Author: James Anderson
Publication Date: August 8, 2019
- Introduction
- Founder: James Anderson
- Business: Forged Axe Throwing
- Location: Whistler Resort Municipality, British Columbia, Canada
- Start: February 2017
- Revenue: $60K/month
- Team: 2 founders, 6 employees
- Background and Inspiration
- James was inspired by his experiences in tourism and adventure sports.
- The concept for Forged Axe Throwing came about during a bachelor party.
- Opting against franchising, James and his partner Brett each invested $30,000.
- Setting Up
- Brett took charge of construction and design, completing the first venue in two months.
- Initial focus was on refining the axe-throwing experience, offering discounted sessions for locals.
- Launch Strategy
- The startup was bootstrapped with $60K from the founders.
- Marketing included traditional strategies like a banner, social media, flyers, and an opening party.
- The launch saw overwhelming attendance, requiring extra preparations.
- Customer Attraction and Retention
- Traditional advertising proved effective alongside digital marketing.
- Utilizing James's background in tourism, they developed a robust marketing plan.
- SEO and Online Presence
- Noticing a lack of SEO among competitors, they focused on this for online bookings.
- Traffic was mainly local, with a steady increase over time.
- Current State and Future Outlook
- The business has seen consistent growth, with increased website traffic.
- Sales are split between direct website bookings and partner referrals.
- They've expanded their physical space and focus on reinvesting for growth.
- Lessons and Insights
- Stress on evaluating advertising effectiveness.
- Usage of CallRail for marketing insights.
- Adaptability to changing market conditions.
- Tools and Platforms Used
- Reservation System: Fareharbor
- POS: Square
- Automation: Zapier
- Call Tracking: CallRail
- SEO: Ahrefs
- Email Marketing: ConvertKit
- Communication: GSuite, Slack
- Scheduling: WhenIWork
- Project Management: Asana
- Influential Resources
- Podcasts: "Startup" by Gimlet, "The Tropical MBA"
- Books: "Delivering Happiness," a book on the 80/20 rule
- Advice for Entrepreneurs
- Emphasize a clear business plan.
- Align strategies with goals.
- Value quality advice over quantity.
- Learn More
- Websites: Forged Axe Throwing, Whistler Adventures, Axe Course
- Social Media: Forged Axe Throwing on Instagram
