EA’s First Contract – A Tropical Storm
Press the play button above, and read this quick entry. This story is about EA’s first contract, a metaphor for weathering the storms associated with being a “small business owner”, and a true story of being evacuated out of a tropical storm. In 2004, Experiential
The original EA logo.
Adventures was alive inside of my mind and on a homemade web page. I was working at Texas Tech University, and longing for a daily view of the mountains and snow. After two years of saving, scheming, and planning, I notified my supervisors that I was leaving TTU to pursue private enterprise.
Thus, in 2005, I promptly moved into a van.At the time, strategic planning was really just my way to decide where I was going to park the van to sleep. At the time, a business plan was “it feels right” or I might be able to by a new rope and some cans of refried beans. All I knew was that Experiential Adventures LLC, had the potential to be a life long journey that could open new experiences and opportunities.
VW Van! Or Experiential Adventures World Headquarters (2005-2008)
So, in May 2005 I was parked on the side of the road in the old Volkswagen Westfalia wondering how I was going to pay my student loan payments, and why I thought that the safety of a University job could possibly be inferior to living the dream as a “small business” owner. At that moment, I received a call from a college in the northeast asking me to do some work for them. The best part was that it paid. And so it began, after having had Experiential Adventures for over a year, we finally had a contract.
The story was presented at Story Story Night in Boise, Idaho on July 28, 2011. The theme that evening was Water: Stories of going with or against the flow. This experience demonstrates why strategic planning, risk management, and financial planning is essential. EA survived its first contract to grow and expand into a vibrant company. While we believe in the importance of planning, we understand that, at times, luck has something to do with it!
Tropical Storm Arlene – EA’s first major obstacle
Story Story Night – Stories of Water – Surviving a Tropical Storm.
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