karaoke.”
Favorite season: “Summer (July is my birthday month).”
If you could travel anywhere in an RV, where would you go? “If I could travel anywhere it
would be along the coast; I love water.”
