Running a dropzone is hard enough... managing the culture can make or break you.

1. AS YOUR BUSINESS SCALES,
SO DO YOUR PROBLEMS.
James La Barrie
AS THE PROP TURNS…IMPROVING YOUR CULTURE AT YOUR DZ

2. DROPZONE.MARKETING
MY GOAL FOR THIS WORKSHOP ARE:
▸ TO CHALLENGE - you to think differently
about your business and how to make it better.

3. MY STORY - 2012
SUCCESSFUL BUT UNHAPPY
▸ 30% year over year
growth
▸ Everyone was making
more money
▸ DZ was Thriving
▸ EVERYONE UNHAPPY

4. HOW I BUILT IT

5. HAS THE PASSION FOR YOUR
BUSINESS BEGUN TO WANE?

6. ARE YOU TIRED OF DZ
POLITICS?

7. ARE YOU TIRED OF
IN-FIGHTING WITH STAFF?

8. A DIFFERENT WAY
OF RUNNING A
BUSINESS

9. MY ‘A-HA’ MOMENT

10. ▸ Est. Link Exchange in ‘96
▸ ’09 - purchased by Amazon
▸ Sells to Microsoft | $265M
▸ CEO of Zappos 1999
▸ ’08 - $1Billion in sales

13. More difficult to work at Zappos than to get into Harvard
Four Weeks of Training
Offer $2,000 To Quit in Week 1
Offer $3,000 To Quit in Week 2

14. “A CUSTOMER
SERVICE
COMPANY THAT
HAPPENS TO SELL
SHOES.”

15. COMMON
THREAD
Culture
based on
core values.

17. Core Values
Authenticity - We are true to the outdoors.
Quality - We provide trustworthy products and services.
Service - We serve others with expertise and enthusiasm.
Respect - We listen and learn from each other.
Integrity - We live by a code of rock-solid ethics, honesty
and decency.
Balance - We encourage each other to enjoy all aspects of
life.

18. “Culture isn’t the most important
thing. Culture is the only thing.”
—Jim Senigal, Former
CEO Costco

19. “Costco’s mission is to continually provide our members with
quality goods and services at the lowest possible prices. In
order to achieve our mission we will conduct our business
with the following Code of Ethics in mind:
1. Obey the law
2. Take care of our members
3. Take care of our employees
4. Respect our vendors

22. •HAVE INTEGRITY
•DELIVER AMAZING SERVICE
•BE PASSIONATE
•THINK LIKE A CONSUMER
•CONTINUALLY LEARN

23. •ENJOY THE JOURNEY &
HAVE FUN
•BE OBJECTIVE
•SHOW GRATITUDE

24. WHERE DO YOU STAND?

25. PASSING P.A.T. & Working at REGENT PARK GC
2 YEARS AT REGENT PARK GC
4 YEARS AT REGENT PARK
STARTING AT SKYDIVE CAROLINA
FIRST 4 YEARS AT SKYDIVE CAROLINA
LAST 5 YEARS AT SCPC
EST. BEYOND MARKETING
4 YEARS IN

26. Simon Sinek
Start With Why

28. WHAT IS THE WHY OF YOUR
ORGANIZATION?
WHY
HOW
WHAT
The Golden Circle
Simon Sinek

29. ONE OF THE BEST CULTURES: WISCONSIN SKYDIVING CENTER

30. CORE VALUES

31. CHICAGOLAND SKYDIVING CENTER

32. CHICAGOLAND SKYDIVING CENTER

33. WHERE I STARTED

34. WHERE WE ARE

35. ON A SCALE OF 1 TO 10, HOW
PASSIONATE ARE YOU ABOUT
YOUR BUSINESS?
DO YOU STILL HAVE THE PASSION?

36. WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?
WHY ARE WE DOING THIS AGAIN?

37. ARE YOU RUNNING A DZ FOR
THE SOLE PURPOSE OF
MONEY?
WHAT’S YOUR MOTIVATION?

38. WHAT DO YOU THINK
SEPARATES A GOOD BUSINESS
FROM A GREAT BUSINESS?
WHAT’S YOUR MOTIVATION?

39. ARE YOU RUNNING A GOOD OR
GREAT BUSINESS?
GOOD OR GREAT?

40. DOES YOUR STAFF HAVE A
CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF
YOUR EXPECTATIONS?
ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS IN YOUR HEAD ONLY?

41. DOES YOUR DZ SUFFER FROM
INTERNAL CONFLICT OR
DRAMA?
ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS IN YOUR HEAD ONLY?

42. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE
CAUSE OF THIS DRAMA?
THE ROOT CAUSE OF THIS DRAMA IS?

43. VIEW THIS SLIDEDECK
CONTACT: JAMES LA BARRIE
E-MAIL: james@amazethecustomer.com
Telephone: (704) 268-9338
Web: http://dropzone.marketing