Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Bjarne Haug. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Bjarne, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

In 2021, I sold my former company, IMOTO, a real estate marketing platform that, at the time of the sale, had connected 12,000 real estate agents and was operating in 10 states across the South. Along with that story, I must admit that I’ve always had a deep interest in cars—especially race cars—and I loved going to the track. At the time of the sale, I was driving up Franklin Avenue in New Orleans (a route I often took). On Franklin Avenue, there was a small local storage facility where I stored my enclosed car trailer.

One December morning, it occurred to me that it was unnecessary to spend $130 monthly on an asset I used only 4-6 times a year when I went to the track. So, I thought, “Why not rent it out?” I posted it for rent on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist just to see if there was interest in renting a trailer privately. There was certainly interest, but I must admit, I ignored all the requests because those platforms didn’t provide a safe environment for vetting people or maintaining control over the rental process.

That’s when the idea for myTrailer came to me. I quickly contacted the developer we used for IMOTO and simply asked if he’d be interested in joining me on this venture. His answer was an immediate yes.

I realized right away that the core challenges to address were making the renting process easy, including billing, insurance, marketing, and identity verification. I knew that many trailer owners faced the same issues, and with so many trailers sitting idle, I saw an opportunity to solve a secondary problem: helping trailer owners generate a little extra passive income.

Bjarne, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’ve always had a business-oriented mindset. Before moving to the U.S., I ran several smaller companies in Denmark. I knew early on that traditional employment wouldn’t be my path after relocating. Starting fresh on the other side of the planet was definitely a challenge. I didn’t know anyone at first, but that gave me the time and focus to build something I was passionate about—real estate photography.

Photography had been a hobby of mine for years, and when I started looking at houses abroad to potentially purchase, I noticed a glaring need for high-quality real estate photos. That observation led me to start what eventually became the predecessor to IMOTO. As I mentioned earlier, my interest was more in the platform model than the photography itself. We quickly gained traction and joined an incubator program in New Orleans called IdeaVillage. From there, things moved fast, culminating in an exit from the company in 2021.

Fast forward to today, I’m working on a new platform: myTrailer, a peer-to-peer marketplace. What excites me most about marketplaces is the ability to connect people. I often joke that if I could monetize connecting and helping people, I’d be set for life. With myTrailer, I go above and beyond to ensure people get what they need. Our reviews reflect this, but I also know that as the platform grows, I won’t always be able to offer that personal touch. For now, I enjoy it and make the most of the opportunity.

It’s crucial to meet new clients where they are, listen to their needs, and ask the right questions to align your product and services with their expectations. When you can achieve that, you create long-term relationships, especially with early adopters. On a personal level, I genuinely enjoy interacting with our clients—especially our trailer owners. While I may spend a bit too much time helping clients, often acting like a concierge, I believe the goodwill and word-of-mouth it generates are worth the effort.

Could we scale faster? Absolutely. But I firmly believe that building a rock-solid foundation pays off in the long run. Skipping steps might get you there faster, but it can leave cracks that come back to haunt you.

One of the things I’m most proud of from my IMOTO journey was creating jobs and seeing people achieve life milestones, like buying their first homes, because of the company we built. Those moments confirm that I’ve done something right—not just for the business but for the people involved. Many times, I sacrificed my own salary to ensure my employees and contractors got paid. I always trusted I’d eventually get my share, but you can’t compromise on taking care of your team. At the end of the day, I run everything by the simple principle of treating people the way you’d want to be treated. It’s a philosophy that truly goes a long way.

Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?

When we started the predecessor to IMOTO in 2010, we struggled to find the angle that would kickstart the hockey stick effect. We attended numerous meetings with real estate companies, showcased our products, and put significant effort into marketing—flyers, letters, postcards, online presence, you name it. While we saw growth, it was slow and incremental.

One day, on the way to a larger meeting where we expected 20–25 agents to be present, we anticipated facing the same challenges. But during the drive, I came up with an idea: for that day only, at that meeting, we would offer everything on our menu at 50% off. That idea worked—really worked. Suddenly, we had the foundation for some real traction, and things began to get easier from that point on.

A year or two later, we escalated this approach by offering one of the largest companies in town a deal so attractive it was almost unprofitable for us. That bold move paid off. Word spread, and companies that had previously said “no” started approaching us. We became attractive in the market, which allowed us to shift focus to scaling and growth.

The moral of the story? I’m convinced that most companies have at least one untapped idea that can capture sudden attention. Will you find it? Maybe, maybe not. But the key is to always experiment with new ideas—because you never know what might work.

Any advice for managing a team?

When managing a team, it’s clear that things function best when everyone on the team is generally happy. As a leader, it’s essential to encourage your team to do the right things, ensure they have the proper tools, and help them understand the company’s strengths and weaknesses.

A team is only as good as its leadership. If you’re not ready to help out, tackle difficult questions, or support and appreciate your team, the group’s cohesion may falter, and your team might not thrive. Think about it: if I were an employee and didn’t feel appreciated, why would I go the extra mile for the company? For me, this concept is straightforward. I’ve experienced bad leadership firsthand, and it’s as frustrating as it is ineffective—it solves nothing for the betterment of the company. But that’s a story for another time.

I believe in making small but meaningful gestures for the team. For example, I often drove 20 minutes back and forth to pick up some incredible chicken wings I knew they loved, just to surprise them. It might sound trivial, but it had a significant impact. Why not nurture your team if you have the time and energy to do so?

One of my favorite memories was taking our entire staff and subcontractors to a resort in Atlanta. It was one of the most rewarding and enjoyable experiences I’ve ever organized. I’m a huge believer in flat organizational structures and working closely with my team, no matter their role in the company. Every position is important—otherwise, it wouldn’t exist. Even if someone’s role seems easy to replace, the work they do is essential. Everyone deserves to feel valued.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mytrailer.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytrailer_com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mytrailerrental
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mytrailer-inc
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@myTrailer_rental

Image Credits

Portrait is: Greg Miles
The rest is: myTrailer, inc