We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Benny Jacobs-Schwartz a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Benny, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So, let’s start with trends – what are some of the largest or more impactful trends you are seeing in the industry?
Birding has exploded in popularity in the last 15 years and in the past three years, soared to new heights! With the shutdowns precipitated by the global pandemic, folks found themselves with few options for fun and began looking for new outlets. Quickly it became clear that one of the only safe options was to head outside. A new crop of birders hatched during the pandemic and began flocking to outdoor spaces with binoculars in-hand, eager to tick off birds on their life lists.
Cities quieted down, and the rhythms of the natural world jettisoned to the forefront. From the enticing melody of a dawn chorus flowing in through an open window to seeing an increased number of birds in local greenspaces, millions of Americans began noticing what was always here, birds!
Today this marked shift in the birding industry is prominent on social media, with representation from all age groups. Lots more young people are birding, kids and teens sharing bird photos and debating over ID’s! When I first got into birding more than a decade ago, I was the youngest person on outings by a long shot, but now people my age and even younger are getting after it!
On Instagram and TikTok, accounts vary from easy-going backyard birders to the hardcore listers, to point-and-shoot photographers and super-telephoto pros. The thing they all have in common is their love of birds. The icing on the cake is an uptick in accounts focused on creating more inclusive spaces for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+. These are groups traditionally excluded from outdoor spaces, and notably birding.
Birding has become a pastime for millions of people, and it’s a great thing! It gets folks outside connecting with nature, improving their mental health, meeting other like-minded people, and getting fired up about conservation. As a tour leader who offers local birding outings in Los Angeles and international birding tours to tropical places like Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Colombia, people are eager more than ever to see birds and learn about them!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I’m Benny Jacobs-Schwartz, a naturalist educator, wildlife photographer, writer, and passionate bird-watching guide. My business, BIRDS by BIJS (pronounced Bee-jus), started as a way to connect people with the birds and fascinating ecology of Southern California. In 2018 I began leading guided birding outings in Los Angeles with the goal of increasing appreciation for our local birds and unique ecology. Today, BIRDS by BIJS also offers International Birding Tours, bird merch, educational talks and corporate team builders focusing on sustainability and ecology.
While in college, I was fortunate to participate in a Tropical Ecology Research program in Costa Rica, and introduced to bird watching. Prior to the spring of 2011, I hadn’t paid birds much attention, but thanks to my professor Sofia, and the gorgeous birds of Costa Rica, I quickly became hooked. The following spring, I participated in UC Santa Cruz’s Natural History Field Quarter, an immersive program where 24 students and our professors spent ten weeks immersing in California’s diverse ecosystems. The hands on learning afforded by these two programs set me on my bird-obsessed path, and I haven’t looked back since.
By the time I graduated college, I was trying to figure out how to see more birds. The natural progression on my journey seemed to get into bird banding. Various research projects around the world employ field technicians to band birds. Stationed along migration flyways, researchers set up volley-ball like nets, called mist nets. With the nets opened, unsuspecting birds fly into the nets. From here, researchers remove the birds, afix a little metal ankle bracelet with a unique serial number, or a light-weight backpack GPS tracker, take measurements and then set birds back on their way. My first foray bird banding, was on the coast of New Hampshire, following a season in the dry forest of Costa Rica, and then to Illinois.
Bird banding jobs are seasonal, and during other parts of the year, I sought out different work. My wide variety of employment included leading a 10-week gap-semester program across Central America, working as a naturalist guide in Alaska, and assisting at bird photography ecolodge in Northwest Ecuador. During the last ten years, I was exposed to different facets of the outdoor industry and I had a blast learning, and by 2018, I felt ready to take the reigns and build my own business.
Now I lead local birding walks in LA, guide at birding festivals, give presentations to birding groups, and lead international birding tours to some of my favorite places abroad!
Before offering international birding tours, I always spend time in the country scouting areas of interest, meeting local guides, and checking out popular lodging options. By using local guides and familiarizing myself with the destination beforehand, I ensure that tours are setup for success providing tangible benefits for the local economy and for trip participants. Right now I offer trips to Costa Rica and Ecuador, with Colombia, Jamaica and Mexico in the works!
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
Social media is time consuming and sometimes a daunting process when building your brand. Growing your presence, developing your niche, and reaching your audience will take time, but don’t let this stop you!
One of the most crucial steps on my social media journey was getting in front of the camera. Your audience and potential followers want to know the real you. They want to see your challenges, successes, adventures, and perspectives. Be brave, share your story, take people on your journey and don’t be afraid to be yourself. Once you do this, people will see your passion shine through!
Another piece of advice is to share content that has value. You can have a beautiful feed, but if your account lacks value, people aren’t going to stick around.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
I grow my clientele in multiple ways. As a birding tour leader, there is no surefire path to growing. There isn’t a bird guide’s playbook to building a business but here are a few ways I have grown my network.
Social Media
I’m super active on social media and mainly on Instagram. My profile feed consists of high-quality photos and reels of birds, and my stories feature birding adventures. Applying this strategy allows my audience to enjoy the perks of travel without leaving their seats and hopefully move from followers to clients!
Email Marketing
Direct marketing is a classic strategy and has proven to be one of the most effective ways to connect with potential clients. In email blasts, I share upcoming walks, presentations, and international tours. Here it’s all about conversion rate. Folks who have signed up for my mailing list have done so because they are interested in some aspect of my offerings. From there, it’s my job to make enticing pitches that catalyze sign-ups!
In-person Events
Whenever possible, build your audience in person. Through my local walks in Los Angeles, I achieve a few different benefits. Firstly, through two-hour group outings, folks enjoy a low-cost way to learn from an expert about the birds in their area. Secondly, by offering walks, I build relationships with new and existing clients. They get to experience me firsthand, and see that I’m a friendly, welcoming person who is passionate, professional, and knowledgeable!
Word of mouth
The unseen x-factor in the ecotourism business is word of mouth. People will talk to their friends and family about their experience with your business, so do everything to make it memorable, but in a good way!
If you follow these steps, it will only be a matter of time until you see the results you’re looking for! But remember, it won’t happen overnight, so be patient and keep going!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.birdsbybijs.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/birdsbybijs
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/birdsbybijs
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-jacobs-schwartz-a4462471/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLmFVePzaahtbS678e6uTnA
Image Credits
All images Copyright BIRDS by BIJS