Mission Golden 30

You may be wondering how Kynder came to be. How did we find our very first Kynder Collective Members? How in the world did we convince these San Francisco Bay Area business owners and management to join our hospitality mission/travel platform—when we had no proof, no metrics, no guarantee? All 13 members on the platform joined us pre-launch. These kind souls believed in the mission. They took a chance. We lovingly refer to our inaugural Kynder Collective members as our renegade 'first adopters'.

What are 'first adopters'? They are the small group of innovators that believe in a new company before anyone else does. As the brilliant market disrupter Seth Godin says, "Early adopters want to buy a different experience than people who identify as the mass market do. Innovators want something fresh, exciting, new and interesting. The mass market doesn't." They want pre-established, proven, mainstream. As a grassroots travel company fueled by heart and lots of coffee, our first adopters made our launch possible, less than one month ago, April 20, 2017.

Our hospitality revolution began with a vintage Polaroid camera, Impossible film, a mystery invitation and our two fearless adventurers, Ben and Kayla. It was Mission Golden 30. Read on.

The Kynder-Tuscan Connection

Backstory: It just so happens that our founder, Louree Maya is based in Tuscany, Italy. She and her husband are set to open a (medieval) eco-bnb this summer, after an intense year of restoration.

So, the best way Louree could think of to introduce Kynder and offer her own kind hospitality to other hospitality businesses was to offer them a complimentary stay. She invested in a vintage Polaroid camera from Etsy and Impossible film to create old school photographs of her B&B. She created a mysterious invitation complete with a "no two the same" Polaroid snapshot and an antique key and shipped them off to the Unites States.

The Golden 30/20/6

Who were the Golden 30? They were a group of San Francisco hotels, restaurants, coffee houses, street food, sweet and ice cream shops that seemed to represent the best in hospitality. The Golden 30 was reduced to the Golden 20 to streamline the operation, and the covert mission commenced. Several invitations were mailed. Eleven were delivered in person by adventurous Ben and Kayla.

First stop, Sixth Course Artisan Confections in San Francisco's Mission District. The idea was to festively connect these businesses to each other by purchasing Sixth Course dark chocolate salted caramel truffles and delivering them to whoever accepted the invitation at each business along the delivery route. Every staff member who accepted them were delighted to receive the gift.

Our Golden 6

Out of the Golden 20, 30% became members of the Kynder Collective. Not too shabby. Our Golden 20 became our Golden 6. A few of the others were compelled to inquire about the mystery invitation, but never responded after that, some declined, and some never responded at all. We don’t know why exactly, but what we do know is that those who first decided to join us have become the wind beneath our wings and they inspire us every day.

After Mission Golden 30/20, we reached out to another group of hospitality establishments between February and April. A further 7 establishments joined us and we couldn't be happier that they also believed in our mission. These 13 establishments form the heart of the Kynder movement and we are deeply grateful.

#staykynder

Why should you travel Kynder? We’ve done the research for you. Our Kynder Collective members dedicate themselves to creating a welcoming atmosphere and delivering a high quality of product and services in uniquely-designed surroundings.

Every Kynder member completes an application/interview process, commits to Kynder eligibility guidelines and agrees to an annual visit. We’ve done deep research into their hospitality missions and the heart they put into ethical and eco-conscious practices. They just try harder and care more. They care about their guests, their staff, and the planet. And that’s what hospitality is all about right?

In exchange for their good works, our promise to our members is to tell you their deeper story, rather than letting them be just a number—lost in a sea of travel and review platforms. We bring them front and center to share their good works and make them easy for you to find in your local neighborhood and when travelling.

We only ask that you show your love by staying connected and supporting our independent businesses who want to make a positive difference in the world. In return we'll continue to bring you the best in heartfelt, eco-conscious, purpose-driven hospitality. Without you and our Kynder members this would not be possible. We raise our glass to you.

Please heart and comment if you're with us, and stay in touch... There's lots more to come. With love, Kynder

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