Did you catch last month’s “All In” excursion? Grapevine strapped on their harnesses and took to the trees at TreeUmph! Adventure Course, getting a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to run their business – and deliver unforgettable, fun-filled experiences to families across the Suncoast.
Now, it’s time to sit down and dig a little deeper with our client, a team of true adventure enthusiasts!
Our President/CEO, Allison Imre, caught up with Nabila Tejpar, Marketing Director for TreeUmph!, to discuss how their park has transformed over the years, finding success in the Florida heat, the type of talent it takes to run an exciting adventure course for all ages… and, yes, even rally driving! This is what “All In” is all about at Grapevine – getting to know our clients’ brands and their stories. Check out these three takeaways from TreeUmph! on building their success and creating experiences!
Takeaway No. 1: Adaptation is Key – And Shade is at a Premium
“As far as the last few years have gone, things have changed a little bit. We realize that we live in Florida, it’s hot – it’s the summer – and people don’t want to be [outdoors] for long. So, we decided to make some changes and introduce more of a family kind of vibe in there. We’ve got minigolf that recently opened up over Mother’s Day weekend, and that’s actually a cool course. It’s underneath the trees, so there’s plenty of shade, and we’ve got some really cool artwork on display of different animals.
And then we’ve also introduced gem mining. I don’t remember when gem mining became popular, but people love it. … We also put a food truck on site, so you can have snacks and get some food while you’re around. I think we made it an importance for us to create it more family friendly – so you get a lot of grandparents taking children and people that don’t necessarily want to climb. … We wanted to make this an all-day event, rather than you climb for three hours and leave.”
Takeaway No. 2: Learning Lessons and Facing Fears Create the Perfect Storm for Success
“One thing I’ve kind of looked at, in any aspect of life, is that you’re going to fail – and that’s the only way you’re then going to succeed. … I feel like, as kids, we’re never told that you’re going to necessarily not succeed. A lot of the time it’s sugarcoated, you know, ‘Everything’s going to be fine.’ I learned that the hard way. I literally ended up failing a lot, and then learnt from my mistakes, and that’s what made me better, and succeed more and learn more.
I think what’s fun is I hear a lot of people who are going out [to TreeUmph!] and saying, ‘I was scared,’ ‘I didn’t want my kids to do it,’ and things like that. But then they try it out and they’re like, ‘Oh, OK – it’s not as bad,’ and their kids are gaining confidence, learning, building experiences. They may not be skills needed for life, but confidence is. … You’re going to end up gaining a wealth of knowledge in a different way.”
Takeaway No. 3: Effective Communicators Are Valuable… Especially On Adventures
“It’s important to be able to get your point across in a good and comfortable way. … Those people are there to make you feel safe and comfortable, so they have to be able to put that across in just a good capacity – to make you feel comfortable. Because if you don’t feel comfortable around the people who are supposed to be the experts, then that’s not OK.”
