In today’s episode of Surfpreneurs podcast, we have the pleasure of talking to Thomas Zielinski of Get Wet Soon, which is a website, podcast, and a blog. Thomas recently launched in new surf lodge in Morocco and we also talked about the Surfing Worldwide Map.
To find out more, you can listen to the full podcast here:
Listen to podcast on iTunes, Spotify or Soundcloud.
The very beginnings
Thomas didn’t jump straight into running a surf-related project. At the beginning of 2016, he quit his job in advertising, where he worked for big companies in Hamburg.
He did some yoga and some surfing but he really wanted to slow down with his job and get some space for himself. He went to Morocco to a friend of his and thought about starting a blog, to capture the moments with the people he met.
This was the unofficial beginning of Get Wet Soon – it was just a blog and an Instagram channel.
Monetizing the blog
In the very beginning, Thomas did some editorials but there was no money to be made from the blog. He had an idea – to create maps with locations where he could surf, print them out and sell them. He created Surfing Worldwide Maps, which are still being sold to this day.
Creating the maps was fairly easy – he got together with someone who was doing a different kind of maps and it all clicked. Before the product was made, they had a crowdfunding campaign with the goal to reach 9,000 Euros. Within the first night, they reached 15,000 Euros and the campaign kicked off with a success.
Retreats as a product
This was the only physical product that Thomas created. However, he wanted to do something more, so he thought about the idea of retreats. Since he’s a yoga teacher, he wanted to combine this passion with surfing and to this day, he organized 9 retreats, with the next one being in Morocco in December.
As Thomas says, the most difficult part about retreats is getting the cooperation right with the host – the owner of the house. Since he already has the customers (the readers of his blog and podcast listeners), all he really needs is a house.
His arrangement is simple: the host “blocks” the house for two months before the retreat. Until that time, they take Thomas’ guests only. If there is a gap, they take on people from the outside. It’s a fair deal for both parties since there is no risk involved.
Why Morocco?
The reason why Morocco is Thomas’ destination of choice is that it’s completely accidental. He initially wanted to go to Sri Lanka, but a friend of his had a house in Morocco and offered it to him. It’s not luxurious by any means, but it’s the right location for his future retreats.
As Thomas says, his next retreat will officially launch in November. He states that he is not afraid of the competition, even though there are other businesses doing something similar in the area. “It’s just about the mindset – there is enough stuff for everyone” – says Thomas.
To find out more about how Thomas launched his business, what his plans for the future are and how he will grow his future business, make sure to listen to the full podcast!
Surfpreneurs podcast is hosted by Peter Fabor, the founder of Surf Office.
Surf Office helps surf houses, hotels and villas boost their group bookings by hosting retreats with tech companies searching for productive team building experiences.
Learn more about how to become a property partner of Surf Office.
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Transcription (automatic, sorry for typos)
[00:00:00] Peter: [00:00:00] Hey, you're listening. Surfpreneurs podcast, where we interview inspiring surf entrepreneurs and we discuss about their businesses and ideas. I'm Peter from Surf Office and I'm your host today. I'm going to talk with Thomas from Get Wet Soon.
[00:00:16] Thomas. Hey Peter. Hey. Hey, nice to hear you.
[00:00:19] Peter: [00:00:19] Tell us, uh, I, when I visited your, I don't know how to call it like blog or podcast, or let's say a website.
[00:00:27] Get wetsuit. Uh, I, I noticed that you are doing a lot of projects besides a podcast and
[00:00:36] Thomas: [00:00:36] a
[00:00:37] Peter: [00:00:37] blog. Uh, I know that you have one project with the physical surf maps, and I also know that you are starting a new, new project in Morocco, what we can discuss later, but maybe you can tell a bit of the story, like how you started with this, with this block, or why did you start it?
[00:00:57] And. What was the, what was the, [00:01:00] what was the trigger?
[00:01:01] Thomas: [00:01:01] Oh yeah. So yeah, the first trigger was it at the end of not the beginning of 2016, I quit my job in the advertising business, where I was working for several years. So working for big companies in Hamburg agencies, and I was kind of over it. So it was just work, work, work, work.
[00:01:20] There was nothing else in my life at that time, just a few times, yoga in between, on going on surf holidays, just for the amount of holidays I got. Um, and then I said, okay, I need to stop here. I need to get some space. Um, so I quit and went to Morocco to the, to the, uh, to a house of a local friend of mine who I used to know during that time I did some social media for this guy.
[00:01:45] And at the same time, I said, Oh, actually, always, when I'm traveling for surfing, Um, I, I do still photography, which I'm still, I'm also like a photographer and I meet very interesting people on the road during this [00:02:00] journey. And they have so much, so much nice stuff to tell inspiring stories. And I said, Oh, maybe I should start a blog and share these inspiring stories of these people to maybe also inspire other people.
[00:02:12] So people. Because always the people that I meet are doing what they love. And so many people in our lives don't do what they love. Actually, they are stuck kind of in their jobs, not thinking about it really are unhappy and on the road to meet people that are really happy about doing what they love. And so that touched my heart and I wanted to share these stories and then.
[00:02:35] Yeah. Like, like a mixture of photographs, photography, editorials with texts and interviews. And it was the start of Goodwin soon, actually just like a block and then Instagram channel.
[00:02:46] Peter: [00:02:46] And I said, I understand that you've got first, uh, first followers, the LD answer was, uh, reading your, your blog and on all these interviews,
[00:02:55] Thomas: [00:02:55] how, what
[00:02:57] Peter: [00:02:57] was the, what
[00:02:57] Thomas: [00:02:57] was the
[00:02:58] Peter: [00:02:58] first product or what was the first [00:03:00] thing that, uh, Made you actually some money or what, when you started to think to, to actually monetize the blog, because from your story, uh, I have a feeling that you.
[00:03:12] You didn't start the blog to make money. Right. You wanted to, uh, meet interesting people, create interesting content to inspire others, but the main idea probably was not create the business behind it. Right?
[00:03:27] Thomas: [00:03:27] Yeah, that's right. It was just like, yeah, just to share the love kind of, and again, the photography, I did some editorials in between also from stories from the traveling.
[00:03:38] Did some stuffs for music magazines in Germany or for, for a yoga journal and, um, But still there was not, not like, like a, um, you couldn't talk about, Oh, I'm earning money with this right now. Um, first little project I started was with a friend at designer when I had the idea to, um, doing the surfing world wide [00:04:00] maps.
[00:04:00] That was the idea because always during my working years, I saw. Okay. I've two weeks now, which is the best region to go for where I have good waves. And it was always like so exhausting to search in the internet. And then I said, Oh, why is it, why isn't there any kind of infographic where just can have one look at?
[00:04:18] And then I see our December. This, this, this, this region is perfect to go for, to have good waves. So, and then, yeah, then we started thinking about the concept, how it could look like and talk also to the guys from storm riders guide, which was really amazing. They were really open for it and they gave us their data.
[00:04:35] So the data's are super real and yeah. Then we did see stuff in worldwide maps. It was super fun. And it's still like selling. It's pretty nice to sell these maps aside. Yeah,
[00:04:46] Peter: [00:04:46] that's
[00:04:46] Thomas: [00:04:46] a,
[00:04:48] Peter: [00:04:48] now I saw that you already have two different types of maps. So, uh, I remember a couple of years ago, two years ago, you were contacting me and telling me about the project, uh, [00:05:00] of the first, first map.
[00:05:02] And I remember myself seeing it and it was like, wow, this is. This is, this is amazing project, but you did it together with some company that already had experience, uh, making the maps, right. It was not just, Oh, I'm I have an idea. And I'm going to make the maps because maybe the idea sounds very, very simple.
[00:05:26] I can imagine that there is. Lot of work behind, like to, to get all the data, to put it into nice visual infographics, printed on something, what is like high quality, uh, and then sell it online to ship it to the customers. So there are a lot of, lot of processes. Uh, how was that? How was the, how was the cooperation with the, with that other company and how did you convince them that.
[00:05:53] You can actually build a product together because they are, they were established business and you are for them. Maybe it's something [00:06:00] like a blogger, right?
[00:06:01] Thomas: [00:06:01] Hmm. Yeah, it was like, um, I asked around am my, my befriend, the designer area about some info graphic designer that did some research in the internet.
[00:06:11] Then a friend of mine, she told me about one girl who's already doing like, kind of maps, but more like I'll pin maps, you know, from the, from the Alps, with the, um, with the Heights of the mountains and stuff like that. And the routes you can snowboard and stuff like that. And so we met. And I tried to tell her about it.
[00:06:30] And then when I'm, when I'm, um, when I'm sure about an idea, I have this like, kind of, it's kind of a fire inside, like, wow, I, I can, um, I can, um, you can tell that I'm really sure about the idea of on the other side. And so she was also like, she didn't know anything about surfing about the status and didn't know what I was talking about and when it swells and waves and different beaches and under grounds and stuff like that.
[00:06:56] And the more we talk, the more, she was also like [00:07:00] inspired and said, Oh, okay. That sounds great. Let's that's great. And she told me, let's have another chat with her business partner. Who's also running this company. It's a small studio, they're doing nice stuff like, but mainly snowboard and skiing maps. And so they didn't have to do anything to do with surfing.
[00:07:17] So yeah. Then we talked again and he was also like convinced that it's a pretty good idea. And yeah. Then. I went to Bali and online, we did working on the, we did work on the idea. I sent her my ideas. She sent me hers, and then we always made corrections stuff and how it could look like how it, how we could get it better.
[00:07:37] So it was really exciting, exciting time to, yeah. To see it coming. It was really nice, really fun.
[00:07:43] Peter: [00:07:43] How was the feeling of selling the first piece of, uh, Of the products like you remember it when you, when you got the first order online and.
[00:07:55] Thomas: [00:07:55] Yeah, actually, it wasn't like we started the crowdfunding CommBank campaign, did a little party here in [00:08:00] Hamburg with some friends from the saltwater shop.
[00:08:02] It's a surf shop here in Hamburg. We did a little party, it was a photo exhibition and a, like a countdown to start this crowdfunding campaign. And I don't know, I think we needed 9,000 of stuff like that. And then we got 15,000 euros, which was pretty nice to do, to, to, to initiate the whole, this whole thing.
[00:08:20] And. Yeah. So it was already like a success. And from there we started this whole stuff, like yeah. Printing them and then selling them, putting the page online and yes. So it was really exciting and it's nice to see, but it's always nice as a creative when you have something in your mind and then afterwards you see it realized it's always a nice feeling.
[00:08:42] It's like your baby down on the street. Uh, uh, yeah. And it's cool. Yeah. It's really fun.
[00:08:48] Peter: [00:08:48] Yeah. And it's something physical, right? These days we are building usually products online. You create, uh, uh, you take beautiful pictures on Instagram, but [00:09:00] it's, it's not, you cannot touch it. Right. And with this, this map, you can, you can see others, other people having it at home.
[00:09:07] I, I think it's amazing, amazing feeling. So that wasn't true. It was like first products. Right. And, uh, what was the after, after this? You, okay. You say it like 9,000, it was like the first, uh, campaign. Where were you raised? Uh, 9,000 euros. I I'm sure you started to think about. Okay, how I can scale it, or how can I maybe do different maps or what was your, what was in your, in your head?
[00:09:40] Did you, did you think that this can be a business, maybe making more maps, or if you already started to think about. Different businesses that can be connected to your passions, but they don't have to be exactly the same as, as this product or similar.
[00:09:57] Thomas: [00:09:57] Yeah. It was like, for me, it was like, okay, that [00:10:00] was this pro project.
[00:10:01] And that's over now. And I didn't thought about any other posters because I think that rotten idea, which was for me, it was like super practical, but also nice to put it on the wall. Um, Because actually I'm not a consumer myself, you know, but I love this stuff. I love practical stuff that I really can use in my daily life.
[00:10:20] So, um, I didn't thought about any other posters, but, um, yeah. Other projects for sure. And so then also we did, yeah. The other idea wasn't doing retreats because I'm also like a yoga teacher and I love to teach yoga and this in combination with surfing. It's always fun and yeah, it has a big meaning deep meaning to me, because both to me it's like kind of a spiritual part of my life, surfing and yoga.
[00:10:48] Um, yeah. Then I started also these retreats. Um, I think the retreat, the first retreat treat, I started half a year before these posters actually. So this was also like my first, if you want to call it [00:11:00] product, it always sounds, it sounds weird to call it product, but actually business wise, it is a product.
[00:11:05] Um, I'd call it project project. Cause it was also nice when I launched it and, um, wants to gather people around for retreat. And then I said, wow, there are people coming away from my retreat to want to join me for one week full of yoga and surfing and wanting to tell me yeah, how to teach yoga. And so I thought, Oh.
[00:11:26] There must be something that I'm doing, not that wrong so that there are so many people coming like 10, 15 people for the first week. For the first time, it was pretty nice. So for me, and yeah, that was also something I felt like, wow, just retreats. This is amazing to do this, to share the love for something that you love yourself, and you live yourself to share this with other people with strangers in the beginning and then kind of friends in the end.
[00:11:51] It's it's amazing. Yeah. I love it.
[00:11:56] Peter: [00:11:56] Yeah, that's a, that's a great story. How many, how many retreats have you [00:12:00] organized? Uh,
[00:12:01] Thomas: [00:12:01] until and so far? I think it's about nine. So the 10th will happening this December in Morocco.
[00:12:09] Peter: [00:12:09] Uh huh. Do you, do you see this retreats as a, as a sustainable business? Like, can you. Can you leave out of it because most people I met who organize this type of yoga serve retreats.
[00:12:25] They, uh, they share very similar stories that they, they organize it for some audience they already have from the blog or from the
[00:12:34] Thomas: [00:12:34] podcast, but
[00:12:35] Peter: [00:12:35] they can't get people for one or two retreats, but to make it as a, as a business and sustainable business, uh, Yeah, it's, it's not so easy. And, uh, and it's, it's difficult to organize.
[00:12:49] Let's say 10 of them during the year, but one or two it's quite feasible. What is the, what is, how do you see it, or what is the most difficult part about this [00:13:00] restricts?
[00:13:00] Thomas: [00:13:00] Um, the most, to me, the most difficult part is to just to get the, um, corporations with the houses going on, like. There are some houses who are really open, open minded and say, Oh yeah, we would love to have you here.
[00:13:12] And let's see how it works and come over. We are sure that you can fill the house. And then there are some people who are getting more, let's say. They want to get more out of it that you can, then you can give actually. So some people know that people that are wanting want to give more and more retreats right now.
[00:13:30] So there are houses. They want to take so much money from you that it's not worse to giving a retreat for you by yourself anymore. You know, you say, okay, why must you be so greedy right now? You just have a basic house. Why do we want to have so much money right now? And so there are a lot coming up, um, uh, which, which is always difficult to, yeah, it makes us, um, Uh, make a contract with these houses, you know, and then I think, okay.
[00:13:55] It must also be still, still must be worth my time, my investment, [00:14:00] what I'm doing, um, and not just to fill their houses for their pockets. And, um, so to make the retreats even more expensive that I don't want to do actually. Um, yeah, so that's the main, main factor that that's making it so difficult, but let's say if I have.
[00:14:18] Five or six houses where no. Okay. This is how it's always working. Good. And I love it. I love it here. Then I can say maybe I could, could earn my basic living for the whole year. This could work. For example, I have one house in France. I'm there for two weeks every year, the soft launch it's always filled up and it's, uh, it's, it's always like nice around and surrounding.
[00:14:43] And also the house right now in Morocco, the night's space where I'm doing this year, it's also like already pretty full. Um, so when I have these two and, uh, I just need two or three more houses where I'm sure, okay, this is a nice place. I'm sure with the people I'm good was a team. I [00:15:00] love the place. I know this area.
[00:15:01] I think then, then it can work out because I have the audience, um, from the, from the blog and podcasts, stuff like that and follow us. And some people who don't make it through during these days that I announced it, for example, they would come to other dates. So. I think this could work out pretty easily, but just need the houses or that I have a contract with, um, on a fair basis and not just like, Oh, here, give me your people and your money and that's, I'm not into it.
[00:15:29] So
[00:15:31] Peter: [00:15:31] yeah, well maybe there are some. I guess there are some people who have these type of houses and listening to this podcast.
[00:15:39] Thomas: [00:15:39] I know,
[00:15:43] Peter: [00:15:43] I know, I know about, about few. Uh, do do, have you tried maybe some different models that for instance, like a revenue share with the houses or, or.
[00:16:00] [00:15:59] Thomas: [00:15:59] Oh, it's always like you
[00:16:01] Peter: [00:16:01] agree on some conditions with them. And then I understand that they see that how much you charge for a retreat and you pay them much less for the rent.
[00:16:13] That's my, my experience, like talking with the different, uh, how's the Oliners that they. They don't realize the value you provide and that you don't charge for, uh, for accommodation your clients. You charge them for the whole experience. And it's like a lot of effort to do it. And you need to invest a lot of your time and money into marketing to build the audience and to get the people.
[00:16:41] And it's difficult many times to explain this to them, but have you tried like different models?
[00:16:48] Thomas: [00:16:48] Um, not yet. I am, uh, actually it was a whole the same model. So the model was this two houses I have right now. It's like, I don't need to invest something before because they trust me. They know [00:17:00] they, they, yeah, it's a trust and my stuff that I'm doing the trust, um, the projects and they, they are fine.
[00:17:05] They block the house until two months before the retreats are realized. And then I, they say, okay, we block the house just for you. Until that time we just take your guests and if there's still a gap or people, um, yeah, place, we can take also people from the outside who don't like to join the retreat, but just stay there as guests, which isn't that bad.
[00:17:26] It's also fine. Um, but so I don't have a risk and I think it's a pretty fair deal to me for them. It's cool. And yeah, that's, that's my. My most favorite model, actually. So I don't like it so much to pay like the whole house and advanced, and then I'm sitting here. Okay. Now I need to get it filled up, you know?
[00:17:49] Um, so yes. So that's why, um, why it's so hard to, to, um, to make negotiations with houses. So, but yeah, for the next year I have some, [00:18:00] I want to want to do with some more retreats and some, some more stuff like that. Also different kinds of retreats. I have some. Different ideas of mine already. Uh, um, I want to do it last December, also in Morocco actually, but it was too short in time.
[00:18:13] I was in Portugal. I had this idea posted the landing page one month before. And so there was just two or three people asking if there are already people, um, because it was kind of a coworking retreat. It was called get Webtoon brain sweat. Um, we wanted to gather around creative people or creative people to join together for a week.
[00:18:34] Everyone's doing a lecture out of his own business stuff or the skills that they have to offer and just inspire each other and maybe working on projects together. So. Stuff that I love to do anyways. So, um, yeah, but, but it didn't happen. So maybe it's happening this December still in Morocco, but I'm not sure yet I'm still need to, uh, make my hat.
[00:18:56] Peter: [00:18:56] Yeah. The idea is great. Especially if [00:19:00] you, if you already have experience and you know how to facilitate this, this brainstorming and presentations, it brings. A lot of value to people. That's my, that's my experience. When I, I talk with a lot of people who organize this type of events and I organized a couple of events like this by myself.
[00:19:21] And the critical part is really like to facilitate it well and connect the people and, and does it like, I see the very common mistake for this type of retreat is when the organizers try to focus. Too much on the infrastructure part, like, okay, this is the accommodation and the food. And we are going to serve this day.
[00:19:47] Maybe do yoga. Nobody cares like the most important thing, why people care and they want to join this type of retreat. Is to get some, some special value out of it and, and create [00:20:00] meaningful, uh, connection. So if you folk, and if you are an organizer, you always have to focus 80% of time on this and 20% less time on the infrastructure staff or how to call it.
[00:20:13] Thomas: [00:20:13] Yeah, I totally agree. It's the same in France or on the other retreats that I'm doing. So I leave the infrastructure and stuff to the house and I take care of the people. So I'm pretty good at this because I love to work with people. I love to connect people. Um, say for example, in France, it's always like there was a girl or the person wrote writing to me before the retreat.
[00:20:33] Yeah. I would love to join your retreat, but I'm traveling alone. Is it hard to get contact there? And I assured them like a hundred percent that they, after two days, they will feel like in a family, you know, and they, after the retreat, I said, I'm so grateful for this experience. It was really like that. I, um, I was, I learned so much and I met so many interesting people and felt like, yeah, like kind of a family.
[00:20:54] So it's always like this and I love it. It's um, yeah, it's all about the people that you [00:21:00] said you get together.
[00:21:02] Peter: [00:21:02] And now I perfectly understand, uh, how you came to, to this last project or business idea too. To build or make your own serve house in, in Morocco. I guess one thing was the, the frustration of, from all these like house owners who try to negotiate when you, when you organize retreats and another motivation is that you, uh, you, you want to maybe make these connections with other people on.
[00:21:37] On a daily basis. So maybe you can share a bit more about this project in Morocco, like how, how you ended up having a podcast and blog and organizing retreats. Starting a surf house in Morocco.
[00:21:51] Thomas: [00:21:51] Yeah, actually I wanted to do one and a three Lanka, so I was already focusing on it in Sri Lanka. I love Morocco.
[00:21:58] So, but there was an option [00:22:00] because I spent my, my, my, my time in, uh, from February to March this year to me this year in Sri Lanka and had also like a friend of their local friend and we wanted to do something together. And already we're looking for spaces, places of whatever you want to call it. Um, there was one space which was pretty perfect for this, um, which I had in mind.
[00:22:21] And so I needed to go back to Germany at the mid in the middle of may. And so he was still keep going on with the papers and stuff like that. And it was always waiting. And then he talked, yeah, it's going on now? And then it didn't work out anymore. And then again, and so in the end it was like the owner of the house of the house didn't have the real papers.
[00:22:41] So it was kind of a risk if we would have done it, renting the house and then the real owner would come back and then throw us out. And then we are already there with the project. And so he said, my, my, my friend said, okay, now let's rather don't do it. Uh, let's wait for another opportunity. Let's keep on looking out [00:23:00] for houses and places and then restart again.
[00:23:03] But at the moment it doesn't feel good because of the papers. So I was like, kind of. Bit of sad because I was already like focusing on this, making all the plans and then looking for inspirations and stuff like that. But then the friend of mine, when I told you before, when I, um, quit my advertising job, um, and I went to Morocco is this guy at this house, his mother died in the North of Morocco and he has a house in the North of Morocco.
[00:23:31] He need to take care of it and he doesn't have half the time anymore to take care of this house. And tomorrow, um, And he asked me, Thomas, it was always your dream to do something with scheduled sooner. Morocco, why don't you just want to do it? And I said, ah, yeah, how? Yeah. Take the house let's, let's share, uh, whatever comes in, uh, take care of it.
[00:23:52] You're very, very good in everything. You can take care of the people, you can do the marketing and, um, let's, you can [00:24:00] tell me about the design of the house, what we should do, what we should improve and yeah. Make your concept and let's do it. And I said, okay, that's not a big investment for me. So just like time investment, maybe, which is also money, but yeah.
[00:24:13] Yeah, I think in this case it could be worth just to spend these two, three months to sort it out, how it works, if it works and for one season. And if it doesn't work, I can go again. I can go away again. So, but if it works, it could also be really nice. It's like a basic holster. And I always, I was also always feeling fine.
[00:24:34] It's not the luxury place, but it's comfortable. It's like a Moroccan family house. Um, which was basic beds, basic rooms, but nice rooftop, Therese, a little yoga Sharla for 12 to certain people and like a nice view from the rooftop Therese, from the rooftop Therese, I can see all the spots of the area. I can see how they're running.
[00:24:53] Uh, I can see anchor point from their killers and also banana pie. Then you can see everything actually, and you can sort out, Oh, [00:25:00] okay. If this is running like this, I can go there right now. And it's perfect. So I love it. I feel, I always feel like home. And as I told you before, And the end of it. It's just to me, it was always important.
[00:25:11] What kind of people are coming there and meeting there together, and that that's the experience. It's not all about the house. So you can also be on a luxury place and you have just shitty people over there, hanging out everyone, just taking care of itself. All you can have like a basic place and all the people doing stuff together, you know?
[00:25:28] So that's my, my mindset kind of, and, um, yeah, I think can be worse. Try it out.
[00:25:34] Peter: [00:25:34] So when are we going to open?
[00:25:36] Thomas: [00:25:36] Um, so I think October it's already opened, but still doing construction stuff and renovating. So we painting the house, doing stimulation, putting plans, getting new boards and stuff like that, and doing like kind of a redesign or like a rebrand.
[00:25:52] And pretty sure it's open from like super open, like officially from November on so that, uh, I want to [00:26:00] guarantee that. So, but I think for the October we still need some stuff you can still already come over, but it's not like in progress. So there's also, it's already working, but not like already, like it's done now, you know?
[00:26:14] Peter: [00:26:14] And how do you sit there with a competition? I must say I visited that area.
[00:26:21] Thomas: [00:26:21] It's
[00:26:21] Peter: [00:26:21] been already like eight years. I stayed in terrazzo and it was, yeah. At the time there was that gas, it was like a small surf village. There were a few surf houses and accommodations, but it definitely, wasn't very developed.
[00:26:39] And now you have like many, many, many, many projects and hostels and. And hotels and serve houses. I even heard
[00:26:47] Thomas: [00:26:47] that in that,
[00:26:49] Peter: [00:26:49] around Tamarack that they are going to build some, some resorts. So is it like you, you made, did you make the research that it's really like trending this area [00:27:00] and it's going to grow even more or isn't there a risk that there is too much competition and it's difficult to get customers traveling there.
[00:27:10] What's
[00:27:10] Thomas: [00:27:10] your.
[00:27:12] Peter: [00:27:12] No, sorry. I've been in about it.
[00:27:15] Thomas: [00:27:15] Um, yeah, I think there's a lot of competition. Um, but I wouldn't care. I think, um, you attract always different kinds of people and no matter what you are, um, how you're going out there, no matter if it's social media wise or. Are, um, yeah. On clockwise or podcast wise, you, you will attract your tribe.
[00:27:37] So I don't care about other competitors. I also, yesterday I talked to a friend of mine. She's running the house. It's a pretty nice house. And then Tom rock, it's way better. It's like more luxury. And we're doing also our self and yoga retreat there. It's called nice base. There are some friends of mine and I talk the talk about her.
[00:27:53] I told her it Nissan. Uh, I want to tell you something can be that I'm also doing like a hostel in, [00:28:00] in Tamarack. Uh, it's two streets next to them, but I wouldn't see. I just, I don't, I just want to let her know, and I don't want to put this house or this business in between our friendship and our relationship with the retreats and stuff, because it's totally different.
[00:28:15] They have like more, it's more luxury. It's more. Um, yeah, it's much way, much better. It's more advanced. And so, and she also said, yeah, no, no, I don't. I don't think about competition either. And so that's pretty even pretty nice. He also gave me some tips from Morocco about the insurance and stuff like that.
[00:28:33] So, It's it's it's I think it's just about the mindset. If you sink in, it's obviously like a cliche, if you think of scarcity or an abundance. So if there's enough stuff for everyone, you can think this way or the other way around that when you're scared and anxious about other people, then yeah. Then you're blocked.
[00:28:51] But if you think, Oh, let's try it out. And there are people that come, so then it's more relaxing. As I said, I don't, it's not a risk for [00:29:00] me. So, um, it's, I'm pretty fine with it. Yeah,
[00:29:03] Peter: [00:29:03] makes sense. And you, um, before this, we first started to record the podcast. You told me that you are now in Hamburg and PR uh, you joined kind of like consulting project or two other consultants are helping you to, to analyze your business or businesses and come with the ideas of how to move it to the next level.
[00:29:28] And I believe that not many people have this experience, especially if you have a small business, you don't have much experience of working with consultants or, or people who invest eight weeks in analyzing your business and giving you some advices, because usually you can have, uh, four days. What is your, how is your experience so far with this and how, why did you.
[00:29:55] Why did you actually start to work with causal on this project?
[00:30:00] [00:30:00] Thomas: [00:30:00] Um, yeah, the main reason was like I saw, okay, I'm doing this for two years now, but it's still like, no. Regular income, but the retreats or the maps. And as I want to improve this whole thing, our thought about maybe some more professional people should take a look from the other side of it, because I felt like stuck like in between the woods and can't see the wood in between the trees and I can't see the woods anymore.
[00:30:26] Um, so I don't know if it's an English also like a saying in Germany. It's like, um, if you are. In the, you know, what have you ever heard about it? Yeah. It's
[00:30:38] you don't see the what, because of all these many trees, it's, it's a saying in Germany. So it, I felt the same was the business was to get red soon. I thought, okay, there are so many ideas, so many stuff, but. It's it's too overwhelming. I don't know where to start right now. I feel stuck. I don't know where to get out now, watch what's the next step.
[00:30:57] Which project is more important to keep, keeps this [00:31:00] whole stuff going on? Where do I need to put a leverage? Um, what's important. What's not important. And then I did some research in the internet saw also some nice, nice, um, offers, but in the end, I'm at the beta house in humbug. It's also coworking place and a friend of mine.
[00:31:18] She's doing a kind of a comes out thing. Stuff was her friend. And they told me, yeah, why not? We have first four clients and maybe you are a fifth client. And they sitting next to me and he was really, um, Yeah. He touched me somehow and I said, okay. Yeah. Uh, so why not? And I said, okay, let's do it. And, um, I'm pretty excited about it.
[00:31:41] Um, we're just in a second week right now. It's all about like vision, uh, mindsets and stuff like that. And then it's coming stuff like marketing and all this messages and what I. What I want to do in life and stuff like that, you know, so it's the basics now, but it's getting more and more like until selling, building projects, [00:32:00] projects, and stuff like that.
[00:32:01] So it's interesting. And it gets, got me a new motivation to keep on going on and keep on kind of looking this stuff.
[00:32:09] Peter: [00:32:09] So once they are, that's my last question, actually, what is your vision for the next. Five or 10 years with all this, all these projects that you want to develop them more or, or your vision is to maybe build like always new projects, always related to serve and yoga or
[00:32:30] Thomas: [00:32:30] how yeah, I would, I don't know.
[00:32:34] I, I, I always, um, I know it's important actually to ask yourself, where do you see yourself in five or 10 years? Um, actually, I don't know. My mind is always changing. It's like, Oh, now I want to do this and want to do this, do this. But what I can say in five years, for example, I would love to have like a, kind of a nice place somewhere at the sea where I feel home also like [00:33:00] living there, doing some projects beneath and I'm, as I'm a creative, I'm always open up for.
[00:33:06] Different ideas. They don't need to relate to surfing or yoga can also be different stuff. Maybe a new businesses and new ideas. Maybe it was different people. I also, it's also problem to me at the moment. I'm doing everything by myself alone, this whole Gatewood soon thing I'm doing by myself. And then I would love to have like, kind of a team then so that they do more stuff that I don't like to do.
[00:33:30] Um, but they maybe like to do, and, and so I can concentrate more on the creative part again, and which would be pretty amazing and the creative part and on the yoga workshop part and stuff like that. So. Yeah, this would be nice already. And that I already make a living just with this, just with my own stuff, not just freelance business, um, but just doing was get with Sue and maybe also like, uh, get with, to an agency for sustainable clients, stuff like that, you know, advertising.
[00:33:56] Um, it's still, I still love it, but not for the [00:34:00] clients I did in the past full cock lines and stuff like that. I would love to do it more for. Yeah, sustainable clients like Surfrider foundation, if you want to say it like this. Yeah. Stuff like
[00:34:11] Peter: [00:34:11] that. Have it very, very clear. And I completely agree with you that it's, it's difficult to think like five or 10 years in advance, but from what, from your ask for, I, I guess you, you know, you know, quite well where their directions very are going, and I think.
[00:34:32] I
[00:34:35] lack, and I, I believe that you are going to be successful on this journey. Thank you again for, uh, for joining this podcast and
[00:34:44] Thomas: [00:34:44] sharing your story. Thank you, Peter. Thank you for inviting me and hopefully see you soon in real life.
