Meet Thomas Francis | President and Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Thomas Francis and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Thomas, what do you attribute your success to?
I think for me, it was really wanting to stand out, and deliver a memorable experience. No one has done anything like this, or attacked this market segment like I have. I really wanted to solve for a two-fold problem: How can I bring an incredible experience to people’s homes, and tailor it to the adult party market? When we look landscape of at home parties, it really is kid-centric; I set out to change that mantra, and what would be fun for adults to have.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Simply put, there is no other experience like The Long Island Airstream Experience in the world; this is a full-fledged entertainment solution for adults that comes right to their homes. Creating an idea that requires a boatload of capital, and resources that were essentially non-existent was incredibly tough. So I began small! I started off with my first business, Long Island Cuban Cigar and Bourbon Experience, as a wedding business. I came with a small cigar and spirits table, and set it up for weddings. I focused on taking the small steps to get where I wanted, and then was able after a year of hard work, to purchase my first Airstream, which I turned into a cigar lounge. That’s one of the lessons I learned early, and applied it to everything I did: Taking many small steps will eventually equate into one large step. So focus on the small wins!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Long Island really is an incredible place; there is so much to do and see. Slightly biased, but I would start at my restaurant that I own with some friends: The Whiskey Barrel in Port Jefferson! It has amazing food, along with some of the finest whiskeys in stock. Plus Port Jeff has other amazing spots to hang, grab and drink, and watch the sunset over the sound. Also, you can’t miss going out east! So many vineyards on the North Fork of Long Island, which will end you up right in Greenport. So much to do there!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My wife deserves a ton of credit for believing in me, and helping me to achieve this dream. Having a foundational partner that understands what it takes to build something from nothing is massive. Also my partner in crime, Alexandria Kriebb, has been instrumental in growing this brand and workforce, which is something I couldn’t have done alone.

Website: tliae.com

Instagram: liairstreamexperience

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-francis-4a17aa14a/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelongislandairstreamexperience