We invest in Amazing Humans -- we want to share their stories, insights, knowledge, and all-around awesomeness. As builders and leaders, they work tirelessly towards their vision of the future they want to realize. and we want to show off their superpowers!

Meet Justin Miller, CEO & Co-Founder of Showplace, a platform helping Airbnb and VRBO hosts design, furnish, and restock their listings.

In June, Showplace announced a seed fundraise led by Matchstick Ventures with support from Boost VC, Taurus Ventures, and additional angel investors.

[Previous to this investment, Boost VC backed Justin Miller & his team at Pillow in 2014. You can check out one of our very first Boost VC Podcast episodes featuring Justin in 2016 here.]

Justin, let’s dive right in. What is the genesis of Showplace?

Showplace is a long time in the making; I would say the idea stems from my past entrepreneurial experience with Pillow, a short-term rental company (and Boost VC portfolio company!) founded in 2013 and sold to Expedia in 2018. I know firsthand the challenges of creating and running a great short-term rental listing. Showplace was created in 2020 to establish collective buying power and solve three main problems for hosts:

Setting up your Airbnb is not like setting up your primary residence.
There’s typically a 90-day gap when owners have to get the business up and running before hiring a property manager who can step in once the home is ready.
There are infinite options for actually designing and furnishing a listing.

Our big vision is to help the next 1 million Airbnb hosts and operators start successful Airbnb businesses, establishing an ongoing relationship with hosts through monthly services. I believe Showplace will become the modern infrastructure for Airbnbs.

Who is seeing the most value using Showplace today? How has the product evolved since you started?

Showplace is helping everyone from first-timers to experienced real estate professionals with multiple short-term rentals in their portfolios. New hosts are finding incredible value because it’s so overwhelming to start a listing on your own. You have to start from design—theme, styles, colors, sizes—and then shop countless listings, pay retail pricing, and figure out how to take delivery and prepare the space. Our technology enabled solution handles all that and it’s such a weight off their shoulders.

It sounds obvious, but we’ve learned that convenience and pricing always win out. Showplace started out providing exposure for newer brands who were willing to provide free products to hosts. We learned that hosts actually need help with the everyday essentials, not necessarily the flashier products. Today, Showplace conveniently provides essentials at wholesale pricing.

As a third-time founder, what is the biggest leadership lesson learned or challenge since starting Showplace?

I already had experience in the short-term rental space as a co-founder of Pillow, but nothing quite prepares you to run a business during a global pandemic! That’s of course been a challenge in terms of leading and growing a team remotely, but I think our whole team has handled it well. I would say that I’ve learned to be adaptable and laser-focused on goals.

What are the 3 things that most excite you about the real estate rental market and remote work economy right now?

Honestly, I’m so excited about the opportunity in front of Showplace. There has never been such an explosion of short-term rentals, and a lot of these hosts simply need help getting set up and running their listings. I’m also excited to see Denver turning into the country’s de facto hub of travel tech, as well as how remote work is changing the way we think about work, travel, and life.

What do you wish investors understood more clearly about your industry / this opportunity?

The sheer size of the opportunity in front of us. Airbnb alone is preparing for millions of new listings in the coming years and so many of these hosts are looking for guidance as they build their portfolio.

What advice do you have for founders who are ready to take the leap and launch a startup?

Do it! I’ve spent my entire adult life building companies, and I can confidently say it’s the most rewarding career and lifestyle you can imagine. Apart from that, surround yourself with smart, hardworking people. It is so rewarding making a difference in the lives of my teammates and customers.

What is the best way to learn more about Showplace and stay updated on your progress?

We have 10 employees right now and the focus following our fundraise is to invest in technology that will help us scale the host onboarding experience and incorporate AI into design consulting. Follow us at ShowplaceWholesale.com or on LinkedIn.

Boost VC invests $500k in incredible founders. Learn more.

Boost VC is an early stage VC firm in San Mateo, CA founded by Adam Draper & Brayton Williams. We invest $500k in pre-seed startups accelerating the Sci-Fi Future (aerospace, energy, climate, robotics, crypto, biotech, virtual reality). Learn more: www.boost.vc

Justin Miller, CEO & Co-Founder of Showplace