Naturally, everyone had an opinion and found the most obscure, far-off, and otherwise super-niche cycling activity to encourage as "profitable" before nudging me on my way. Because, you know, I really want to starve myself following the Amazon to a hidden temple of "bike enlightenment" and return destined for Olympic gold while simultaneously pied-pipering all the women of the free world into all forms of bike love. Sponsored by Patagonia, Nike, Orbea, Nabisco, and Smith...
Each incredible suggestion did help narrow my business and life focus onto two fundamental elements. The first is biking for the love of wind in my hair and sun-kissed smiles. The second is being a resource in sharing with other people something that I find interesting and important. This posed an occasional frustration in being effectively understood and re-explained among my peers. A very love-based frustration, to be sure, but equally frustrating overall.
Fort Collins is a gem of down-to-Earth residents, progressive students, outdoor adventure, and beer snobbery. It is completely endearing and the model for Main Street in Disneyland. New business ideas bloom daily involving all these charming qualities. My first inclination was combining brewery tours and bike tours since A) way too many delicious breweries to explore and experience in town, and B) no real tours of any kind going on in Fort Collins. Keep in mind this was January 2013. *ahem*
You know the absolute test of patience? Here I was voluntarily taking a business development class full of senior-level undergrads in the spirit of "four months of three credit hours per week crunching the creative young minds for the most pristine developed business plan ever." While I kept busy leading those young geniuses into a bike-conscious mindset, another hops-and-cycling focused enthusiast launched a bike brewery tour business.
Yep. Obviously, we did a great deal of research on that business... but the real research? That would be managing the three undergrads with which I had partnered, and pulling ends together for a viable business plan as the semester drew to a close. Patience and guided creativity are one thing, and the tools to master and manage are quite another.
The biggest take-away from frustrations experienced with taking this route to planning the business and watching my "initial dream" launch under someone else's expertise and leadership? Well, the best business plan for combining local lore, bicycles, and tourism research was yet to come and it would be frustratingly, gloriously mine to launch: and Leisurely Pedaling is by far the best take-away from all this!
