Venture Concept—A Zip-Line for Surfers
The opportunity
My Venture Concept organically presented itself to me. I am
an avid surfer, and find myself in the water as much as possible. Surfing in an
amazing sport, but it is also quite physically demanding. The physical demand
is where and why my idea blossomed. It all began when the first hurricane swell
of the year arrived on shore. It was a perfect day for surfing, but I noticed
so many surfers sitting on the beach watching the waves just roll in without a
surfer on the wave. I quickly figured out why not too many surfers were out in
the water enjoying the ten foot swells that Mother Nature had created. My first
attempt to conquer the seemingly impossible paddle out was a non-stop paddle
out for twenty seven minutes before I was sent crashing back to the shore only
to try again later. With my second attempt of paddling for forty seven minutes
non-stop I finally made it out past the breakers, but I was so tired I didn’t
even feel like surfing. I was surrounded by many potential customers. The
problem was so simply evident that I couldn’t believe someone hadn’t already
thought of a solution, so I did. Before I answer some of your questions of why
there is a need for my product I want you to look at this picture from Jacksonville
Beach. It has been said that a picture says a thousand words.
So obviously my target market would be surfers. You would
not expect a snow skier to climb a mountain just to be able to ski down it, so
why should a surfer use all of his energy paddling out just to catch and ride a
wave? The estimated American surf population is 2.4 million, so there is quite
a large customer base waiting to be tapped. The median age of surfers is 34 so
the paddle out is just going to be harder as they continue to age making my
product even more attractive to prolong their love for catching the big one.
The only other option to satisfy their need to get past the breakers is to use
a jet ski to tow them into the waves. However, this practice is very much
frowned upon as the ski could be dangerous to other surfers or swimmers in the
water.
Innovation
I believe my product would be considered as radically
innovative. I have never heard or seen anything like this before in or outside
of this industry. Simply stated, my service would allow a surfer to grab hold
of a zip-line handle that is attached to a fixed structure like a pier or a
buoy and be pulled across the water and thorough the breakers dropping you into
the line-up. A person could surf all day long by not using any energy to get
out past the breakers. The revenue side of this idea is generated by charging a
daily fee to use the zip-line. The fee would be determined by the location of
each zip-line. The harder the paddle out the less sensitive the customer would
be to the fee. It’s a tradeoff for enjoying 10 waves for that session or riding
50 waves in a session. I would also offer weekly, monthly or annual passes. There
really would be no switching cost for the customer other than the daily fees
because there is no current alternative.
Venture Concept
Here in lies the beauty of a radical innovation. It’s unique
and a one of a kind. There are no other competitors currently in the market
place. The possible weakness of a competitor is I will be an established brand
and business before they even attempt to crack into the market. However, the key to the success of this
business is location, location, location. It has to be on the water at the
beach and at a surf break.
Secret Sauce
My secret sauce or unfair advantage for me would be timing.
Being in the right place at the right time with the right solution to a problem
is everything. The reason the timing is so important it gives me time to get
established and execute exclusive area contracts with all the major locations
that I want to position my products and services in. Exclusive contracts will
keep the competition at bay for an extended period of time.
Next Venture
I would like to use the same zip-line as a thrill ride for
swimmers with boogie boards propelling them across the water at high rates of
speed. This could be utilized on the days when the water is flat and my
services would not be needed by surfers. This would also lend itself to a huge
rental program for those who do not want to carry a long board all the way to
the beach and back every day. You can rent surfboards, boogie board or even
stand-up paddle boards. By offering such an array of rental products it will
help expand your customer base to those who would like to surf but can’t afford
to purchase a $600.00 board.
What’s Next?
I would like to think this concept would be very successful
tried and true within the next five years. It is not very often a brand new
concept is imagined and then actually put into action. Being a surfer myself I
can appreciate the possibilities and benefits that a service like this could
offer to me. I have received very encouraging feedback from the surfing
industry including several pro surfers who really loved the idea. Entrepreneurship
is a funny thing. It is very common for a successful entrepreneur to fail on
several ideas before he hits on one that really works. The lessons learned from
failed attempts are invaluable. This concept has gotten so much traction
thorough the interview process it just might be something I follow through with
and give it a shot. I have started up, owned, operated and sold a business
before and it’s almost impossible to get entrepreneurship out of your blood.
With all that being said, you may possibly be seeing me standing under a pier
at a beautiful resort and surf break collecting daily fees from surfers using
my zip-line.
