One dream, one business and the damn crisis

Nita, Manel & Dani holding on to their dream Mataró 2012

To those who have a dream and are still working.on it

Starting into the abyss

It was 2006 when I encouraged two good friends to take the biggest gamble of their lives, just a few months before the beginning of the crisis. I would like to tell you how they continue to be my friends!!! Manel was my Dive Master, he had been helping me to achieve my advance and rescue diver certification. Nita, his wife, and he had shared their doubts and fears with me. They had asked me about the viability of their project on several occasions. One Sunday in late August, just after I had passed my Nitrox's examination, we started brainstorming over a few beers and started writing down what our ideas on the paper tablecloth. They asked me several questions about the best way to start  a dive centre. We discussed finances, marketing,  break even etc. I was writing down all my answers on the tablecloth developing something like a Business Plan, including a beautiful SWOT analysis. They looked at the figures and they asked me the big question: "will it work?" I looked at them and said: “yes it will”. Not because of the figures on this paper, but because of the light I can see in your eyes and your knowledge of diving. The only thing that can guarantee success is to combine your passion and your knowledge. To do what you know and to enjoy doing it. Maybe you will have some problems in the future (I couldn’t have know the extent of the impending crisis) but with knowledge and passion you will be able to overcome them.

In the middle of the storm

The first thing that my friends did was to fail. They made so many mistakes that I thought that the business could not survive. They got bad deals from their suppliers, banks and even the customers. They failed with almost everything. However, to be honest they did do one thing very well, they learned quickly because they had to. They got up after every stumble and tried again. With them I could understand how important your attitude is when you are learning by doing. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. It is difficult to imagine as a centre of skin-diving one could have created in full crisis, to resist the adversities and still on feet. The most difficult thing to believe is that not alone business still exists but they have managed to grow. Initially we were in the habit of doing excursions looking for beaches from where to initiate the dive, and now NIMANSUB has a beautiful craft for ten divers. But if there is something that separates this business from any other it is the capacity of Nita, Manel and their son Dani to create a special atmosphere where the clients can feel part of a great family. This point is a good example of differentiation. But the crisis continues to challenge their business.

Will it sink?

If a business were a car, the attitude would be the fuel. After several years fighting against the crisis, my friends need to refill the tank. The first thing that I would say to them is that they should be very proud for what they have achieved, the second thing that they recover their dream. The crisis is forcing all of us to look constantly for the best way of doing the things; the crisis is forcing all of us to strive excellence. While the passion for and the knowledge of diving continue to be important alone they are not enough, you also need to make sure the business is viable. There are things to do; there is always room for improvement. Last week we were discussing, like six years ago, the ideas we had about taking the business to the next level. This time the Plan will come to by e-mail instead of “by” tablecloth. I don’t know if its because I learned diving with you, because I am the member number one of NIMANSUB or because We still have adventures for living, I am sure, it will work. Never give up on your dreams and see you underwater.