TRAVEL continued To keep from developing blood clots (deep vein thrombo- sis) air travelers need to periodically move around by either getting up and walking around the cabin or by doing foot and leg exercises often while seated. Bring a face mask in case a neighbor appears sick and avoid touching surfaces that haven’t been sanitized (by you). Don’t plan any activities the day of arrival at your destina-
tion as you will likely be suffering from both “jet lag” going through multiple time zones and even the international date line and from lack of sleep as it is difficult to get rest in a
cramped airline seat. If you can afford or use air miles for a business or first-class ticket, then the long trip is much more comfortable, and you also get a lot of extra perks.
email David
RETAILING The Giant Stride: We Bought A Dive Shop – Now What? – by Michael Connors & Rachael Scott, Owners, American Dive Zone, Grand Rapids, MI
We are Michael and Rachael, own- ers of American Dive Zone, a full service scuba diving center in West Michigan. Both of us came from a decade of experience working in
to someone else, or worse, having your shop converted into a convenience store, fast food restaurant, or clothing boutique - wiping the legacy you built over 20+ years away forever. Our journey to becoming scuba shop owners started with an understanding of this dilemma and began with the mes-
corporate America. Michael’s experience is in private equity, fi-
sage: “Have you thought about your retire- ment plan, and are you interested in a conversation on how we can continue your shop’s legacy?” By showing you want to carry on the shop’s legacy, you are respecting the previous owner. You are showing them that you care about the business they built, and you are on their side. You create a win-win. The previous owner gets to be released from their operational burdens and can rest assured their “baby” will continue to grow - their life’s work will not be forgotten. After sending several cold emails, within two days we got a response, and from there we set up a face-to-face meeting over lunch. Meeting face-to-face allowed us to start to develop a relationship with the previous owner. It showed the previous owner that we were seri- ous. It helped us make our first impression - and that first impression is what helped us gain trust. Trust is fundamental in any acquisition. The face-to-face meeting with the previous owner led to a mutual interest in kicking off the acquisition process, and in just 10 months
nance, and operations. Rachael’s experience is in sales, marketing, and partnerships. We are scuba enthusiasts who met through talking about scuba diving, got engaged on a dive trip, and acquired a dive shop to run together. Our goal is to help usher in the next generation of dive shop owners who will carry the torch that previous shop owners have held, and keep this industry growing and thriving. Over the next few months, we will be sharing the process we went through to acquire our dive shop, remodel and re-market an existing brand, implement op- erational efficiencies, hire and train new staff, and exponentially grow sales. This monthly se- ries is for any dive shop owner looking to pass the torch or for any scuba enthusiast looking to carry the torch forward. Not sure where to start? We are here to help. Our story begins with a cold email that Michael sent to dive shops in Michigan with the title “Thinking About Retirement?” Retirement for a dive shop owner means they get to focus on the things they love like teaching scuba, going on scuba trips, and blowing bubbles for fun. It also means feeling torn about leaving your “baby,” your business, and turning it over
the torch was passed. We will out- line the acquisition process from A-Z in more detail next month. Stay tuned!
email Rachael
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