How To Build a World-Class Brand with Just 2 Cabins
Several weeks ago, I shared some blunt advice on "how to create a wildly successful micro-resort." My answer?
Build less units
Spend more money
Counterintuitive? Stick with me, and I'll show you what I mean :)
When I wrote that, I wasn't thinking of them, but I've never seen anyone embody this philosophy better than Nordlys.
If you read my thread about it, keep reading, because I've sprinkled in some juicy new details, including build costs and some other key takeaways.
The Backstory
Three years ago, I was deep in the trenches (quite literally), working 80+ hour weeks trying to will my wild dream into reality: a high-design, Nordic-inspired cabin village carved into the Texas bramble. Designed and built in under 10 months.
In the middle of this battle, I stumbled upon another Nordic-inspired cabin up in Wisconsin. This place became my beacon—the fuel in the tank that kept me grinding.
So, when Bruce and Ann McPheeters (the owners) travelled 1,100 miles to experience Live Oak Lake when we opened, it was surreal.
The finished product! - 2022
Yesterday, 2 ½ years later, I finally made the pilgrimage to Nordlys—my “celebrity crush cabin.” A blustery fall day, the perfect time to cozy up inside a dream cabin. Surreal is an understatement.
How Nordlys Came to Be
In 2018, after months combing county records and writing letters, Bruce and his son Jeff found the perfect spot: 140 acres of pristine Wisconsin wilderness at just $2,200/acre (huge benefit of buying rural land!). They pounced on it.
Nine months later, they'd built their iconic, 2-story, 800 sq ft modern cabin—MetalLark. Cost $590,000 all-in.
MetalLark under construction - 2019
The design world went nuts.
MetalLark at night, in all her glory
The McPheeters listed the cabin on airbnb, and within weeks it was booked 100% solid a year in advance at around $600/night.
During this time, Ann was battling cancer. Doctors didn’t think she’d have long, so the family spent every moment they could together in those woods. Ann’s limited mobility inspired them to build a second retreat—this one family-friendly and wheelchair-accessible. This one cost $900,000.
LongHouse - 2022
And voilà, LongHouse was born!
LongHouse master bedroom
Miraculously, Ann gradually became better, and now her cancer is almost entirely gone. But LongHouse is also thriving and extremely rewarding to the family. They’ve hosted elderly, terminally ill, and wheelchair-bound guests, making a huge impact on each one.
Note: from what guests share with them, there’s clearly a huge opportunity for more nature-immersive retreats that are accessible. Hardly any exist, anywhere, meaning they typically have to find traditional hotels, even when desiring something beautiful and secluded.
Then they built a state-of-the-art laundry and storage facility (on par with what I saw at the $200M Amangiri), and recently added custom saunas and wood-fired tubs at both cabins.
In essence, the McPheeters spent their entire budget building two cabins instead of five, which was the original plan. But the brand they've built is unmatched in quality and taste. They also have much of the infrastructure—like roads, oversized septic, ops facility—for a much larger development.
Now, they are planning a couple more distinctive cabins and, eventually, a 20-unit landscape hotel!
Their approach reminded me of Tesla’s strategy:
Start with a high-end, iconic product to establish the brand, then gradually expand with more accessible options—all without sacrificing quality.
This approach has resulted in Tesla's utter domination, and Nordlys is well on its way to becoming a world-renowned hospitality brand.
With just two cabins in the middle of "flyover country"!!
MetalLark Kitchen
Why Nordlys Stands Out
This is why guests travel from around the world to stay here. Taste is in short demand, and these folks have it—in both design and hospitality.
One final example of their thoughtfulness:
In a conversation before my visit, I casually mentioned my dream of someday staying someplace with a piano (very rare in any accommodation). When I arrived, a brand-new keyboard was waiting, along with a handwritten card and a smorgasbord of local snacks.
Absolutely unforgettable.
Sitting pretty in Winter
80/20 Rule
20% more effort, time, and investment = 80% more value creation, profitability, and raving fans.
If you, too, have a dream to create something special, take a page from Nordlys:
Start small, but spend more: More love, more effort, and where it counts—more money.
Serve relentlessly. Care unreasonably.
It’s the only reasonable way to make a difference—and be wildly successful.
Commodity stays are fading. Experiential hospitality is on the rise.