Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeremy Boutillier.
Hi Jeremy, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a consultant in the Tech industry by trade and have 17y of professional experience in the corporate world. I’m originally from Brussels, Belgium, where I met my wife (who is from Philadelphia, PA). She used to work for AB InBev and was sent as an expat to the HQ, the Stella Artois brewery. We got married and got pregnant in Brussels. Life and work brought us to the USA, and New York City, where we lived for 4y. A house and two kids later, we decided to move to Charleston. We used to come here for vacation and visit my brother and sister-in-law, who had moved down here 6y before us. Covid happened, both working remotely, we decided to move to Charleston.
The plan was always to exit the corporate world gradually. I still work part-time as a Tech Consultant, and I started Holy City Bike Rentals beginning of this year.
Why bike rentals? I see a list of synergies with tourism and vacation rentals. It requires little investment with little risks, and I met with several other bike rental owners from different areas, and I was able to see their success and the very high demand during high season (April to October).
I always wanted to start my own business, I love biking and promoting an eco-friendly rental service and making sure people are having a good time while they are here is very rewarding.
I have a growing fleet and a growing demand; I have partnered with multiple other businesses, and I keep scaling up.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I wouldn’t say it was easy, but the demand for bike rentals is there, we are very lucky to be living in a highly touristic place, a lot of people come here from far to vacation, even from outside the US.
But the ‘how to put all the pieces together’ and finetuning is a constant process, I wouldn’t say I struggled, but it surely was (and still is!) a learning curve, in terms of learning:
– about e-commerce, SEO and online advertising best practices
– how to build a website on Shopify by myself
– how to fix, repair and maintain bikes
– to learn how to create an llc, and taxation
– to adjust with personal life since it’s virtually a 24/7 service (if something is wrong with the bikes, they will call you right away, and you have to take care of it)
The key is to provide a service of quality, which essentially means people having a good time while riding your bikes. It sounds easy, but in practice, it requires learning and knowing about all of the above and constantly improving on learnings and experiences.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Holy City Bike Rentals?
We are the only white glove bike rentals in Charleston area that offers bike rentals and also repair and maintenance. Delivery is free, and we will come to you, no need to go to the bike shop.
There is nothing to worry about, we take care of everything. And we are flexible.
I currently have a partnership with Credit One Stadium and the Daniel Island Ferry. People can buy a ticket and also book a bike, waiting for them right off the ferry. We offer this for people going to Daniel Island or people going downtown.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I have always been an entrepreneur, very independent, and travelled a lot to many places as soon as I started college. Since I was a kid, I have kept hearing people saying I have a lot of confidence, and I guess it is my nature to be naturally curious, and always listen first, and then ask questions. That is how you connect with people and build trust and eventually a relationship, whether this is personal or professional. I of course also love my family and going out to the beach, on the boat or biking with them. We feel very lucky to live in Charleston, and we hope people who come down to visit feel the same way. And we believe Holy City Bikes contributes a little bit to that.
Pricing:
- Daily/2days rentals starting at 25$/bike
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.holycitybikerentals.com
- Instagram: Holycitybikes
