How I Turned a Facebook Group Into a Thriving Startup
Michael Kiel is a serial entrepreneur with a passion for boating and online marketing. He is the founder of the startup Boat Planet, an online marketplace for connecting boat owners with trusted marine professionals.
After I sold my internet marketing agency almost two years ago, I recognized the opportunity I finally had to pursue a startup in an industry I’d always been passionate about. What I didn’t know was what problem I wanted to solve. So I set out to create a Facebook group for boat owners who love boating at the No. 1 recreational lake in the country, Lake of the Ozarks (LOTO).
Both the purpose and name of the group would be simple: It would be a community where like-minded boaters could ask questions, share tips, show off their boats and find help if needed. I named the group LOTO Boaters.
I started by inviting several of my boating friends. Soon, the group grew to include a couple of hundred members, most of whom I recognized from seeing them out on the water.
But then something crazy happened.