The Guiding & Business Mosaic: Building a Successful Adventure Company

1. Business and Guiding From-The Business of Adventure: Ross Cloutier

2. Mark Wilson Example • Pg 22

3. Guiding and Business Efficiencies • Lifestyle operators: people who like the outdoors who try to start a business • The concern is an imbalance between sport/guiding knowledge and business knowledge • Balanced weighting between the two facilitates the development of a company

4. The Guiding Mosaic

5. The Guiding Mosaic • Interpersonal Skills • Engaging personality • Working with others individually and in a group • Instructional situations • Stress management

6. The Guiding Mosaic • Safety: All-encompassing nature of the guide’s role in keeping guests healthy and safe with respect to hazards brought about by being in the wilderness, including • Hygiene • Diet • Medical care • Search and rescue • Management of emergencies

7. The Guiding Mosaic • Technique: refers to the requirement for a guide to be a highly skilled expert in the primary activity undertaken, as well as: • Equipment use • Equipment care • Food preparation

8. The Guiding Mosaic • Environmental knowledge: refers to the guide’s ability to impart to guests a respect for and an understanding of the natural resources the adventure industry depends upon • Minimum-impact camping • Educating guests on pollution • Litter control • Environmental stewardship

9. The Guiding Mosaic • Culture: refers both to aspects of foreign culture and to the local heritage • Interpretation of local culture • Heritage knowledge • History and natural history

10. The Guiding Mosaic • The underlying principle behind the development of good guides is the necessity for broad experience levels and good judgment • Good judgment comes from experience in both relaxed and stressful times

11. Note break-Trust Game • I would like everyone to try-but it is voluntary • If you are not comfortable you can say no • The balance of encouraging people outside their comfort zones but also respecting their limits

12. The Business Mosaic

13. The Business Mosaic • Marketing skills • The ability to identify new clientele • Clearly communicate the products offered to the customer • Price and sell the product • Maintain a positive product and company image in the public eye

14. The Business Mosaic • Administration Skills: the logistical, planning and administrative actions necessary for the business to operate • Permits • Insurance • Correspondence • Filing • scheduling

15. The Business Mosaic • Management skills • Hiring • Staff Supervision • In-house training • Safety controls • Management of office

16. The Business Mosaic • Financial Skills • Planning and management of budgets • Money coming in and going out • Allocation of resources to other elements such as marketing • Financial controls • Financial projections

17. Profit Margins, Equity and Risk • Mark Wilson Example pg 28

18. Getting into Adventure Tourism • Start a Business • start-up group to enter industry slowing • Own interest of project market • Uncertain outcome, but less financial commitment • Purchase a business • Higher initial costs • “sweat” equity not required • Acquisitions of permits, client mailing lists

19. Barriers and Profitability • Entry Barriers: Have the effect of limiting the number of new companies to the industry while increasing the resale value of many businesses • Guide qualifications • Restrictions on the part of land managers • Government operating regulations • Exclusive permitting systems • Permit quotas

20. Exit Barriers • A firm is in the market is prevented from leaving • Restrict when or how a business may leave the market, while lowering the resale value of the business • Land use permits which are not transferable to new business owner • Business built on an individual’s name and reputation • Short-term permit • Poor record keeping • Terrain too difficult for “tourist” type

21. Entry and Exit Barriers • Need to be considered during the start-up stages of an adventure business • Need a business Start-up Strategy