I used to think success in the travel industry was simple: buy cars, rent them out, repeat. Three years ago, I started my plan to expand my small fleet of three rental cars to a bigger one. Everything seemed so straightforward then.
The checklist was coming together perfectly:
-
Insurance advisory firm contracted ✅
-
Legal business registration in progress ✅
-
Branding company designing our logo ✅
-
Website plans in motion ✅
I was following the traditional playbook to the letter. But something kept nagging at me, a persistent voice saying “slow down.”
This voice led to a moment of clarity for me.
You see, in today’s travel industry, being good isn’t good enough. Visit Hellopeter and read the reviews of major car rental companies in South Africa. You’ll find a pattern: as companies grow, the personal touch disappears.
So we decided that instead of adding more vehicles to a crowded market. How can we make it better? How can we give travellers more of what they wanted? Convenience, transparency, and genuine care. How can we help smaller rental agencies like us thrive?
That’s when I made one of the hardest decision in my entrepreneurial journey. I pulled the plug on the fleet expansion. Then came an even tougher choice – selling our existing fleet. It felt like watching years of dreams drive away.
But it was the most visible symbol of the shift the company and I was making. I wasn’t only letting go of assets, I was embracing a completely new identity, albeit uncertain.
Through countless conversations with travellers and local tourism entrepreneurs, a pattern emerged.
- Travellers wanted personalisation and quality experiences.
- Small operators wanted access to markets but couldn’t compete with big players’ marketing budgets.
- New entrepreneurs wanted a low risk entry into the market.
💡The solution wasn’t in adding more cars to the market. It was building better bridges between existing providers and travellers.
That’s how Tarlen was born. That’s how Tarlen was born and moved from a rental company to a marketplace. Where entrepreneurship meets modern travel demands.
It’s become more than a platform. It’s a community where small rental operators and entrepreneurs get a fighting chance. And traveler’s get the personalised experience they deserve.
The journey hasn’t been easy. Building a marketplace demands more sacrifices than running a fleet of 3 cars ever did.
But that’s the thing about transformative change, it’s never the easiest path.
We’re building Tarlen as curious entrepreneurs and adventurers with a love for travel, discovery and learning.
We want to hear from you… Share your feedback and your stories with us at hello@tarlen.co.za
