Can you build a perfect workplace?
Isaac French thinks so.
"People are hungry for one-of-a-kind experiences. Spaces with soul, and that tell a story. And anyone with a dream and some good old-fashioned work can make good on that opportunity," he says.
In a complicated, rapidly moving world where more and more workers demanding more meaningful work opportunities supported by more flexible employment structures, it's the perfect time to ponder how environment and productivity can happily co-exist. More about Isaac French
Isaac grew up on a farm in central Texas, homeschooled by his parents alongside nine siblings in a traditional faith-based community.
Best childhood ever, he says.
He's been dreaming up business ventures ever since he can remember: from home-brew soda to antique repair, and plenty in between.
At 24, with a whole lot of help, he turned $20k of savings and a dream into a modern village of lakeside cabins. He poured everything he had into his 5-acre slice of Texas, and Live Oak Lake welcomed its first guests just ten months after groundbreaking.
But two weeks later, disaster struck: Airbnb suspended his account. No warning, no explanation.
With a loan payment looming, he had to get creative.
He paid a local influencer a few hundred dollars to post an Instagram giveaway, and within days, he had $40,000 in direct bookings and thousands of followers.
Within a year, he's built an audience of over 100k which drove 80%+ direct bookings and 95% occupancy.
Guests have returned time and again, drawn by timeless design, authentic storytelling, and experiential hospitality.
