From Wiped Out to $100M: How Sarah Dusek Built the Glamping Brand That Changed Outdoor Hospitality

In this episode of The Radical Hospitality Show, host Zeke Freeman sits down with entrepreneur, investor, and hospitality visionary Sarah Dusek to explore what it really takes to build, scale, and reinvent purpose-driven travel brands. From her beginnings as an “accidental hotelier” to co‑founding Under Canvas, one of the largest luxury glamping brands in the U.S., Sarah shares candid stories of failure, resilience, and defining moments—including the night a storm flattened her entire camp. The conversation dives deep into scalable business models, the power of repeatability, leadership through crisis, and why identity matters more than imitation in hospitality. Sarah also unpacks her current work with Few & Far, a transformational travel brand rooted in conservation in South Africa, and Enigma Ventures, an investment fund backing women founders across Africa. This episode is a masterclass in problem‑solving, impact-driven entrepreneurship, and building businesses that balance people, planet, and profit. Things You’ll Learn in This Episode How Sarah transitioned from nonprofit work to building impact-driven hospitality businesses Why defining the right problem is half the solution in business and development Key lessons from scaling Under Canvas from “tents in a field” to a national brand What truly makes a business scalable—and why not every business should scale How to respond when everything falls apart (literally) and keep moving forward The importance of identity and personal values in hospitality brand design How Few & Far is redefining luxury travel through conservation, community, and carbon sequestration What investors really look for beyond pitch decks and financials Lessons Sarah learned moving from founder to investor and why she returned to building Practical advice for hospitality entrepreneurs navigating growth, capital, and leadership challenges Connect with Sarah Dusek Website: https://www.sarahdusek.com Few & Far Travel: https://www.fandftravel.com Few & Far Luvhondo Lodge: https://www.fewandfarluvhondo.com Book: Thinking Bigger: A Pitch Deck Formula for Women Who Want to Change the World Grab the free Radical Hospitality Starter Kit → root-ad.com/starter Connect with Zeke Freeman: Instagram: @zekefreeman_rootarchitecture and @rootarchitecture YouTube: @rootarchitecture Facebook: @RootArchitectureandDevelopment LinkedIn: Zeke Freeman X/Twitter: @zfreemanroot Ready to get started with your hospitality project? https://root-ad.com/ Get in Touch: Stay connected with the Radical Hospitality podcast for more episodes exploring the intersection of architecture, design, and unforgettable guest experiences. Follow, Rate & Review: If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your network! Your support helps us continue delivering conversations with industry leaders redefining hospitality.