My daughter and I were coming back from her gymnastics class at and it dawned on me…I have a lot to share. If there is anyone out there starting a business or thinking about starting a business or if you just wonder how people who are self-employed build a business – – you might find my reflections worthwhile. You see, I have built two businesses from the ground up and have invested hard earned savings (emotional and otherwise) into these two startups.
Start-up #1: EMPOWER Leadership Sports & Adventure Center – Middletown, CT
In 2008 I left my Army career behind. I had survived two combat deployments, was at the end of my “troop” time as an Infantry Officer and had lost the passion that I had once. I had fulfilled my eight year commitment to good ole Uncle Sam and was at a crossroads. I wanted to get on with my life with my wife who had withstood my two deployments (like a champ!) and we wanted to start a family. The years of deployments and living in the military post 9/11 was not at all tempting. So I packed up my ACUs (Army combat uniforms) and desert boots, I boxed up the relics from Iraq and Afghanistan and decided it was time to revert to being a civilian. But what would I do with my life? I had wanted to be an Infantryman since I was 12 years old and now, for the first time since then, I was left without a dream. Now what would I do?
In 2009 – my wife and I opened EMPOWER Leadership Sports & Adventure Center in Middletown, CT. This 20-acre outdoor adventure complex features a zip line canopy tour, climbing apparatus, scavenger hunts, hiking, rappelling and more. We didn’t really know where we were headed or what the end game really looked like but we did know that we had to be flexible, listen to the market, price it conservatively, provide exceptional customer service and ensure a powerful and memorable experience for every guest. We were determined to build our following one guest at a time, slowly and surely.
If you remember, the consumer market in 2009 was terrible. Nobody was spending money, investments were disappearing, the housing bubble had burst and municipalities were broke and operating with deficits. And I wanted to start a zip line business?!!! Was I crazy or what? People weren’t afraid to tell me I was. I had dozens of people telling me why it wouldn’t work including a former commanding officer (who eventually came back to me looking for a job following his retirement). Admittedly, I also had my moments where I wasn’t quite sure…I think the quote to my wife just before our ribbon cutting ceremony was, “I hope I didn’t make a gross miscalculation.” It wasn’t.
We built our Middletown, CT location guest by guest, month by month and season by season. Through lots of hard work and the commitment of a dedicated few, including my main man Dan Jaskot (now Empower’s GM) we have been able to accomplish the following in just 6 seasons:
- 60,000 guests have zipped through the tree top canopy course
- 400+ corporate groups have visited for team development and team building and many return year after year for new and innovative team programs
- EMPOWER is Southern New England’s first and only true zip line canopy tour experience
- We have innovated a new style of adventure racing that includes zip line racing
- We have helped thousands learn that overcoming challenge, adversity and fear is a real skill that can be learned, developed and perfected
- Empower has empowered thousands of youth to take control of their decision making, be agents for change and make a difference in their school communities
- Earned small business of the year award in 2013 for Middlesex County, CT
And now – the Empower brand has grown. We have expanded to a second location in Middleburg, VA. The next installment of Zip Zag will be about Empower Adventures in Middleburg and its development. Look for it next week right back here on EmpowerAdventures.com. In the meantime – ZIP ON!
