“The very basic core of a man’s living spirit is his passion for adventure. The joy of life comes from our encounters with new experiences.”
- Jon Krakauer, Into The Wild
THE TEAM | OUR STORY | THE VISION | WHY “BLINK”
Everyone is a product of the things they have done. We – the Blink team – are really excited about this latest adventure.
Pete Kindness
Founder
Pete – free-spirited entrepreneur and traveller – a European Business Graduate, born in Hong Kong who’s lived in seven different countries. His two biggest adventures so far include founding accommodation service MyFriendsHotel.com and being lost in the Java sea! Blink is his passion, and he is excited to share it.
THE TEAM | OUR STORY | THE VISION | WHY “BLINK”
Pete, the founder of Blink Collective previously founded MyFriendsHotel.com, a global accommodation network. Whilst running this community he was approached by Hosts offering opportunities to go skiing, diving and even paragliding. And Guests, they were interested in pasta making course and market tours with local hosts. It was this potent untaped blend of ‘real’ experiences that kick-started this project.
In August 2011, Pete submitted this vision in an application to the start-up accelerator programme Ignite100.com. Ignite100 was offering £1 million fund with £100 000 for each of the teams to successfully completed a 13 week programme intensive programme in Newcastle.
With only a vision on paper it came as a surprise to beat 150 other teams, from around the world, to win a place on Ignite100. The day after Pete agreed to participate in the programme his lost his development team. Two and a half weeks into the programme his replacement developer also withdrew. Start-ups are hard-work, unpredictable and relentless.
Completing the programme took determination and self-belief as well as the help and support of others. With a new team, the flush success and some real money behind to business, 2012 is set to be an exciting year!
THE TEAM | OUR STORY | THE VISION | WHY “BLINK”
Blink believes that experiences have more lasting value and create more happiness than possessions. Experiences define who we are. When we go on an adventure or have an exciting experience, they become part of us. They give us memories that live with us forever. They give us new stories to tell.
Stories are what make us human.
The Experience Economy
People are realising the value that experiences have over possessions. While Pete was running his previous startup, the global accommodation network MyFriendsHotel.com, he was constantly approached by people offering opportunities for tourists, and his guests were increasingly on the lookout for local courses and trips away from the mainstream providers.
Pete’s vision was to bring these people together, to build a place where people could buy and sell experiences like they would with possessions. A marketplace with real value.
In A Blink
That vision is now Blink.
Blink is a community where people can share and discover unique, personal experiences. Every Experience is curated to be authentic and an alternative to the generic experience packages typically found elsewhere.
We care about our community. Blink Guests and Hosts are the same kinds of people, and often our Hosts will be Guests on other Experiences, and their Guests in turn host their own activities. Experiences are shared, making them much more meaningful than one taken alone.
Experience Is Forever
Everyone within the Blink community believes in the lasting real-world value of experiences over possessions. They are passionate about meeting new people, sharing their knowledge, learning new skills and making memories.
Stuff is fleeting. Experience is forever. So start getting adventures instead of possessions, and fill up your heart instead of your house.
Become a part of the Blink community today.
THE TEAM | OUR STORY | THE VISION | WHY “BLINK”
Malcolm Gladwell’s 2005 book – Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
Malcolm Gladwell’s Blink explores the idea that spontaneous decisions are often as good as – or even better than – carefully planned and considered ones.
New experiences are something that humans instinctively crave and we want to be your default destination for inspiration. We want to create memories that will live with you. Browse our listings and see how quickly you can find something to suit you!