Summer Accelerator co-leads Entrepreneur in Residence Reece Wilson (middle) and Andres Echenique ’83 (back) review a business plan with Rendezvu Founder Hunter Macy ’22.
By Hunter Macy ’22
When I entered the TIA Summer Accelerator bootcamp, Rendezvu was still finding its footing. We had a vision and a product, but we weren’t sure how to communicate it to the world. In other words, even though we knew there was a problem, we didn’t understand our business well enough to solve it. Fast forward a few weeks, and we’ve found our direction and established partnerships with guides and major brands such as Trident Fly Fishing and Simms.
The Power of In-Person Connections
The most valuable aspect of the TIA Summer Accelerator was the in-person experience. There’s something irreplaceable about being in the same room with mentors. What made the difference were the casual conversations, arguments, and thought exercises we did between sessions and impromptu brainstorming.
One of the biggest lessons I learned—and had to learn by failing first—was the importance of truly understanding your customer's pain points. Our initial approach to Rendezvu was more product-focused than customer-focused. We were building what we thought fly fishermen needed rather than what they actually wanted.
The breakthrough came when the mentors strongly suggested I travel to Roscoe, N.Y. (aka Trout Town, USA) to connect with the guiding community. That trip changed everything. Spending time in Roscoe allowed me to connect in person, hear firsthand from guides about their challenges, and gain a deeper understanding of the problem we’re trying to solve.
What We’re Building
Rendezvu is creating a platform where fly fishermen can find gear that’s been tested and recommended by professional guides. We work with guides across the country who know their local waters intimately and understand what gear performs best in different conditions. When they recommend a product through our platform, they earn a commission on every sale.
This model solves multiple problems: anglers get access to gear they can trust, guides earn additional income from their expertise, and brands reach customers through credible recommendations. We’re starting with a curated selection of products from partners including Trident Fly Fishing and Simms, focusing on quality over quantity.
Rendezvu has bootstrapped everything so far, and the $10,000 we received through this program makes a huge difference in our runway to find product-market fit. What it gives us is more time. The funding allows us to start small and be intentional in our strategy to build.
Creating a Manual for Success
If I were writing a “how-to” manual for myself six months ago, the first chapter would cover learning about your customer and defining the problem clearly with real-world examples. If you don’t have a deep understanding of the problem you are trying to solve, you can’t build an effective product. Second, I’d say start selling now! Before your product even exists, get people on a waitlist. The earlier you can get your idea out into the world, the faster you will be able to iterate because your first idea probably sucks. Third — and this relates to the previous advice — I’d suggest only building when specific people are waiting for the feature or product. Don’t guess. This allows you to know for whom you’re building and to have a real person in mind when making product decisions.
As we move forward, Rendezvu is positioned to become the go-to resource for fly fishermen seeking gear they can trust, recommended by guides they respect. That transformation from concept to reality happened because of the connections, insights, and support we gained through the TIA Summer Accelerator experience at 51Թ.