Messages posted by : pavelski
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This third ski free project illustrates well how if you want to "ski free" you must know skiing industry, know how to communicate effectively and respect the bottom line rule.
Due to political, economic and social changes in my country skiers were not traveling to Europe or at least were not going as much! A new market had to be found. New ski resorts had to be "offered"! New ski packages had to be planned. Most "money men" are not fanatic skier so they had to find someone to travel for two weeks to about 10 ski resorts and evaluate each resort based on the target skier group. This group was: singles in the 19-20 year old range. Intermediate skiers who loved skiing but loved the social life more! I took on project with one condition. The resort marketing people were not to know I was "visiting" them! Lifts paid. Hotel paid. Meals paid and extra money for "extras" The dream free skiing project! .......Until the sixth day! What is the saying,... "hope that you never get what you desire the most" Have you ever started skiing at 8 AM, tried all the runs (and some), then visited the base bars at 5PM. Followed by all the bars on the road to ski resort. By 8 PM you have to also visit all restaurants, get their menus and type of customer they want etc... At 9-10 the serious social prowling starts and you must "visit" at least 10-15 clubs. Even if you are drinking Perrier,,, the heat and action wears you down! The skiing done all day does "weaken" you! By 1 AM on the third day/night I was running on empty! I thought I was fit! This free two weeks was going to be more demanding than I had thought! I had a lot to learn! I discovered that my Ipod could also register sound so I verbally noted my slope evaluations while using lifts. I hired 5 girls giving each $100 to spend per night in order to visit all local clubs and give me an evaluation of the "club crowd". I did the same for the restaurants. I found young couples and gave them money for their supper.Then then had to fill out some forms I had prepared! Word spread quickly that some weird man was paying people to have fun! (not even asking girls to meet after reports were done)! Soon I had to change rooms! Soon I had to change ski jackets since skiers were stopping me on the slopes or in the lift lines! Such much for "secrecy" of the project! Rumors started that Interwest was it Warren Miler ( I do have his smile)! The initial girls I hired for the club evaluation were then hired by the ski center to "locate" me! This was getting too serious for me! Luckily I had to visit several ski resorts in those two weeks so I did not stay long in one spot! I began to feel like a "escaped convict"! I never parked my car near hotel entrance for fear that "they" would note my license. I changed names several times! Of course I had about 10 ski outfits and thus never wore same ski suit twice in one resort! The skiing world is very small and most "industry" people know each other well, because they raced together, patrolled together or just met at "industry" conferences! The internet does not help! On my last last day, I was riding up with a ski school Director who seemed preoccupied at looking at all the skiers. I asked casually if he had lost a student! No,,,, he was looking for a male skier dressed in Red Karbon Jacket with a White tuque and Atomic XXX skis! Seems all his staff and the patrolers and the lifts personnel were on the "look out" for this man! "Steal a ski", I asked. No no,,,,we just want to meet him! News travels fast! Suffice to say my two weeks "dream" all paid ski project was not what I expected! Damm those tour people earn their money! They work so much and to most skiers it is not apparent! I now know I could never do another two week project! Not fit enough. Too old! Not trained to keep looking over my shoulder. Can not take eating all that food! So if you want to take on a two week all paid ski resort evaluation project drop me a line. I have refused three so far! Seriously, I have the highest respect of all the people working in the ski tour industry! The stress, the hours, and the "unexpected" seems to happen all the time. Yes I handed in my report and yes the tour to resort X,Z and Y is a success. Mind you resorts A,B,C now are on the lookout for me! Now you know why I do not post my picture! I am afraid to! See what accepting free skiing does! Nothing is free! |
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Like in an Alfred Hitchock movie this adventure started with a small event. A minor problem in fact! A women had her fingers and diamond ring stuck inside her ski gloves.
But first let me set the scene. It was a glorious Spring skiing day with lots of sun, no wind and -3c weather! Cold enough so that the snow stayed fast yet you could feel that sun caressing you! I tried to get some friends to ski with me but they were to busy making more money, bring up kids etc... I was alone and enjoying it! On such a day I never stop skiing but the extra coffee and that great New England breakfast forced me to stop! As I passed this women, the red lingths went on and the flashing sign in my brain, "does not compute,,,does not compute" kept blinking! Too much make up for skier! Blonde hair down to waist too dangerous to ski!Very very expensive ski outfit not appropriate to New England ski center! Just when she was going to put the knife to the gloves, I came to the rescue. They were $300 Spyder gloves after all! Seems her diamond ring was stuck inside the glove lining and she had given up! Just could not see those great gloves cut up! With some tugging and twisting we got the fingers out! Out comes a big,,,no a HUGE diamond on a tiny ring! We saved the gloves! I am just about to go off when she cries out, "John,,,John come and see this man helped me get my gloves off"! I turn to look and coming towards me is a huge man! A Tomba Bomba but bigger with jet black hair and clearly on some juice! His neck was stretching the sweater to breaking point. His XXL ski jacket was too small! After a long long handshake, I had to have coffee with them. I stress the HAD TO! They were new to area ( as if I did not know), lost in ski area and skiing for two weeks. At this point I should have shut up and just continued my skiing! But no! I began to tell them about the "easy" sections, then how to ski the easy sections, finally show then how to get to easy sections! In short I ended up skiing with them ( now I say out of curiosity). She kept asking how she was doing and he "surprised" me with his agility!Very fast on his feet! One lift and run lead to another until it was the end of the day! I must confess I enjoyed myself watching them discover skiing like little children and listening to their heavy New York accent! Clearly city people. After telling them what great progress they made and suggesting some things to do next day, I am about to leave. Out comes a roll of money. I mean a roll of bills! He hands me a one thousand USA bill! I refuse and tell him how much I enjoyed the day! Quickly I go off so that he has no choice but to put bill back! The following days are great and I ski the steeps since the snow is getting soft! I forget the couple until I get a letter from the Ski center Marketing Director. Seems I have a season's pass waiting for me and a request to book for the next 10 years the following XX week every March! A certain couple who own 10% of the ski center want me to teach them! What can I say! The story does not end there! Three weeks later I am reading Time Magazine and I see heading, "Teflon DON leaves with son". John is that big boy on the right of the picture if you visit the site, "Teflon Don" |
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So you are ready to find that method to ski free. You think you are THE candidate.
First some background information about skiing! 1. Skiing is a big business Yes I know to some it is just a passion, to some a sport and to others a social stepping stone to "others" In this free ski context you must never forget that first and foremost to persons related to skiing as a life time comitement,,it is a business.After all they do have to eat! Thus the famous bottom line rule is what gets you "attention"! What you have no idea what this bottom line rule is? It comes from the accounting world where that last figure or line MUST BE POSITIVE ! A profit! Remember this, it will help you soon. 2. Skiing is full of hype. I think you all know this concept and term yet few understand how this hype generates business and that famous bottom line! 3.Skiing is full of "magic formulas",secret products,revolutionary designs,etc.. 4.There is very little "objective" scientific, information about many skiing topics. Hey let face it we are outdoor people not lab people! We hate four walls. 5.Skiing is full of "transient" people. Just read the trade journals of new marketing directors, new companies or new CEOs! This industry is constantly "re-inventing" itself! Did you notice that I used the word "industry" and not sport or activity ! Finally you must understand that skiing practices in making skis, selling skis, selling tickets, selling tours is based of constant changing rules and knowledge. This will also be a cornerstone to your free skiing! Ok Ok I see you at the door with your skis,,ready to go. Get to the point Pav! Just another short text about you, then off we will be to the free skiing projects! I think you all see now ( if you didn't before) that you have to see skiing "from the other side"! That ski shop owner trying to make a profit. That CEO of a ski center that has to make that 26 million profit! etc.. You ! What do you have to offer to these people to make their business profitable? That is the crux of the ski free question! Let us focus on what you need, what tools you have to have to get that ski free trip, that ski free ticket, that ski free 2008 racing ski? First communication skills! Sorry but reality is such that you have to communicate with someone about something. Second skiing knowledge. You have to know about skiing history, skiing technique, about ski design etc... Soon you will see why! Third You must understand how the skiing industry works! It relationships many symbiotic with ski companies,media,tours etc.... Oh Oh...I see you putting down your skis. Yes you will have to work at it! I did not say it was going to be easy! I say it was going to be FREE! So we have that background information and we also have what is required from you. The next series of true stories are how I got free ski tickets, free ski tours, free skis, free ski season passes. Some are hilarious, some are amazing and I am sure some you will not believe! Let me start with the story you will not believe. See you in the next topic section. |
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Mike,
Thanks for the reminder of that first run since yesterday was the "first" step day! I am preparing the series of "free" stories and yes I will include that one.I am sure you will like the ending again! Cheers |
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If you have basic effective modern skiing style they are NOT difficult to ride,,,however you must at all times be "on top of them"!
That means you must remain in the sweet spot. Do not lean back or be late for your turns. If you send me your email I can give you their "cost" price! Pavel |
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Mike,
Before I told you THAT story I made sure you got to know me and would read the story with a "balanced" opinion of me. In this site I am sure some are still wondering if I am a "Dave Cyber-creation"! Not sure if they will believe me! I will wait till end of this series to share this story as long as you promise never to confirm mine identity! I do have to "protect" my professional reputation. Hope you are skiing! |
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Dave,
I do have some standards! I do have some "moral" standards. Never would I place a toast in an old liner! Forgot to say Dave that I have every year 20-30 boot liners from various ski boot companies. These are new liners! I was hoping that you "accepted" that I would not lower my hygiene conditions! Hughhhhhh! I have found all sorts of secondary uses for these liners such as; electrical drill hoster hot baby bottle holder Pencil holder on my desk Coffe mug holder near wax bench nest for robins ( strange) Bottle holder in my sports car (imagine a high end sports car with no bottle holder) etc... |
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Ross,
You will!! |
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