Today is the last day to buy discounted tickets for the Float Conference!

Today, Graham and Ashkahn talk all about everything they’re excited to see at the Conference this year, everything from the Bus Tour, to the Speakers that are coming (some returning, some coming for the first time), the Bus Tour, The Marketing Forum, other Friday activities, the awesome after parties, and did Graham mention the Bus Tour yet? 

It’s Float On’s last year hosting the Conference, and it’s gonna be excellent. See you there!

Gloria Morris is a rockstar in her own right, having immediately hit the ground running with Float Sixty out in Chicago. It’s been amazing watching her influence grow throughout the float industry as she helps others consult with marketing as well as help behind the scenes in float projects like her work on the Art of the Float Podcast.

She recently opened up a second location in Schererville, Indiana, basically a suburb of Chicago. Ashkahn takes the time on this episode to ask her about the challenges running a center in a suburban area compared to an urban one and some of the important business lessons she’s learned throughout the experience.

Customer testimonials can have a huge impact on a float center’s marketing. It adds a sense of legitimacy for any small business, after all, who wouldn’t want to hear stories from other who have tried out a service.

Derek and Graham hash out the benefits of having testimonials. Where to get them, third party sites as opposed to personally sourced testimonials, and the different forms that customer experiences can take. 

Owning a small business is a juggling act of priorities that range from putting out small metaphorical fires, to big picture thinking about the scope of the company. At what point does a float center owner prioritize hiring a marketer to shoulder some of this burden and how can an inexperienced business owner find the right one for them. 

Graham and Derek tackle these questions and offer some advice for running a small business and the types of mentalities and practices that lead to the longevity and peace of mind that comes with finding someone to trust with some of that big picture thinking.

Graham and Ashkahn wax nostalgic in this episode tracing back the history of Float On to its origins. They were younger, bright eyed and the world felt full of possibility. How they advertised floating was a whole different beast back then, too. Part of it was how different the industry was, part of it was how different awareness in Portland was, and parts of it were just about Float On still being a young business.

The guys share their successes, lessons, and bold faced mistakes they made along the way in learning how to deal with the idea of filling tanks, as well as some of the constants that have remained throughout the years.