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As young professionals with university degrees and corporate experience, James and Justin have been able to realise their dream by treating the expedition like a business venture. Not only have they meticulously planned the journey but they have also attracted significant corporate sponsorship and media exposure along the way.
What makes “Crossing the Ditch” even more remarkable is that the two men are not kayaking for their own personal gain, but rather to raise funds and awareness for the Sydney Children’s Hospital at Randwick.
So what lessons can small business owners learn from the “Crossing the Ditch” story?
Lesson One
The logistics of the journey have been huge. The first step was to create a comprehensive Risk Management Proposal, incorporating everything from shark attacks to container ships. If any element of expedition was overlooked, James and Justin could pay with their lives so all the hard questions had to be asked and answered.
Lesson Two
Once the initial planning was completed, James and Justin had to sell themselves and their dream. The Cost of project is approximately $180,000, half of which is for the kayak.
The men quickly realised that for many in the corporate world, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Despite the altruistic motive behind the project, most companies wanted to know what benefits they would reap by supporting the trip.
Lesson Three
James and Justin decided that all their communication needed to be open, honest and frank. They learnt that best way to build trust is to be true to yourself and they also realised that people are attracted to passion and then the resources flow.
Lesson Four
Once the two men started approaching companies for sponsorship, they realised that if they wanted money they needed to think differently about their adventure and reposition the opportunity. They were not a charity case and they had something valuable to offer. Their written proposals, their presentations, their words and their body language needed to say, “We have something to offer you.”
Lesson Five
As they did the rounds, the men realised that potential partners needed to receive reciprocal benefits or the relationship would quickly dissipate. The key to successful sponsorship raising was to identify corporations like Resi Mortgage Corporation, Unwired and Australian Geographic, with a “can do” attitude that fitted with the audacious nature of the project.
The men had to understand the potential sponsor’s core business, so they could tailor a package that provided the desired outcome and return on investment.
Lesson Six
“Crossing the Ditch” is an international project and the men have always approached it with a global mindset. The website tells the whole world about the project and this has helped with sponsorship.
Lesson Seven
You have to be persistent and have faith. One of the major sponsors is telecommunications company, Unwired. From the first presentation the company was enthusiastic about “Crossing the Ditch” but it still took five proposals before Unwired committed. The trick, James and Justin say, is to see beyond the disappointment you experience when negotiations drag on and not get bogged down with details.
Lesson Eight
One has to wonder how Justin and James have stayed motivated throughout the last six years. They say they are lucky they have one another to provide encouragement, accountability and a healthy dose of competitiveness. They see honesty as being critical to their amazingly strong relationship that has weathered many challenges.
At present they are training 28 hours a week and they are on the water every day. They also have a performance coach to keep them on track.
The men will have a strict maintenance routine to observe throughout the trip, which will include nutrition, hygiene and communication. They believe building small goals into their routine will be pivotal to maintaining their motivation.
The mental preparation required for close to fifty days at sea is huge, and both say that visualisation is key. They accept they will have bad days throughout the journey but both Justin and James believe there will be a freedom that comes from living your dreams.
It must be hard to see beyond a project as big as “Crossing the Ditch but James and Justin are confident that more adventures and commercial opportunities will follow. During the preparation for the expedition they have developed their business skill set as well as their physical endurance, and this augurs well for future adventures.
For further information visit www.crossingtheditch.com.au
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