FOUNDER'S STORY

The Aster Inn Story

Five generations. One family. One motel in Cle Elum, WA.

When AI couldn't find us, we built MiddleVerse.

A Family Business Since 1920

My family has run the Aster Inn & Antiques in Cle Elum, Washington since 1920 — five generations. Our roots in Cle Elum go back even further: Italian immigrant ancestors who arrived in 1895 and built a life in this mountain town about 80 miles east of Seattle.

The Aster Inn isn't a chain. It's a family motel with real history, real people, and real guests who come back year after year.

When AI Couldn't Find Us

When travelers started asking AI assistants like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini "where should I stay in Cle Elum?" — the Aster Inn wasn't in the answers. Competitors were. We weren't.

It didn't matter that we had great reviews, a real website, or over a century of community history. AI platforms need structured, verified data to surface a business in recommendations — and we didn't have it in the right form.

If a 100-year-old family business with five generations behind it can be invisible to AI, so can yours.

Why I Built MiddleVerse

"My family has run the Aster Inn in Cle Elum, WA since 1920 — 5 generations. When AI couldn't find us, I built MiddleVerse."

— Melinda Starbird, Founder

MiddleVerse makes sure small businesses with real history, real people, and real value get found by AI — not just the businesses that happen to have a technical team optimizing their structured data.

What MiddleVerse Does

✅ AI Visibility Testing

See if ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, and other AI platforms can actually find your business.

✅ Verified Business Profile

Claim and verify your listing so AI assistants have accurate, structured data to recommend you.

✅ Monthly Visibility Reports

Track where you're being found and where you're still missing — platform by platform.

✅ Affordable Plans

Find Me ($24.99/mo), See Me ($49.99/mo), Prove It ($119.99/mo) and more — built for small businesses, not enterprise budgets.

Find Out If AI Can Find You

Free visibility check — no credit card, no pressure. Just the truth about whether AI assistants are sending customers to you or your competitors.

Get My Free AI Visibility Report