Business opportunities with CanvasCamp tents don’t just stop at glamping resorts.
Founded by Sarah & Gavino Olvera, The Canvas Experience offers mobile glamping experiences at your chosen location, around Croton-on-Hudson NY, and further. Whether it's a pop-up retreat in your backyard, a luxury glamping experience at a scenic campground, or guest accommodations for your dream wedding weekend, any event can be enhanced with The Canvas Experience. Sarah and Gavino have taken their CanvasCamp tents and turned them into endless possibilities and multiple income streams, not only through short term rentals, but through unique community-building events with Project 1490 and building customized permanent glamping setups.
We spoke with Sarah to hear more about her glamping ventures and what advice she has for aspiring glamping entrepreneurs.
“Glamping was a convergence of so many things that [my husband and I] loved: nature, camping, hosting, and design. Because we both lived chapters of our lives in rural settings like Indiana and Montana, we knew that living around New York City — you had to really make an effort to get your fill of nature.
Nature has a power like nothing else. It has the ability to recharge us, to remind us where we come from, to reconnect us. Today's world is constantly pulling us away from nature. Between technology and the business of our day-to-day lives; it is evermore difficult to tap into the trees, the stars, the dirt, to replenish us.
So, we wanted to help make that convenient for people and also get people to try camping who wouldn't normally by offering them a super compelling, luxurious way to do it.”
"We started with one personal tent during the pandemic. I had wanted one for a long time, and with everyone wanting to see each other but not be in close quarters indoors I thought the tent would be a great way to have guests — and it was!
When we started The Canvas Experience in 2023, we started with three tents (two "Stellas", 16-foot Sibley bell tents, and one "Bertha", the Emperor tent, Pro-twin, 600). We had our first booking within a week or two of launching. People were really excited about it as it was brand new for this area."
Whether it’s in your backyard or a nearby campground, the team at The Canvas Experience bring all the gear, set it up, and create an oasis for you to plug-in to the most abundant source of happiness we’ve all got – nature.
Sarah & Gavino provide a plethora of services with their fleet of tents, including:
TCE uses CanvasCamp tents to create magical spaces right in your backyard. Think sleepovers, pop-up guest rooms, poker nights, party lounges, and anything else you can imagine.
For those who are drawn to the idea of camping but don’t have the right gear, TCE brings everything you need onsite to ensure a memorable getaway.
From corporate retreats, brand activations, family reunions or music festivals, TCE also offers event planning services alongside canvas tent rentals; a truly complete package.
Weddings are in a market of their own: reception lounges, bridal suites and guest accommodations for weekend weddings. Families look to make the event extra special and are always looking for unique, beautiful spaces and add-ons. Catering to weddings also provides strong visibility when guests discover TCE at the memorable gathering.
For clients with extra yard space, TCE offers turnkey permanent glamping setups. Canvas tents are the most economical, flexible "extra space" out there and they provide charming, unique experiences for homeowners and their guests. TCE will provide set up in Spring, take down in Fall, and store the gear all Winter.
The range at The Canvas Experience highlights the endless possibilities that glamping tents can create, both for guests planning memorable moments and for entrepreneurs looking to build multiple revenue streams from one foundation.
“We've built The Canvas Experience to really "surprise and delight" customers, and we know that the "experience" isn't just in the glamping — it's in the answering questions, it's in the smiling crew, it's in the little gift we arrive with — and it's all the little unexpected details in the tents. We always shoot for those "Holy cow - I can't believe this is a tent!" moments, or, getting people sleeping outdoors who consider themselves "indoorsy" — those are our big wins."
For aspiring glamping entrepreneurs, Sarah’s approach is a masterclass in what actually drives demand: designing an experience, i.e. tents that not only set the scene, but spark a feeling. This involves the intentional shaping of everything a guest sees, feels, and does—before, during, and after the stay—so it feels effortless, special, and worth talking about. The tent is the stage but the experience is what people remember, review, and rebook.
“Project 1490 is a professional, (badass) women's community where we get into nature and outside of our comfort zones to experience new things. It's all about creating ride-or-die connections, and fueling high-achieving women's real visions for themselves.
In 2024, I created an event to test drive the concept called "A Day of Badassery" where women learn things like archery, wood-chopping, lassoing — all sorts of wilderness skills. And then we get dressed up, have charcuterie and wine in a "Lounge Tent" and then a private chef serves an exquisite meal in a beautifully decorated "Dining Tent". It was a huge hit right off the bat!
The tents, (both Pro 600 Twins), lent themselves perfectly to the vibe of the event. They provided a unique experience, they were outdoorsy, and yet I could furnish them in a really luxurious way. We now do "Days of Badassery" 6-8 times a year.
We've also set up glamping tents for accommodations at Project 1490 retreats where they've helped expand the number of members we can host, while also giving them a brand new experience outdoors.”
Project 1490 is proof that our canvas tents can be more than accommodation, it can be the piece that transforms an idea into an experience.
"Oh my goodness, so many things! My top two: Don't buy anything until you really need it. You can market that you have "Silent Disco" without actually spending $1,000 on a silent disco system that can be delivered to you in two days, (and if anybody wants to buy a silent disco set up, call me!). In other words, you don't have to guess what customers want a lot of the time. Spend money on getting the highest-quality essentials — like the tents, the mattresses — but the bells and whistles can be tested before you lay good money down.
And the second thing is, if you have a magnetic pull towards this industry, just go for it. There are many ways to offer glamping to the world, whether you're doing it on your property, leasing someone else's, or in your customers' backyards; but it really doesn't take much to get started, relative to a lot of other businesses. It's a wonderful industry and it's incredibly fulfilling to see how happy people are when they're glamping!"
"As most of our setups are in people's backyards, campgrounds, and wedding venues, the bathroom question is typically answered for us. But we have on occasion rented "VIP" trailer bathrooms, which work really well for larger events and retreats. As we're starting to help venues create small glampgrounds on their properties now, we have a no-smell, no-sawdust composting toilet we recommend when a permanent solution is needed."
Find more glampsite restroom solutions here.
"We've found community pages on Facebook and using social channels like IG to be the most effective, so far."
Sarah inspires both guests and entrepreneurs to think of a tent as a blank canvas (literally and figuratively!). Think big! Once you have the right tent, the possibilities are endless.
