My conversation continues with Thomas Seekins, a lone traveler, while we are on an archaeological dig in 2011.
Thomas was precise as he told me that he moved slowly but surely, thinking through one obstacle at a time. As I watched his hands artistically move as he spoke, it occurred to me that his soul was uniquely connected with his personality. Perhaps subconsciously, he recognized practical concerns and put them into a spiritual understanding to apply new perspectives to routine business development. What he was describing about his life showed his simple belief in himself that gave him clarity and helped him to expand his skill set. My mind raced as we finished our dessert of ice cream with prickly pear syrup as he went on with his story under the starry night.
“During the cold, lonely nights that winter, I spent much time by the fire researching the target market and other businesses in Jasper. I examined the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats from as many perspectives as I could. Then, I isolated all the services that might appeal to the target demographic and pinpointed the friends in town who provided them.
“Then I called all those friends to suggest we form a coalition. Every coalition member would be a one of a kind—that is, one would be a shuttle service, one a ski rental shop, one a fishing store, and so on down the list. Together, our services totaled all the things needed for the perfect weekend out of town. From there, I created full-package programs for every possible style of weekend tourist.
“Coalition businesses marshaled their resources and worked as a team all winter sharing planning, marketing, and administrative duties. By functioning as a hospitality group and focusing on one market—Calgary residents only—their money, resources, and effectiveness proved exponential benefits. By spring, we unrolled a campaign unlike any the town had ever seen. That summer was the best business season the town had ever had, and Harry’s hotel generated more revenue than in any summer in its history.
“This pattern continued over the next several years as our hospitality group became obsessed with innovation. In effect, we turned a sleepy town into a destination dynamo.”
Read the complete success story in the book, The Quiet Rich: Ordinary People Reawakening an American Dream.
Kevin J. Palmer, Author
The Quiet Rich
