Mike Ford on market observation
From Founder Mike Ford on why he began SiteMinder · · SiteMinder
“I had a shareholding in a backpacker hostel on the northern beaches in Sydney and saw enough to realize that hotels were years behind in technology adoption.”
On , Mike Ford, Cofounder at SiteMinder, spoke about market observation during Founder Mike Ford on why he began SiteMinder on SiteMinder.
About Mike Ford
Mike Ford, cofounder of SiteMinder, stated that the company was created to help hoteliers sell rooms online. He said he recognized a gap in technology adoption after holding a shareholding in a backpacker hostel in Sydney, noting that traditional methods like motel signs were no longer effective. Ford described SiteMinder as an easy-to-set-up, easy-to-use turnkey platform that has rapidly advanced independent hoteliers' capabilities. Ford also reflected on the company's growth, observing that as a startup scales, team members begin to take initiative independently. He described this shift as a moment when one realizes the organization has become "an engine" that is working.