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Northern Paradise a Maui Wowi Franchisee Think BIG!! The McLean Plan Rob and Jean McLean 281-332-9388 northernparadise@comcast.net www.northernparadisemw.com The Original Plan The Original Plan Run K 'carts at lots of local events started with three carts. Got into it quick
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Northern Paradisea Maui Wowi Franchisee Think BIG!! The McLean Plan Rob and Jean McLean 281-332-9388 northernparadise@comcast.net www.northernparadisemw.com
The Original Plan • The Original Plan • Run K 'carts at lots of local events started with three carts.
Got into it quick • Get into events quickly • First event 6 days after training • Several small local event over the first 4 months, had all events planned for the first year before training was over. • Started looking for a venue in Feb of 2007 • Venue deal 2 days after first meeting. • Venue consists of a 75,000 seat stadium, convention center with 5 halls, a 10,000 seat arena , and another 65,000 seat temporarily closed stadium. • First Stadium event is 20 days long, it starts 3 weeks after we signed our deal. What are we thinking? We have NO idea what to do!
The delivery, set up, check-in, event, cash out, reporting ,check out, cup counts, what's a spoil, what can be manager adjusted, what’s a “Z” what???? • Learn the ropes, ask lots of questions, the other partner vendors will help you out if your professional, and you show them your there as a partner not to take business away from them.
Early Learning Curve • First BIG event --sales were less than 10% of what we had been advised and planned for- had to throw away more than 30 cases of bananas, now we have to re-think the whole idea. • Need Alcohol, some to sell at venue and some for personal use. • Heading into NFL season, still no alcohol, but gaining trust and providing reliable product at events, continuing to learn the ropes of the BIG LEAGUES.
Hitting the Curve • After 3 home NFL games, sales remain very slow, approached Stadium partners and asked for a chance to add alcohol, we had been patiently doing events, proving we were reliable, we were willing to work hard to prove ourselves -we were given the go ahead to add alcohol. • Now we have a whole new set of problems, opportunities, and goals.
Hitting the Curve • Once we hit our stride with the alcohol as an added option we expanded quickly • Bought more carts • Added another venue – University Stadium, which got us access to NCAA Football and MSL Soccer. • Dropped most of our small event and focused on our BIG venues, and BIG events.
BIG EVENTS 4th of July Houston Rodeo
BIG EVENTS Downtown Festivals Venue
BIG Events in the past 12 months • Houston Rodeo- 20 days attendance 1.18 million (4 locations) • Volleyball tournament 4 days 1190 teams (4 locations) • NFL Season, 10 home games, 70,000 per, + training camp (4 locations) • MLS Season 20 home games 12,000- 24,000 per game (2 locations) • College Football 6 home games 35,000 per game (2 locations) • Monster Truck 3 shows a year 55,000 + per (4 locations) • NCAA basketball regional sold out (4 locations) • 4 Cheerleading events a year 4,000 - 10,000 per (2 locations) • Children's Festival 2 days 85,000 (3 locations) • International Festival 4 days 200,000 (3 locations) • 4th of July 150,000 (2 locations) • Calendar Year 2008 – over 170 days booked
Things We Wish We Knew When We Started • It’s hard to have a full time jobs and do 170 events a year –looks easy on paper. • Put EVERYTHING on wheels. • Anything that can get stolen, will be stolen. • Don’t assume anyone else knows your events better than you do.