Ideate

1 min. with a superhero: Steve Bolnick

by Fred Roed on 22/04/08 at 6:30 am
2 comments

This morning, we’re chatting to Steve Bolnick, wildlife hooligan, academic, tourism operator and professional hiker. Steve’s from Zimbabwe, which you’ll notice by the mad glint in his eye, and he specialises in something fairly unique: safaris on foot. While most safari operators wimp out in heavily armored 4×4’s, Steve does a lot of his tours au naturelle. That is to say, he’s not naked, but just happens to like walking in the wild. Steve’s also a purveyor of the famous Walking Tour through Cape Peninsula, a completely unique experience of the Cape, starting in the CBD and ending on the tip of the peninsula, over 5 days.

Steve ‘The Legend’ Bolnick, pleased to make your acquaintance! Steve, tell us about your business?
My business would be classified as “tourism related” and while we do deal with travellers, we do not provide “packages” or “products”. We offer a personalised travel experience for our guests… that is invariably a highlight of their travels and provides them with a deeper understanding and appreciation of our continent. These experiences may be a foot safari in Botswana or a mobile tour of Cape Town or a mountain walk or a wine safari in The Kruger, but they are all impeccably planned and expertly guided. Our experiences are “safaris” in the Swahili sense – they are journeys of discovery.

What makes Steve Bolnick’s plan to dominate the tourism market different?
Mostly that there is no plan to DOMINATE the tourism market. We have no interest in mass tourism – there are enough people offering those products and it is not what we do. Our plan is to continue providing the highest standard of service to our guests and become recognised as the only high-end touring company worth considering in South Africa.

How did you get into this crazy, over-crowded industry?
Accidentally! I was a young wildlife enthusiast with academic credentials working as an extra-heavy truck driver transporting steel. The work was soul-destroying so I applied for work as a coach-driver taking scheduled tours around South Africa. Instead I was employed as a guide leading safaris into The Okavango. I fitted-in perfectly and excelled at the job. Although I have left tourism several times to continue pursuing academic pursuits I always return.

‘Academic credentials’. That sounds intriguing for a safari operator. What education do you have?
My formal education is in the life sciences. I completed a Bachelors degree in Zoology and an Honours degree too. Then I read for a Masters in Animal Science. Finally I dropped out of a PHd when I realised that I did not want to become an academic! While my formal education has certainly assisted me in my work, most of my real education comes from years of living in the bush and working with guests visiting our continent. This has allowed me to understand ecology in a more visceral way than one can ever learn from books, and has honed my skills in dealing with visitors who are often out of their depth and sometimes anxious.

Wow, a brainy safari guy. You must pull loads of chicks. What about your job makes you lie awake at night?
When I’m on safari in the bush, everything makes me lie awake – with wonder . . . the stars, the night sounds, the smells, the anticipation, the absolute intensity. It’s wonderful.

Ok, ok, enough already! It sounds like the perfect job. Tell us a disaster story.
My work is always exciting and often very challenging, but I cannot think of any disasters unless you consider overturning a stationary landrover, or having to fire a round over a charging elephant’s head, or deal with lions charging from front and behind, or deal with a guest stung by a scorpion in the bush in the middle of the night as disasters.

It sounds like all fun and games, outdoorsy and glamorous. Surely it can’t all be fun and easy. Destroy a myth about your industry.
That it’s all fun and easy! In fact there are no set work hours in the travel industry so one works long and unpredictable hours. And it is extremely pressurised work with tight deadlines. Guiding is mostly enjoyable but it is not relaxing because the guide is constantly responsible for his/her guests. So for example a hike on Table Mountain with clients is a totally different experience from doing the same walk alone or with friends.

As an entrepreneur, what kind of clients do you look for?
I am looking for discerning people who want more than a cursory, voyeuristic glimpse of Africa. I am looking for people who want a deeper understanding of their destination. I am looking for people who want a “journey” and “experience” rather than a “trip” or “product”. In Cape Town this could be a personal exclusive mobile tour, with wine and snacks on board and a customised itinerary. In the bush in South Africa, Botswana or Zimbabwe, this could be a walking safari or mobile safari under canvas or in a lodge. Right now I am looking for wine lovers who enjoy the bush to join me in The Greater Kruger National Park in June for a unique wine safari with Peter Finlayson – the wine phenomenon.

Nice. Booze, lions. Sounds like a killer combo! What’s your secret to success…
A passion for my work, a thirst for knowledge and a stubborn refusal to sell-out on my values.

In terms of growing your business, what is your best marketing tool?
Because of the very personal style of my business, I have found word-of-mouth to work best. People who have travelled with me are usually very enthusiastic after their experience and when they refer someone to me they instil confidence in the referrals.

For the young, naive tour operators in the Ideate audience, share some pitfalls to avoid in your industry.
It is essential that guests understand clearly what to expect and that guests are matched to appropriate accommodation, guide and holiday. This is especially important in cases where the guest is making reservations via an agent and not directly with the ground-handler.

Tell us something that no one knows about Steve Bolnick.
I cannot tolerate opera, rap and disco. Also, I have never been to Lichtenstein.

What is the best business lesson you’ve learned so far?
Relationships change. Do not be complacent with “established” business relations. Always have an alternative plan and culture new relationships.

Describe an average day in the world of the rugged safari guy.
On a safari, I get up before the sun and check that breakfast is on schedule. Then I wake my guests and we are underway just as the eastern horizon begins to crack. I spend the morning interpreting tracks, greeting trees, pointing-out birds, following animals and ensuring that my guests are happy and safe – avoiding upsetting the elephants, buffalo and lions.  I try to return to camp or stop for brunch by 11h30. While the guests rest through the heat of the day, I check on supplies, clean my rifle, do vehicle repairs, research new mysteries using my reference books. By 15h30 we are heading-out again to repeat the morning’s schedule and see what surprises and gifts the bush has in store for us. We return for showers and dinner. Once guests have gone to sleep, I check the camp and get some sleep.

What is your BHAG?
I would love to walk from the Atlantic Ocean on the Namibian Coast to The Indian Ocean on the Mozambican Coast – when the kids have grown-up!

And, finally, a word of advice to the Ideate audience – is this a good time to open up a safari business in Zimbabwe?
If you have the cash to invest and to weather the storm this is an ideal time to invest in Zimbabwe. Bear in mind there are already well-established companies that have survived the worst by learning how to operate in an impossible economic climate. Many of these have very strong relationships with big South African companies and the competition is fierce. Zimbabwe will go through even worse times for a short while and will recover soon. Tourism will bounce back as soon as democracy and the rule of law is reinstated.

Thanks Steve. It was great to take a walk on the wild side with you. Your personalised approach is awesome, and great to meet an entrepreneur living the dream. Ideate readers, contact Steve Bolnick at untamed [at] telkomsa.net or visit his website here.

Fred Roed is the marketing guy in the Ideate crew. Fred is the CEO of web marketing company World Wide Creative and the co-founder of online learning portal Heavy Chef. Fred loves writing about people out there doing marketing right. Follow Fred on Twitter here. View more articles by Fred Roed.

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