With a down payment of just $12,000 and a parcel of land outside Houston, Texas, Garrett Brown launched what is now a six-figure glamping business—while still holding a full-time job.
Through a strategy he refers to as “land hacking,” Brown transformed a 10-acre residential property into Cameron Ranch Glamping, a luxury outdoor lodging operation that now grosses over $100,000 annually.
Brown, who also teaches at real estate education platform BiggerPockets, applied short-term rental concepts to outdoor hospitality.
Instead of purchasing raw land, he bought a $550,000 house on unrestricted land, putting down just 2% after negotiating a seller concession.
This approach allowed him to bypass common utility and permitting hurdles associated with undeveloped land and begin generating revenue quickly.
His initial structure—a Pacific Domes geodome—cost roughly $13,000. Including infrastructure expenses like septic, utilities, and road access, total startup costs came in at approximately $32,000.
By its second year, the unit was generating an average daily rate of $422 at 88% occupancy, grossing $95,000 and netting $60,000 after covering the property’s mortgage.
Rather than rely on Airbnb or other booking platforms, Brown focused on direct-to-consumer marketing.
Through consistent social media content and strategic collaborations with local creators, he now receives about 80% of bookings directly via his website.
One viral video showcasing a stock-tank-style “cowboy pool” earned over 20 million views, driving significant guest traffic.
As demand grew, Brown expanded using creative financing.
He partnered with Estonian prefab company OOD to place a $129,000 mirrored cabin on-site, offering 30% of gross revenue in lieu of upfront payment. In its first year, the cabin earned $115,000 at a 90% occupancy rate, again with minimal capital risk.
Behind the scenes, Cameron Ranch runs on a lean but tech-enabled system.
Lodgify manages bookings, Turno coordinates cleanings, and PriceLabs dynamically adjusts rates based on market demand.
According to Side Hustle Nation, Brown pays above-market wages to cleaners, some of whom also handle added responsibilities like propane refills, helping to ensure quality control and guest satisfaction.
Most guests are couples seeking short-term getaways and celebrations, drawn by the secluded location, premium design, and ease of booking.
Brown’s branding centers on meaningful disconnection—his tagline, “disconnect to reconnect,” reflects both the guest experience and the business’s personal significance, having been named after his late brother.
Speaking as a guest on MC Fireside Chats, Brown emphasized the value of professional support—particularly during permitting and development phases.
He credited working with a local architect and purchasing geodomes with existing architectural plans as essential in helping secure commercial permits in a jurisdiction unfamiliar with glamping.
Brown has since published a guide, The Glamping Investor, through BiggerPockets, outlining five years of insights for prospective outdoor hospitality developers.