Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cassidy Cornett. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Cassidy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

I have to admit, Rugged Research was not my idea. Opening the Kentucky branch wasn’t even my idea. I have to give credit to our founders, Jesse and Bri Weiland. I met Jesse and Bri on the island of Maui where they were instructors for a research course I was taking for my masters degree. The class was about island ecology and they were incredibly inspiring and enthusiastic teachers. We became life long friends after camping for 9 days on the island, planting mangroves, conducting fish surveys, and learning about teaching ecology. After a few years of working as instructors and park rangers, Jesse and Bri decided they wanted to form a program they could run that aligned with Next Generation Science Standards, got kids outdoors, and helped them learn about the natural world all while having fun. In 2020, the first branch of Rugged Research was born in Colorado. Offering hiking classes, after school programs, and more for kids ages 3-12, Rugged Research classes were an instant hit. Kids have the opportunity to play and make friends outside while learning about their local ecosystems.

Jesse and Bri came to me and suggested I start the Kentucky branch of Rugged Research. I was hesitant at first. It seemed like a lot of responsibility. Taking children on hikes in the wilderness was a bit daunting. I had only ever taught high school students in the confines of safe, concrete walls. And 3 year olds?! How was I supposed to connect with them?
After a very convincing business model pitch over Facetime, Jesse and Bri assured me I could handle it. After pondering the idea for a few weeks, I realized it would be a waste of my time and talents to not try this. I formed an LLC, made a website, social media presence, and bought ads to promote my first outdoor nature-based class.

On January 15th, 2022, Jesse and Bri made a special trip to Kentucky to be there for my first ever Rugged Research KY class. It was all about how animals adapt, hibernate, or migrate through the winter months. The kids had a blast completing a scavenger hunt, hiking, and playing animal themed games.

Cassidy, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am Cassidy Cornett, the Rugged Research Kentucky brach director and lead educator. I have a bachelors in biology pre-med. My original plan was dental school. After working in a dental office for 3 years, I realized I didn’t love that field enough to go through the schooling. My passion was the outdoors and animals. I did an internship at the Cincinnati Zoo where I realized I loved teaching, particularly about animals. I went back to school and earned a master of arts in teaching secondary biology. After spending 3 years in the classroom of a public school, I finally understood why my own teachers were the way they were. It was stressful and emotionally taxing. Still longing to teach, I accepted the offer to open Rugged Research KY- an organization I could make my own and still teach while having fun and being outdoors.

Rugged Research is a fun and exciting nature-based outdoor education organization. It originated in Colorado and was founded by park rangers. Classes are designed to spark curiosity and wonder towards the natural world! With multiple branches across the US, each state has a wondrously diverse ecosystems, which our programs use as a giant, learning laboratory to help students fall in love with nature and learn about the impact of their actions on the environment. We offer summer camps, homeschool programs, early childhood programs, field trips, afterschool and more for children ages 3-12.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Thankfully, the Colorado branch of Rugged Research was already established on social media. However, their followers didn’t help me- 3 time zones away. They did have photos and information I was able to use to start my own social media pages which was very helpful. I created a website first. From there I expanded to Facebook and Instagram. Initially I posted about 10 photos across a few weeks to make my account seem like it had been established for a while. Everyone would think I was spam if I only had 1 photo on my Instagram. Facebook and Instagram were easy because you’re able to make one post and share it across both platforms. I then began following as many people as I could. Not just anyone, though. I would go to a page about the local parks, nature, or kids events and follow their followers. This makes my name pop up on their notifications. They get curious and investigate who Rugged Research is and follow back. I asked my friends on Facebook to share my posts and invite their friends to like my page. I eventually began running advertisements that would reach more people. I formed an email list from the parents that signed their kids up for classes and I send out a newsletter and promo codes for camps. I also run Google advertisements for more exposure.

My best advice is to be patient. It doesn’t happen overnight. Post pictures that are bright and eye catching. Be personable and funny. Respond to every comment. Things on social media are gone in an instant, so post often and tell everyone you know about it. Make a budget for ads and stick to it. I spent a lot on ads and boosted posts in the beginning when I should have been spending time following other accounts with similar interests.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I think our reputation is built on our experience, responsiveness, kindness, and enthusiasm. We are always happy to answer questions and we respond quickly. The customer is always right and we take every type of criticism into consideration when growing or adapting our programs.

Our educators love what they do. They have the passion and experience to lead a fun and exciting nature hike while teaching the kids about the flora and fauna all around them. We make sure our students are happy, learning, and having a good time when they are with us. They go home happy and tell their parents. Their parents tell other parents which helps us build our classes and camps.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ruggedresearchky.org
• Instagram: ruggedresearchky
• Facebook: facebook.com/ruggedresearchky
• Youtube: ruggedresearch
• Other: TikTok: rugged_research

Image Credits
Grant Carlsen