Today, we're diving into the world of creating unforgettable experiences, both for customers and employees. The Savannah Bananas, led by Jesse Cole, known as the Yellow Tux guy, have pioneered a fan-first approach that has garnered widespread acclaim. However, Shana has gleaned a crucial lesson from their success: to cultivate exceptional customer experiences, you must first foster an amazing community among your employees. 

Join us as we welcome Emily Cole, co-founder of the Savannah Bananas and the mastermind behind the team's culture. Emily shares insights into crafting a fan-first environment within your team, empowering them to extend that same principles to your customers. 

Get ready to learn how to transform your organization into a beacon of community-driven excellence.

Key Takeaways:

Intro (00:00)

Emily’s favorite community (03:08)

How has Emily managed to articulate this bold and unconventional vision for her team? (06:44)

What does it look like for you all to take what you do for the people attending the games and turn around and make that tangible for your employees? (08:28)

How does Emily encourage her employees to consider those types of friction points? (14:55)

How does Emily balance adhering to scripting and providing opportunities for adding flair while empowering her team with the authority to do so? (18:10)

How does Emily create this culture within the team of being willing to try and pivot and change and not needing that everyday structure? (23:05)

What insights did Emily gain during that period about supporting her employees that continue to influence her approach today? (27:29)

What preparations and activities are underway behind the scenes as Emily leads up to this significant inaugural event they are all testing? (32:57)

How does Emily effectively convey the vision in a manner that inspires her team to embrace it and become enthusiastic about innovating around it? (36:17)

Onboarding process into the Banana family (46:02)

All about Bananas Foster (49:43)

Episode wrap-up (55:27)

Additional Resources:

The Savannah Bananas: https://thesavannahbananas.com/

Bananas Foster: https://bananasfoster.org/

Banana Land at Sea: https://www.bananalandatsea.com/

Instagram: 

Emily’s Instagram Account: https://www.instagram.com/EmCole3/

The Savannah Bananas - https://www.instagram.com/thesavbananas/

Bananas Foster - https://www.instagram.com/Bananasfosterinc/

Learn how to work with Shana: https://www.shanalynn.com/

FREE 7-minute Community Training: https://connect.communitycultivated.com/training

FREE Community Creators Hub: https://connect.communitycultivated.com/hub

Learn more about Shana’s Community Training Program: https://www.shanalynn.com/cultivate

Connect with Shana: https://www.instagram.com/shanaspeaks

Community Creators is a podcast for online entrepreneurs looking to learn more about creating thriving communities and empowering their community teams.

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