Jodi Browning
Co-owner, Director
Northwaters & Langskib (NWL)
Temagami, Ontario, Canada
O&O:How would you describe your business and what you do?
JB: Northwaters & Langskib (NWL) is a canoe tripping camp in northern Ontario, Canada. Since 1971 we have provided authentic wilderness and rites of passage experiences from our two island basecamps on Lake Temagami. Our programs (for youth ages 10 and up) are designed to engage and empower young people at a given stage in adolescent development. We use proven techniques in experiential education, community building, group process, and storytelling to create a pathway through adolescence.
O&O: What’s your approach to marketing strategy? What works for you?
JB: We have an exceptionally high return rate and most of our new participants are generated via ‘word of mouth’. As our alumni and staff communities expand, so does our international recognition for the development of outstanding young leaders and excellence in outdoor education. Beyond this approach we maintain an informative ‘true to what we do’ website, host ‘virtual open houses’ during the off season and advertise in a variety of trusted print publications.
Stay true to what you believe in, build authentic relationships with your clients, ask for feedback and be open to learning from it, and never stop striving for excellence in the work you do and how you do it.
O&O: What’s it like leading a business that is place-based and centered around community?
JB: Incredibly fulfilling. The location of our basecamps offer opportunities to learn from and support the local First Nation, Teme-Auguma Anishnabai who trace their ancestry back over five thousand years of continuous living on Lake Temagami. NWL serves on community foundations and organizations that connect us with the town of Temagami, municipality, and network of camps, outfitters, businesses owners and community members in the region. Beyond these connections, NWL’s vast alumni, parent, family/friend community is far reaching and robust. We see our programs as an important element in the development of inspired, empowered and compassionate leaders, and as one of the best paths to personal growth and positive change in the world.
O&O: How does all of this inform your brand?
JB: Spreading the word and branding NWL has been a delicate balance since the dawn of the internet. Early on in our operation we relied on ‘snail mailing’ artistic booklets/brochures to interested clients and a single advertisement in the back of The New York Times! Because our program philosophy embraces a deep connection to the natural world, living simply on the land and (literally) disconnecting from the distractions and entrapments of technology, it has always seemed counter intuitive to promote ourselves online/via social media. Alas, if we want to reach people, we need to go with the grain. While our preference is to build relationships with our ‘clients’ face to face (or voice to voice, over the phone) our website and social media presence inevitably provide an avenue to these more personal connections. We try not to saturate these platforms with interactive or redundant information, but simply provide the information people need to understand who we are through thoughtful, ‘true to what we do’ copy, and creative, visual representation (artwork & photography). Using natural color tones and palates in our print material, website etc. help reflect the ‘down to earth’ nature of our relationships with families/individuals and our programming.
O&O: What advice do you have for independent business owners who are just starting out?
JB: Stay true to what you believe in, build authentic relationships with your clients, ask for feedback and be open to learning from it, and never stop striving for excellence in the work you do and how you do it.
NORTHWATERS & LANGSKIB
518.962.4869 | northwaters.com | facebook.com/northwaterslangskib |
