We recently connected with Jennifer Fontenot and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jennifer, thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Our mission is two-fold: to create a space that reconnects people on a deep level and to introduce the city hustler to the great outdoors.
Every square inch of Abrams Loft Aframe was curated to do the above mentioned. It’s the lifeblood for why we do what we do. Why? Because 10 years ago we were living in New Orleans and our marriage was at a crossroads. We hit a pretty rough patch and we needed a change breviary the future of our marriage depended on it. So in 2015 we took a family trip to The Great Smoky Mountains and stayed in a cabin. The whole family fell in love with the mountains and the fresh air! It was a trip we promised to make again one day.
But when we got home, we started dreaming. Dreaming about living there one day. So we started praying about it and a year later…. We were Tennessee residents and our life took a 180! Nature was everything we never knew we needed! Our family grew stronger and our marriage was fully restored!
This was a huge change for us city folk, the pace of life was much slower…and we welcomed it.
I’m not exaggerating when I say, the mountains changed our lives!
And that is the heart behind our place. After a few years here, we had so many friends come visit and stay with us. We LOVED showing them around and watching them take in the surroundings. Every single guest left saying, “I want to move here.”
Then a lightbulb went off. Let’s create a space for people to come and be close to nature without camping. We’ll give them all the amenities of a hotel but surrounded by woods! We’ll treat them like our house guest and show them all the best spots to see.
And Shiloh Glamping was born. The name Shiloh means ‘place of peace.’
And that’s exactly what we’ve created. “Peaceful” is the most used word guest use to describe our place.
Running Abrams Loft isn’t a job, it’s an extension of our home. It’s an honor to serve those who choose to stay with us. And I’d say our reviews speak to the hospitality we provide.
We want Shiloh Glamping to be the getaway that reconnects souls. Not only to eachother but also to nature.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My husband, Tobin and I have been married for 25 years and we have three children.
Getting into the hospitality business was a no-brainer, considering our house has always had an open door policy. For as long as I can remember, my family has hosted dinners and out-of-town guest my entire life. It was natural for me to continue on once I had a family. Hosting guest is more than just providing a bed. It’s an opportunity to make someone truly feel at home. Where they have nothing to worry about. I enjoy cooking and leaving small details that let them know they were thought of. We enjoy sitting around a table, talking and laughing with friends and family. So to create an intimate a frame, was the next chapter in our story. My husband‘s father is a master woodsman and he and his family moved up here to East Tennessee to help us build the A-frame.
I think the problem that we help solve for travelers is that we have created an extensive digital guestbook for our guest. We spent months visiting and reviewing places to eat, hikes to hike, places to see, and things to do in order to help our guest not have to stress about wondering what is around the area. I know when I travel, the first thing I wanna know is what is around me. But you never really know what is good or bad. So, we took all the guest work out of it for them. Our response rate with guest is quick and thorough. We welcome any and all questions and jump at the opportunity to make them feel more comfortable. I think many short-term rentals lack that quality. For us, it’s not about the money, it’s truly about making people feel at home and create the best vacation for them ever! And more importantly, we pray they reconnect while here.
And I am truly proud of the fact that we have been able to do that for over 100 guest.
Reading the reviews in our guest book is truly my favorite thing about hosting. Review after review raving about the peace and tranquility that our little A-frame provided many guest have taken our suggestions and shared them with future guest. One of the things that I’m most proud of is that guest recognize that so much thought was put into every detail of our place. I think some people are shocked at the amenities we provide. I mean it when I say, we have put our heart in our soul into Abrams loft and people can feel it.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Do things right the first time even if it cost more money!
There were a few mistakes we made when we first started. One phrase we would be kept repeating was, “we should’ve just gone with the more expensive one!”
Now, going with the best of the best can be scary when your budget is really tight. We went with what our money could get us in the beginning, but eventually there were a few things we had to replace because we realized they did not fit the atmosphere we were trying to create. Our couch being one of them. The coffee maker being another. We had to completely scratch our original stair case and go with a different plan. Of course, all of these things you don’t know until you’re faced with it. Going forward into our future properties, we will do things right the very first time!

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

When we started dreaming about starting Shiloh glamping, we were living in the most beautiful home we had ever had. Our children loved it, it had all the space that we needed, and a basement for us to host guest, as we enjoy doing. It was also at the time when the market was booming! We were confident that the dream that we had would be successful, but we had no money to start it. After much prayer and counseling, we decided to list our house. We sold our house for double what we bought it for, and that money was the beginning of our dream.
Our family thinks about that house often, my kids actually say one day they want to buy it when they get older. Lol, but sometimes when you go after a dream, you have to sacrifice. For us to sacrifice was the comfort and stability that that House provided. But we are confident that the life we are creating will help sustain us in our children in the future.
We actually moved into a log cabin that sits on the property of the A-frame. While it is a beautiful home, this will one day also be turned into an Airbnb. My family is a little big for the space, but we make it work.
We also saved quite a bit of money because we built the A-frame ourselves. Our whole family has a part in this build. It literally took our blood, sweat and tears. But it’s something that our children will look back and know they built that. And one day, they’ll take their children there.
This a-frame is only the first of many.
We also make sure to give back. A portion of every stay is donated to Lifesong Ministries. Helping families who desire to adopt. “Home” is very important to us if you haven’t noticed yet. We believe every child in the foster care system should have a bed to call their own.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.shilohglamping.com
• Instagram: @shilohglamping
• Other: https://airbnb.com/h/abramsloft

Image Credits

The Violett Company Photography
Jack Schick Productions