THE PADDLE BOARDING CPA

Caroline Raphael of Surf Shack Lebanon is passionate about stand up paddle boarding and is training to set a Guinness world record, paddling the farthest distance in 24 hours in open water. At the end of April, she will paddle for 24 hours along the coast of Lebanon. She is training with Paddle Monster and a local network of paddlers to work up to this event. Find out more about Caroline's story, her motivation, training and the four causes that she is working to bring awareness to at Episode 29

One of the most common questions I get asked is how to make money in the off season. Over the next 6 weeks, your customers will be shopping online and spending money for themselves, their families and loved ones.

How can you get in front of these online shoppers, convert them into buyers and see money come in for your business this off season?

Reduce the overwhelm by using these planning strategies and tips, while adding some off season revenue to your stand up paddle board, kayak or aquatics based business.

In this episode, the following topics are covered:

• 7 steps to plan for the holiday season
• Recommended tools that save you time and reduce the overwhelm
• Tips and strategies for promotions that convert

For more information: Episode 28

Break down barriers by using the EXACT words, phrases and language that new customers and new paddlers know and understand. Understand the various types of customer personas or avatars in the paddling customer pyramid. Discover my two favorite online tools that unveal EXACT words, phrases and questions people are asking and searching for online right now. How to setup new paddlers for success, how you can show up and answer their questions, earn their trust and grow your business.

In this interview:

• Define 4 types of customer personas
• Why big box stores are successful to selling packages to newbies
• How you can show up to serve that newbie, be their guide, help them be successful to getting them on the water and gain that customer
• What is the #1 question asked online by new paddlers?
• Top 2 favorite online tools to use as a resource for discovering exact phrases and questions being asked MOST online
• How to use this information to serve new paddlers
• How to avoid overwhelm; the language you use breaks down barriers or builds them up

Find out more: Episode 27

Ash Bourgeois, owner of Wild Path, shares her story of bringing standup paddle board yoga to the prairies in Winnipeg, Canada. She specializes in going places nobody knows about where SUP is the only way can get around. Connecting through nature, with her customers and community, she leads adventures on land and water honoring her own wildness.

In this interview, we discuss:

• Her summer and peak season strategies, including the four SUP yoga classes she offers weekly (Wild and Free, Float Class, Let Go and Flow and Soft and Sweet)
• Day and weekend adventures plus retreats that she leads with paddling and hikes
• How she connects with her customers and why they keep coming back
• How she honors, respects and works with the local 1st nation community and their traditions
• Her winter strategy and why creating group outdoor activities is a draw for her customers
• SUP teacher training and her unique approach
• Moving to digital in the off-season launching her Inner Compass Challenge
• Email marketing and social media strategies

For more information: Episode 26

Sam is making money doing what she loves on the water with both her loves: standup paddle boarding and dogs through SUP Pups California. Inspired by her rescue dog Jack, aka The Dingo Jack, she dove into a niche venture of teaching others and their pups to paddleboard together. She thrives in helping others share this joy with their pups and plays an active role in the rescue community. Join us as she talks about challenges, equipment, instruction, partnerships and shares her marketing secrets.

Find out more: Episode 25

If you aren't yet using Instagram Stories in your SUP, paddle board yoga, kayak or fitness business, now is the time! Build relationships with followers, reach non-followers through optimization and convert viewers into paying customers. Julie Merrill, The Paddleboarding CPA covers what to share, how to use Instagram and why its an essential. Plus a video tutorial to complement the episode.

Find out more here: Episode 24

Peter is a serial entrepreneur in Cologne, Germany with a passion for water sports and standup paddleboarding. Peter runs an innnovation company and water sports business, and has found a way to combine his two passions with his SUP Online Academy. Peter is very involved in the German SUP community, is the standup paddleboarding head of the German Surfriders Federation and is a SUP instructor on the Rhine River. His online river SUP classes have enabled him to expand his reach to SUP students exponentially and in turn has driven more demand to local SUP shops for in-person follow-up coaching. Inventing new ideas and trying to find new ways to do things more efficiently along with being on the water is his passion.

Find out more: Episode 23

Karen Tickner, an active free diver, pilates and SUP instructor has turned her passion for mermaids into a profitable venture. Ina's Mermaid School teaches you and your kids how to swim and do tricks while wearing a mermaid tail. Listen to Karen's story, how she was inspired to live life as a mermaid, her many gigs, challenges and how she is living out her passion in gulf coast Florida.

Find out more: Episode 22

Julie Merrill, aka The Paddleboarding CPA, talks business and marketing tips for new standup paddle board, paddleboard yoga, SUP, kayak and outdoor fitness instructors. From setting up your business to collecting money, strategizing your class list, identifying your ideal customer and marketing 101. This podcast episode dives into many of the aspects needed before getting on the water to teach a class.

Find more: Episode 21

Adventure sports photographer Dylan Brown shares his journey reflecting on his 7 day, 96 mile Escalante River SUP adventure. As the leader, photographer and cinematographer, he shares personal reasons for wanting to capture the beauty of this close-to-home, endangered low flow serpentine style river. Join us as he transports us to remote Utah on a paddle board, bringing you along for the ride to experience both some of his challenging and breathtaking moments. He also shares his behind the scenes planning and post-trip reflection as he brings awareness, conservation and adventure to this majestic river in Utah.

Find more here: Episode 20