Wild Dreams Hospitality

What Wild Dreams Hospitality does

Wild Dreams Hospitality is a South African boutique hospitality services firm founded in 2017 by Hayley Cooper, headquartered in Hoedspruit in the Greater Kruger area. The company operates a two-sided marketplace focused on the game lodge and safari hospitality sector, placing candidates across South Africa and neighboring African countries for roles ranging from front of house and guides to spa therapists and management. Its core product is recruitment placement, augmented by on-site staff training, HR and operational consulting, vegan hospitality consulting, career coaching, and team alignment workshops. The company differentiates through deep sector specialization, claimed 208 combined years of team experience, a values-alignment methodology, and a network of multi-year client relationships with marquee lodge groups (Kings Camp, Simbavati, MORE Family Collection, Shumbalala, Olifants Reserve, Klaserie Drift).

The business is service-led with no proprietary technology stack — the website job board (wilddreams.co.za), WhatsApp communities, email marketing, and social media channels are the primary operating tools. Productized extensions include two online courses ('Aligning Dreams with Career Clarity' and 'Career Confidence: Your Guide to Getting Hired'), a free interview preparation e-book, and Team Alignment Coaching workshops. The company does not publicly disclose pricing; recruitment fees are transaction-based and customized, while training and consulting are sold via direct sales with multi-year relationships.

Revenue is generated through five streams: recruitment placement fees (transaction), on-site staff training (professional services, on-site delivery), HR/vegan consulting (professional services), career coaching (professional services), and online courses (subscription/discounted to non-profit partners). The go-to-market is relationship-driven: founder-led field sales, conference presence (AVA Summit, Good Life Show, Vegan Hospitality Conference), WhatsApp community engagement, and a growing Web of partnerships with conservation NGOs (Care for Wild, Tracker Academy, Wildlife ACT, Vervet Monkey Foundation). The company is privately held and bootstrapped, with a 1-10 headcount and a sister brand (Nett Kind) launched in 2025 to extend the model globally to impact-focused companies.

Name

Wild Dreams Hospitality

Legal name

Wild Dreams Hospitality

Website

https://wilddreams.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wild Dreams Hospitality is a South African boutique firm placing candidates in game lodge and safari hospitality roles across Southern Africa, with additional on-site staff training, HR consulting, career coaching, and vegan hospitality advisory services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospitality Recruitment Services

NAICS

Other Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services (56159)

SIC

Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Adventure & Expedition Experiences (Custom Hikes, Safaris, Backcountry) (THAJALAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Safari Lodges (Big Five/Game Reserves) (THAGAIAA), Safari Camps & Tented Lodges (THAGAOAF)

Keywords

• Hospitality recruitment services
• Hospitality staff training
• Hotel consulting services
• Career coaching services
• Vegan hospitality consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Hoedspruit

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Recruitment/Placement Services: Full-service recruitment placing candidates in hospitality positions, particularly in the game lodge sector across South Africa and neighboring African countries. Services include sourcing, screening, and placement of candidates for various roles from entry-level to management positions.
2. Consulting Services: HR consulting services including leave cycle management, staff restructuring, job description development, operational guidance, and vegan hospitality consulting for lodges looking to add plant-based offerings.
3. Staff Training: On-site customized training programs for hospitality businesses including onboarding, leadership development, cross-training, vegan training, and team alignment coaching. Training is conducted at client premises.
4. Career Coaching: Career coaching services for individuals including sessions with Hayley Cooper who is a certified career and life coach. Also includes Team Alignment Coaching for organizations.
5. Online Courses: Two branded online courses: 'Aligning Dreams with Career Clarity' and 'Career Confidence: Your Guide to Getting Hired'. Offered at discounted rates to non-profit partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Wild Dreams Hospitality is a hospitality recruitment, consulting, and training firm that places candidates into lodge, game reserve, hotel, and safari positions across South Africa and neighboring African countries. The company also delivers on-site customized staff training, HR consulting (leave cycles, restructuring, job descriptions), vegan hospitality consulting, and one-on-one career coaching, complemented by two branded online career courses. Its 'Herd' team has more than 208 combined years of hospitality experience.

Product overview

Wild Dreams Hospitality operates as a recruitment and consulting firm serving the hospitality and lodge industry across South Africa and neighboring African countries. Their core offering combines recruitment placement services with consulting and training products. The main products include: Recruitment Services (matching candidates with hospitality positions), Career Coaching (one-on-one guidance by certified coach Hayley Cooper), Staff Training (on-site customized training), Vegan Hospitality Consulting (plant-based menu and certification guidance), HR Admin Consulting, and Wild Dreams Courses (online career development e-books and courses). Additional offerings include Team Alignment Coaching workshops. The company was founded in January 2017 and has over 208 combined years of experience within their team.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hospitality Recruitment Services End-to-end recruitment placement service that sources, screens, and places candidates into hospitality positions at lodges, game reserves, safari camps, hotels, and restaurants across South Africa and neighboring African countries. Roles range from entry-level to management and front of house, back of house, guides, trackers, spa therapists, housekeeping, and maintenance. Clients are hospitality employers; candidates are job seekers. Pricing is transaction-based and quote-driven.
• Career Coaching One-on-one career coaching delivered by founder Hayley Cooper, a certified career and life coach, helping hospitality professionals and career changers achieve career clarity, confidence, CV preparation, interview readiness, and job search strategy. Sold to individual career-coaching clients.
• On-Site Staff Training Customized on-site training programs delivered at client hospitality premises, covering onboarding, cross-training, leadership development, vegan training, team alignment, and industry-specific skills. Sold to hospitality businesses (not individuals) via multi-year or project-based contracts.
• Vegan Hospitality Consulting Specialized consulting for lodges and hospitality businesses on plant-based menu development, vegan food preparation, Vegan Hospitality certification, and aligning operations with sustainability goals. Sold to hospitality businesses seeking plant-based offerings.
• HR Admin Consulting Human resources consulting for hospitality establishments covering leave cycle management, staff restructuring, job description development, operational guidance, and policy support. Sold to lodging and hospitality businesses.
• Wild Dreams Online Courses Subscription-based online career courses including 'Aligning Dreams with Career Clarity' and 'Career Confidence: Your Guide to Getting Hired', offered to individual job seekers and at discounted rates to non-profit partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• 208 combined years of industry experience among team members
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• TEARS FoundationminorOthers · 1 July 2026South African non-profit providing free, confidential crisis intervention, counselling and support services to survivors of gender-based violence, sexual assault and child sexual abuse. Wild Dreams donated to TEARS as their Q2 2026 donation recipient.
• BAOTREEminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Met at WTM (World Travel Market). Partnership involves meeting partners in person and catching up on collaboration efforts. Nature of partnership appears to be networking and industry collaboration.
• Green GlobeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2025Hayley did a webinar on the link between sustainability and menu planning through her role at Vegan Hospitality for Green Globe clients. Over 100 people signed up representing over 30 countries.
• Nett KindcoreOthers · 1 July 2025Sister company focused on recruitment, training and consulting on a global scale for companies making a Nett Positive impact in the world - helping animals, environment, or communities. Website launched in 2025. Rebranded with new colors and updated visuals.
• Greater Kruger Alley Cat InitiativeminorOthers · 1 July 2025Wild Dreams donated to this organization as their Q2 2025 donation recipient. Focuses on humane management of feral cat populations in Greater Kruger area through sterilisation, education, and outreach.
• The Good Life ShowcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Africa's premier plant-based food, drink & conscious living event. Wild Dreams is a partner, offering discount codes (WILDDREAMS10, WILDDREAMS20) to their audience. Presence at both Cape Town and Johannesburg editions. Aligns with company's vegan hospitality focus.
• Wildlife ACTminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025New partner in Wild Dreams' growing network of like-minded partners. Wild Dreams assists Wildlife ACT in finding incredible talent to support their conservation efforts through recruitment services.
• Koru CampcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Community non-profit camp near Sashwa River of Stars. Helping people who are currently looking for work. Wild Dreams assisting with resources and planning to help them in 2025. For-profit lodge Sashwa directs profits to support Koru Camp.
• Vervet Monkey FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Dedicated to rehabilitating rescued vervet monkeys. Wild Dreams continues collaboration to assist with sourcing volunteers and recently partnered with a hospitality school to get chef students valuable experience.
• Nourish Eco VillagecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Long-time partner whose community-centred approach aligns with Wild Dreams' values. From sustainability to education and economic upliftment, Nourish does remarkable work. Wild Dreams attended their inspiring event and continues to deepen connection.
• Vegan HospitalitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Global organization for vegan hospitality. Hayley Cooper is co-founder and secretary. The organization has transitioned to a US-registered non-profit. Hayley organized The Global Vegan Hospitality & Tourism Conference. Wild Dreams offers Vegan Jobs Africa as part of this ecosystem.
• Sashwa River of StarscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2024First plant-forward safari lodge in South Africa. Wild Dreams assisted with recruitment and consulting in the lead up to their opening. Founder and team attended soft launch weekend. Lodge serves mostly plant-based meals with wellness ethos.
• SingitaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 October 2024Wild Dreams is in discussion with Singita to offer Work-Ready Workshops with hospitality students as part of their 2025 community outreach plans.
• Timbavati TraversecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 September 2024Annual event bringing together runners, walkers and cyclists to raise funds for the reserve's anti-poaching unit and Timbavati Foundation. Wild Dreams is a sponsor. Hayley Cooper is a founding committee member and has helped organize the event for several years. Focus on conservation and community.
• Vervet Monkey SanctuaryminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024Located in Tzaneen. Wild Dreams assists in sourcing volunteers and recently partnered with a hospitality school to get chef students valuable experience. Doing amazing work rescuing and rehabilitating vervet monkeys.
• Halo (Hoedspruit Animal Outreach)minorOthers · 1 September 2024Wild Dreams donated to Halo so they can purchase much-needed dog collars and leads for community dogs.
• Breadline AfricaminorOthers · 1 September 2024Wild Dreams participated in Breadline Africa's Funky Socks Day for the second consecutive year. Initiative supports children in need and raises funds for essential school supplies.
• African Pangolin GroupminorOthers · 15 February 2024Wild Dreams donated to this organization as their Q1 2025 donation recipient. Dedicated to protecting Africa's pangolins through rescue, rehabilitation, research, and anti-trafficking efforts.
• Thornybush Community and Timbavati FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership to offer workshops for hospitality students from the Thornybush community. Workshops cover career guidance, CV writing, job searching via social media, and interview preparation. Also offers 'Train the Trainer' workshops 4 times per year to enable community members to teach these skills at scale. Connected students with recruitment partners for placement assistance after graduation.
• Care for WildcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024World's largest orphaned rhino sanctuary. Wild Dreams provides all recruitment services without charge to allow Care for Wild to focus on their conservation mission. Placing employees aligned with their mission.
• Farm SanctuariesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnered with multiple farm sanctuaries in South Africa to assist in sourcing a social media/PR manager for an exciting initiative to help bring in much-needed funds. This is a remote, unpaid role open to people globally.
• Tracker AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Non-profit organization working to help local community members become trackers within reserves. Wild Dreams helped source a Camp Coordinator, a rewarding paid role to help give back to the local community through education.
• Vegan Jobs Africa CommunitycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2024Dedicated WhatsApp group and database for sharing vegan job vacancies. Working with major vegan organizations in South Africa including sanctuaries, nonprofits, and a new wellness concept lodge serving only plant-based food. Also creates database of vegan candidates.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Emerging players

• Careers in Conservation: Conservation-focused career platform connecting candidates with wildlife, environmental, and conservation roles globally. Directly comparable to Wild Dreams' Careers in Conservation Day activities and NGO recruitment work for organizations like Care for Wild and Tracker Academy.
• Hospitality Guild: Hospitality-focused professional community and recruitment resource. Comparable to Wild Dreams as a hospitality talent network, though with broader geographic reach and less specialization in the safari/lodge segment.

Broad incumbents

• HospitalityJobs.com: Hospitality-focused online job platform connecting candidates with employers across hotels, restaurants, and resorts globally. Comparable to Wild Dreams as a hospitality recruitment channel, though broader in scope and not niche-specialized in safari/lodge operations.
• HotelCareer.com: Hospitality-specific job board operating across multiple regions with a focus on hotels and resorts. Comparable to Wild Dreams as a destination for hospitality job seekers, though it operates at a much larger scale and without on-site consulting/training services.
• eHotelier: Global hospitality industry news, jobs, and events platform serving hotels, resorts, and lodging operators worldwide. Comparable to Wild Dreams as a hospitality recruitment and content resource, though much broader in scope and not focused on safari/lodge niche or African markets.
• Caterer.com / CatererGlobal: Hospitality recruitment platform with strong presence in the UK and international markets, focusing on hotels, restaurants, and catering. Comparable to Wild Dreams as a hospitality job marketplace, though operating at a much larger scale and primarily in Europe.
• Indeed: Global generalist job search platform with significant hospitality and tourism category presence. Comparable to Wild Dreams as a candidate-acquisition channel that lodges may use directly instead of engaging a specialist recruiter.

Regional players

• AdoGreen: South African recruitment firm operating across hospitality, FMCG, and retail verticals. Comparable to Wild Dreams as a regional competitor for hospitality employer clients, though with broader industry coverage rather than safari/lodge specialization.

Direct peers

• Tempting Talent: South African recruitment agency specializing in hospitality, tourism, and retail placements. Comparable to Wild Dreams as a regional specialist recruiter in the South African hospitality market with similar target employer segments.
• Lemongrass Hospitality Consulting: South African hospitality operations and training consultancy serving lodges and hotels. Comparable to Wild Dreams as a regional hospitality consulting and training provider, though focused more on operational and F&B consulting than on recruitment placement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xinstagram.com/wilddreamshospitality
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@wilddreamshospitality
• Facebookfacebook.com/wilddreamshospitality
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wild-dreams-hospitality

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wild Dreams Hospitality