Kentucky - Ohio - Indiana Overland Bound Facebook Group Discussion

[Michael]

I'd like to add a few things to what @Michael said earlier. Michael and I are fairly transparent and genuine people and I think some more transparency could give context on how we have chosen to structure Overland Bound. (Well. *I* think we're genuine. I'm open to someone saying we're not. I won't take offense.)

There are 3 factors required to support our ability to sustain Overland Bound's online community and growth rate: Time. Resources. Money. I understand the "money" part of that equation can be triggering and off-putting to some people. That's ok. Again, we'll default to transparency.

1. Time: We have invested our time and passion into creating a world dedicated to overlanding that encourages EVERYONE to adventure into the world and explore. Our time is used to create content to share, host an online home base for strangers to meet and connect (and become friends), and infrastructure to help sustain and scale our efforts and ensure a quality community is maintained.

For the past 2.5 years, my husband comes home from a 12 hour work day, we share a meal and briefly connect, and then he's in the OB office and at it. Developers to be communicated with. Security upgrades to maintain. Videos to edit. Content to write. Conversations with our host to ensure our servers are performing optimally and that load time is the SHORTEST POSSIBLE. (We measure and monitor this like our lives depend on it.) He comes to bed at 3AM. He gets up at 7AM and does it all again.

And me? I've been working full time for Overland Bound for 2 years. I left my career in the SF startup world so I could take what my husband started and see it through to whatever it wanted to become, and I haven't taken a salary. (See? Transparency. But, more on the money thing later.)

I left my career because I saw the community forming around Overland Bound. And we are SO PROUD of this community. It's without judgement. It's supportive. It's exactly the kind of party and people Michael and I surround ourselves with in our personal life. We have invested thousands and thousands of hours of our time over 6 years. And our time is the highest thing we value in our marriage and our personal lives.

2. Resources: The basics? We host a website that has 6-figures of traffic per month. This ability is not without significant operational costs. We don't cut corners on this. We demand a premium online experience, and we put our resources where our mouths are by having the best of the best servers and support. We work endlessly with developers. The custom forum software I am typing into right now and the main site are never done. Ever.

We do this because we NEVER want you to wonder about things like, "Why is this page taking so long to load?" or "Why is that broken?" That's a block. We identify and kill blocks.

@MeginOBTeam hand packages and ships every single emblem and order. She's the finger on the pulse of our online store and member support. She manages inventory. She forecasts. She ensures every custom member product ordered is entered into the product cue and produced with quality. She's in the info@ customer service inbox every day answering questions and helping members with whatever they need (30+ emails a day). She is our first employee, and holy hell, I hope every starting business has someone like her on board. We would not be who we are without her.

17% of my home has been taken over by Overland Bound. My dream of a room to host my family and friends has been set aside (for now), and everyone is forced to cram into the kitchen when they come over. I am not complaining one inch of the way, but these are just some of the resources (and sacrifices) necessary to make Overland Bound happen.

3. Money: Again. Money. Triggering, right? Here's the thing. We receive approx 7-9 emails a month from overland companies asking to take their money and advertise on our forums.

We say, "No."

We are told we need to advertise to non-members on the forums, and then NOT advertise to members.

We say, "No."

We are told all sorts of things about how other Overland companies monetize and leverage their traffic... and....?

We say, "No."

We are not looking for short cuts to cash. We are not looking for the easy way. We are grinding out a path that creates tangible value for like minded overlanders without being bombed with ads and cost of entry is $24.99. Once.

And we KNOW we could make different choices, and honestly? Sometimes I wonder if we're missing something by not following the traditional path, but Michael doesn't. He's the driving force for creating an experience for both members and non-members that reflects our values. I mean, we have to go to sleep each night and look at ourselves in the mirror every morning. What are we creating and how...? These are incredibly important questions we ask ourselves. How do we show up and create with integrity to our gut?

(OK. So this is more like a novel. Thanks to anyone who is still reading this. I've been silent for the most part on this topic.)

My point is that if you take away any piece of this puzzle (time, resources, money) Overland Bound ceases to exist. Well. It could exist, but the brute strength required to keep our values and commitment to quality would be greatly compromised. And it would ultimately deteriorate and become average. It would not be Overland Bound.

So. Yeah. We ask $24.99 in exchange for a physical good that is custom laser etched, deeply personal, and solid in its quality. Michael and I do not take a salary and work for passion. We reinvest in Overland Bound resources for the community. My husband continues to come home and work until 3AM, and more nights than most I have to come into the office and tell him he has to sleep. I know he doesn't want to. But he has to.

And it's because he doesn't want to sleep that Overland Bound is what it is.

The Overland Bound regional bookface groups...? Yup. Closed. Members only. We want to create spaces for our members wherever they congregate. That's what we want, and how we say thank you to those who have made it possible for others to hear about overlanding and partake of the resources we have created. We don't allow advertising or promotional posts by outsiders to the groups. We have admins and moderators who give their time and passion to maintaining out quality standards. Executing at this level takes time, resources and money.

And there are so many lovely Facebook groups that are public, and that's awesome. Lots of land to grab in the online overland world. It's great! There is so much room in this world for overlanding conversations! Find them! :)

At the end of the day, this type of conversation helps us define and refine who we are and what we believe, and I am grateful. Genuinely.

And it's OK if you aren't on board with this. Like I said earlier, there is a whole wide and amazing world for overlanders, and it's just starting to grow, and there's room enough for everyone to find their tribe. Here's to everyone finding their tribe.

Sincerely,

Corrie Murguia
Co-Founder

What she said.

 

[w_m_photo]

so much for you guys being inclusive?
For the record, I've known Offroadohio for some time. Very nice, very helpful, and constantly working to keep access open for the offroad community. Now I'm disappointed!

 

[Corrie]

so much for you guys being inclusive?
For the record, I've known Offroadohio for some time. Very nice, very helpful, and constantly working to keep access open for the offroad community. Now I'm disappointed!

Awesome! Sounds like a tribe maker! No ill will anywhere. Keep on keeping on!

C

 

[w_m_photo]

he has been, for long time. He wasn't exaggerating about running forms and groups like this. He was and would have been a good resource for this place.

 

[Wanderer351]

so much for you guys being inclusive?
For the record, I've known Offroadohio for some time. Very nice, very helpful, and constantly working to keep access open for the offroad community. Now I'm disappointed!

I've known off-road ohio for over 15 years..I remember him when he was still in high school and attended his wedding with my woods truck (trash bags on the seats so my suit and her dress were not ruined..) And he and I have been good friends for a long time.

I understand where his ire comes from. And he's got every right to feel how he does and voice his opinion. And Corrie and Michael are well within their rights to control their Overland Bound property. They have invested real money and time that can also be considered funding (what do you make an hour..etc) so its up to them what they choose to do with it.

Folks have an option to patronize their "business" or not. Folks can like something or not...their choice...I have some folks who think I charge too much and try to get me to lower my price...trying to take money from me and my family...so that's not gonna happen and I tell them to go elsewhere...folks have options...

But respect people and their wishes.


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[Michael]

I've known off-road ohio for over 15 years..I remember him when he was still in high school and attended his wedding with my woods truck (trash bags on the seats so my suit and her dress were not ruined..) And he and I have been good friends for a long time.

I understand where his ire comes from. And he's got every right to feel how he does and voice his opinion. And Corrie and Michael are well within their rights to control their Overland Bound property. They have invested real money and time that can also be considered funding (what do you make an hour..etc) so its up to them what they choose to do with it.

Folks have an option to patronize their "business" or not. Folks can like something or not...their choice...I have some folks who think I charge too much and try to get me to lower my price...trying to take money from me and my family...so that's not gonna happen and I tell them to go elsewhere...folks have options...

But respect people and their wishes.


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I agree with you.

This post is more than a response to your reply. I realize I have more to say. I've thought about this A LOT.

In my response to @offroadohio I was not trying to be rude. I re-read my post and I don't think I was rude, however, I do admit to operating on 0 hours of sleep that day. I also re-read Corrie's post and though passionate, it was not rude at all. The other thing I will admit is sometimes, my response or @Corrie s response is actually a response to hundreds of people, not one, and that can be unfair to the individual. I think we are seeing issues like this publicly because OLB HAS NOT changed. Not because it HAS changed. The larger we become, the more people expect me to compromise my principles because it is the "free internet", but I will not compromise my principles, even to my own detriment. It was ingrained as a kid in a town of 360 people. You compromise your principles and everyone knows they can't trust you.

If someone comes into the Overland Bound eco-system and is downright rude to me, my wife, or other people, I will let them know, not let it go. You might get away with it in other places, not here. Now, I am very tolerant. Even though @offroadohio was rude to both @Corrie and I, he has not been banned or blocked from any channels. He has an opinion and he is not banned for having it. That said, his (now deleted but VERY rude) response to my wife is not acceptable from any member of our community. That's called being an ass hat (he crossed the line to full ass hat status with his responses). She really, in very rare fashion, put her heart on her sleeve and his response was to stomp on it. None of her response was critical of him. It was how she felt. I don't care who they are, how much they contribute, how experienced they are, or what their backstory is. We all have our scars and need to function cordially in society, that is how you have the maximum positive benefit to our group.

Long story short, the man insulted my wife and that ain't cool.

M

 

[Wanderer351]

I agree with you.

This post is more than a response to your reply. I realize I have more to say. I've thought about this A LOT.

In my response to @offroadohio I was not trying to be rude. I re-read my post and I don't think I was rude, however, I do admit to operating on 0 hours of sleep that day. I also re-read Corrie's post and though passionate, it was not rude at all. The other thing I will admit is sometimes, my response or @Corrie s response is actually a response to hundreds of people, not one, and that can be unfair to the individual. I think we are seeing issues like this publicly because OLB HAS NOT changed. Not because it HAS changed. The larger we become, the more people expect me to compromise my principles because it is the "free internet", but I will not compromise my principles, even to my own detriment. It was ingrained as a kid in a town of 360 people. You compromise your principles and everyone knows they can't trust you.

If someone comes into the Overland Bound eco-system and is downright rude to me, my wife, or other people, I will let them know, not let it go. You might get away with it in other places, not here. Now, I am very tolerant. Even though @offroadohio was rude to both @Corrie and I, he has not been banned or blocked from any channels. He has an opinion and he is not banned for having it. That said, his (now deleted but VERY rude) response to my wife is not acceptable from any member of our community. That's called being an ass hat (he crossed the line to full ass hat status with his responses). She really, in very rare fashion, put her heart on her sleeve and his response was to stomp on it. None of her response was critical of him. It was how she felt. I don't care who they are, how much they contribute, how experienced they are, or what their backstory is. We all have our scars and need to function cordially in society, that is how you have the maximum positive benefit to our group.

Long story short, the man insulted my wife and that ain't cool.

M

I totally missed him being rude..ill call his mom and she will whoop his behind...

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[Michael]

I totally missed him being rude..ill call his mom and she will whoop his behind...

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There you go. Sometimes I need my butt whooped too.

 

[Wanderer351]

There you go. Sometimes I need my butt whooped too.

Don't we all!!

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