2020 has been a challenging year, to say the least, but the team at DM Vans took some time to reflect and came up with a list of things we’re grateful for this holiday season.
COVID-19 has impacted life at all levels—mental and physical health, the economy, jobs, travel, big and small businesses, education, the stock market, basic needs, and so much more—and our business at Dave & Matt Vans was no exception. We feel very grateful to have watched the camper van industry thrive through the pandemic, but with this success has come many challenges. Maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our staff and customers, building team culture while socially distanced, and numerous logistical issues due to shut downs are just a few that immediately jump to mind. We did an exercise to reflect on this tumultuous year and we’re really glad we did. Below is our 2020 Gratitude List.
The Team at DM Vans is grateful for…
- Our local, national and global healthcare heroes risking their lives to give care during this pandemic. The Vail Valley, the small community we call home, thrives on tourism. Tourism and pandemics, unfortunately, do not mix well. Our area was one of the first to be labeled a hot spot back in March, at the height of ski season, and our local hospitals and health clinics were overwhelmed by COVID cases from locals and visitors alike. Thank you to all of our local healthcare professionals for keeping our valley safe during these trying times.
- Our firefighters, first responders, and national guard. If 2020 didn’t already have enough on it’s plate battling a once-in-a-generation pandemic, our home state of Colorado, and much of the western United States, also had to deal with the worst forest fires in recorded history. The FOUR largest fires in Colorado history all occurred in 2020, and that doesn’t even account for the Grizzly Creek Fire that burned all too close to home in Glenwood Canyon. Thank you to everyone (including out good friend and ambassador Ashleigh Schultz) who put their lives on the line to keep us safe
- Black Lives Matter. While this movement certainly didn’t start in 2020, it has taken long overdue flight around the country and world. The team at Dave & Matt Vans stands up and supports Black lives, and we have found a unique space to share our voice through the #diversifyoutdoors and #diversifyvanlife movements. We are so grateful to have forged a relationship with the Outdoor CEO Diversity Pledge, and are looking forward to holding ourselves accountable for our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts moving forward.
- Our amazing, growing team at Dave & Matt Vans. As we all adjust to the ‘new normal’ without concerts, sporting events, parties, large gatherings, and other usual forms of entertainment and distraction; it has been more important than ever to find connection in the workspace. As our team at Dave & Matt Vans has grown from six to over twenty in under a year; we now have an amazing, vibrant, engaged and brilliant team that not only has allowed the business to move forward, but for each of us to have the camaraderie and support that has been lost in this pandemic.
- Snow. Most of the forest fires burned in Colorado well into the fall until the first few snowstorms swept through the state. Living in the mountains, our first snowfall is always a reason to rejoice the coming ski season, but this year urged an even more significant call for gratitude. Fingers crossed that Ullr looks favorably upon us this winter and provides ample snow for skiing, winter activities, and reduced fire activity next summer.
- Growth in the outdoor recreation market. The pandemic has pushed people to find new experiences that are more socially distanced, and the outdoor industry has undoubtedly benefited. The demand for recreational vehicles has gone up threefold since the start of 2020 and our inquiries at Dave & Matt Vans have gone up nearly ten-fold this year alone. We feel incredibly lucky to be in an industry that has benefitted from this pandemic while so many other small businesses are facing difficulties. While we face many challenges in meeting these needs due to many limitations presented by the pandemic, we have embraced this opportunity as ‘good challenges’ and have managed to put over 100 vans on the road since the start of the year.
- 100 vans (and counting). Dave & Matt started this business to share their passion for van life with as many people as they could. As recently as last summer, Dave & Matt were still building vans with just the help of friends here and there in a 2 car garage. This summer we put our 100th van on the road; and with increased production capabilities in 2020 we are set to build over 100 vans in just this calendar year alone. None of this would be possible without the amazing team around us, and we feel both fortunate and grateful to be in the position we are.
- Dogs. Our workshop is lucky enough to have THREE shop dogs who accompany their owners to the office every day. While our team is vibrant in personality as it is, Millie, Ziggy and Stella certainly add to the workspace dynamic in innumerably positive ways. Drop your lunch on the floor? Before you can even think about cleaning it up, one of the shop dogs is there to the rescue. Have an available lap that feels a bit cold or lonely? Millie will change that in a heartbeat and make sure all laps are accounted for by the end of the day. We love our dogs at the shop and look forward to meeting the dogs of our many customers as well!
- Our customers. Our sales manager, Ted O’Reilly, likes to joke that he’s still yet to actually sell a van. He rather hops on the phone daily with amazingly interesting, kind, diverse people who chat about van life with him for 20 minutes and decide for themselves if Dave & Matt Vans is a good fit or not. We love sharing our passion for van life with our growing customer base—both in sales, rentals and retail—and love following their adventures through social media, reviews and follow-up calls and emails.
- Our ambassadors. Dave & Matt Vans was very fortunate to find some amazing clients early on who quickly became brand ambassadors. From the ultra famous Sam & Jenn Dancer, world renowned Crossfit Athletes, to inspiring travel bloggers Parker and Jessica, @parksandwills, we have nothing but gratitude to share as they have spread our story naturally and organically from day one. As the program has continued to grow, we feel grateful to have added more amazing people to the team with great people like Lovell and Paris (@novelculture), Arielle Shipe (@arielleshipe) and Tory Rebhun (@tory.tory.r).
- Affordable housing. One of the main focuses since day one at Dave & Matt Vans has been seeking solutions for affordable housing through van life. Dave bought his first van to live in full-time as a solution to reduce overhead costs while living in New York City. Matt had lived in six different apartments in six years living in Vail, CO where the median pay rate and average home price aren’t even remotely aligned. By providing a quality, affordable product, Dave & Matt Vans have been able to start to offer an alternative solution for these dilemmas. We feel particularly grateful for the support we have received along the way from our customers and ambassadors alike, and encourage you to check out the amazing work of our friends and ambassadors Lovell and Paris (@novelculture) via their YouTube and Instagram channels. Plenty more to come in 2021!
- Weekly Happy Hour. The team at Dave & Matt Vans has grown rapidly this year and they have made a concerted effort to grow the internal culture along with it. One of the highlights of this culture piece has been the weekly happy hour, hosted each Thursday at the Dave & Matt Vans headquarters, on the large, socially distanced balcony with beverages provided by our local brewers at Bonfire. Instead of going out to restaurants, bars or events, the team decided to play it safe and keep things in-house. Dave and Matt even went so far as purchasing a keg-o-rator to keep the local kegs cold from week to week.
- Public lands. With limited options for entertainment amidst a life-altering pandemic, we have been incredibly grateful for the amazing access to the outdoors provided by the bureau of land management (BLM) around the western United States and in our backyards of Colorado. Whether just going out for a quick bike ride or hike, or spending a weekend exploring and camping in our Dave & Matt Vans, public land has given us all a chance to get outside, stay active and healthy, and enjoy the beautiful world around us.
- Being Able to Give Back. In large part due to the amazing efforts of our marketing team, Dave & Matt Vans was extremely fortunate this year to not only stay open as a business but continue to grow and thrive. This success put us in a position to give back, and we felt extremely grateful to have found amazing organizations to partner with for this giving. We have committed 1% of earnings this year to SOS Outreach, Outdoor Afro, and Get Out Stay Out, all organizations that align with our mission. We have also been able to support local organizations like Pedal Power and the Minturn Bike Park. Thank you all for your amazing work!
- Van Life. Last but certainly not least, where would any of us be without van life. What started as an unattainable dream of many, inflated and romanticized through social media, has become a firm reality through our business at Dave & Matt Vans. Our team has made van life accessible to 100 people and counting and in the process started a business centered around an idea that is continuing to grow through its unique culture, brand and location. Dave has lived full-time in his van for over five years now. Matt and Ted use their personal Dave & Matt Vans to escape on weekends and pursue their passions of biking and skiing. We have three employees currently living in their vehicles and two more set to build their own Dave & Matt Vans this coming spring. We are grateful to be a part of the van life movement and look forward to where it may lead in 2021 and beyond.
Dave & Matt Vans survived 2020 (we think!) and had plenty to be grateful for along the way.