Interview with Venku

I have gotten the chance to get to know founder and CEO Murielle Gaither and the Venku Team over the past year. Venku is a online marketplace platform that connects outdoor enthusiast to hunting and fishing guides, book outdoor experiences and secure land access. With Venku, you can spend less time searching for quality experiences and more time outdoors.

What is Venku?
Venku makes it easy to discover and book high-quality hunting and fishing trips all across America by bringing every kind of package together in one place. Our mission is to “Make the outdoors more accessible” and we do this through our easy-to-use online platform.

Venku only works with trusted guides, outfitters and private landowners who have gone through a strenuous 5-Point vetting process, so you know that the trips you’re viewing are the best options available. 

Hunters and anglers can easily research and compare thousands of guided or self-guided experiences by filtering by species, location, amenities and price, as well as read real customer testimonials. When you’re ready to book, you can book with confidence knowing that your payment is secure and your host is an expert in their field.

How can you become a Host?

It’s really simple to become a host if you are a guide, outfitter or private landowner offering outdoor recreation packages. When you sign up as a host on Venku, you can either start building out your own listings or our team will contact you to help you create them. Venku’s 5-point vetting system includes a background check, reviewing past client referrals and testimonials, as well as an assessment of the types of experiences you offer.

At this time, all outdoor experiences can be listed on Venku, including: guided & self-guided hunting, fishing, eco-tours, rustic lodging, and camping experiences.

Hosts are required to follow all local and federal rules and regulations, so if you’re not sure what they are, reach out to your Game & Fish Commission or state Conservation Department.

What other experiences do you offer?
Honestly – everything! We have thousands of experiences that span from do it yourself hunting access all the way to fully-immersive, multi-day wilderness hunts. Whatever you may be looking for, Venku hosts either offer the experience or can develop a custom package around your needs. Our sales team is on hand to answer questions and help you build the perfect trip.

Venku’s platform was designed to accommodate all outdoor experiences and over almost half of our hosts offer hunting as well as fishing and other rustic outdoor adventures like frogging, glamping, eco-tours and hiking.

What is the most popular trip booked?
Our most popular packages by far are any that focus on invasive species like hogs, iguanas and non-native fish species. Many of these trips don’t require any sort of permit or license, so anyone can enjoy them. Plus, the outfitter will often provide all the necessary equipment so you don’t need to worry about bringing your own.

Invasive species, like hogs and iguanas, are also great to target because of the conservation benefits. These animals are extremely destructive to their surrounding environments, causing expensive damage to the environment and also limiting the food and habitat resources available to native wildlife. Because they are so destructive, many states have relaxed the rules around hunting invasive species, which not only incentivizes new people who want to try hunting for the first time, but also creates opportunities for hunters to try out specialized equipment like thermals on a thrilling nighttime adventure.

What is one thing you wish people knew or want people to know about Venku?

Hunting can feel very unwelcoming or intimidating to new people. It’s expensive to buy equipment, oftentimes new hunters are unsure of how to hunt a certain species or if they’re using proper technique, and finding a place to go is always an issue.

Venku was created to break down these barriers and make the outdoors more accessible. We believe that for people to care about conserving the woods, water and wildlife for future generations, they need to be there to experience it for themselves.

We make these experiences more accessible through our easy-to-use online booking platform, available on any device. Anyone can search and compare trips by budget, species, skill-level and amenities, and securely book online when they’re ready. Just having this information at your finger-tips helps to cut down on hours of research and phone calls, meaning you’re that much closer to booking your next adventure.

Our team has been fortunate to work with many beginner hunters, or hunters who are targeting a new species for the first time. The result is always the same – great photos with big smiles after a successful harvest. And then the question: When can I book my next hunt?

About the Owner

Murielle grew up spending time outdoors at her family’s farm in the Missouri Ozarks. She was fortunate to have a father who took her out fishing on the streams, ponds and lakes that are plentiful throughout the Ozark region. As an adult, he took her deer & turkey hunting as well, starting new family traditions she continues with her two kids. She also realized just how much money, time and resources goes into managing land resources for wildlife habitat. This realization was the beginning of what is now Venku. Her vision for Venku is that it becomes a powerful tool that helps to put money in the pockets of rural guides and landowners, while increasing access to outdoor recreation opportunities. 

Do you have land or offer outdoor experiences? Let’s talk about how Venku can help you earn more money by doing what you love.