Profitable Ideas In A Liquid Market

Some ideas come from the very place we least expect. Still others come from the very place we convince ourselves an idea cannot originate from. Swimply and its creator Bunim Laskin, age 28, are perfect examples. Many of us do not think there is a market for renting out personal pools and patios in your back yard. However, the international success of this young entrepreneur and his unique company beg otherwise.

Swimply, simply, is a mobile and online service that connects customers with pools and their hosts, based on an hourly rate. The idea for this business came to Laskin in 2016 (when he was 19) as he lay bedridden. He realized that his neighbor’s pool could give the perfect relief from the New Jersey summer heat, for both him and his eleven siblings. A content person would just ask the neighbor to use the pool, but an eager entrepreneur, like Laskin, asked if his neighbor would be willing to rent out her pool. Out of this proposition Laskin began building Swimply.

As of August 2024, Swimply has raised over $45 million and has a presence in 150 locations, spanning three different countries. Swimply makes its profit off a 15% booking fee for hosts and a 10% fee for guest, while giving the hosts enough freedom to make upwards of $200,000 per year, by simply renting out their residential pools.

Swimply has shown real innovation in the past few years by expanding to venues other than neighborhood pools. Customers are able to book reservations in rooms, homes, and game courts all over the world. After appearing on Shark Tank in 2020, and leaving empty handed, Laskin has exhibited more outside of the box thinking and determination by capitalizing on uncontrollable circumstances. The prevalence of COVID in 2020 and 2021 resulted in increased demand for Swimply’s services and despite the unfortunate result of his appearance on Shark Tank, the exposure aided in boosting his business’ success and audience. Bunim Laskin is a prime example of someone who finds a way to us his entrepreneurial skills and perspective to offer a service that creates value and impact, around the world.