We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Chris King a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Chris , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.
Absolutely! What sets us apart is that we’re an owner-operated company. So, whenever anyone reaches out, they’re directly interacting with the owners. We genuinely believe that adds a personal touch. We pride ourselves on our meticulous planning and coordination. It’s quite humbling to see how many wedding and event planners entrust us with transportation schedules. I mean, that’s where we truly shine, along with being safe drivers, of course! From our experience, it’s rare to find another transportation company as committed as we are to catering to our clients’ unique needs. Plus, our strong relationships with various wedding professionals ensure that everything goes off without a hitch when we’re on board. They trust us to keep things smooth and seamless.
Chris , 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?
It’s kind of funny how life works out. Our whole journey kicked off during a wine tasting session when we realized that there was a huge lack of transportation providers here in the Santa Ynez Valley. I’ve been in the thick of the hospitality scene since my teens, starting with dish washing at a fish & chips restaurant, and eventually moved up to managing high-end boutique hotels. I have literally worked every job there is in restaurants and hotels in my past lives. That experience has been a game-changer for me personally. I’ve learned that running a company isn’t just about sitting in front of a computer and driving shiny shuttles; it’s about the grit. If I needed a teammate to tackle something tough, they’ve got to see I’m right there with them, ready to roll up my sleeves. I still have that attitude with my own company — after all we are chief cook and bottle washers around here!
I’ve always believed in a “will-do” mindset. Everyone can say they “can do” something, but it’s all about diving in and getting things done. While wedding transportation is our specialty, we’re passionate about our wine tours. Wine’s a big deal for us, especially the local flavors from Santa Ynez Valley. I spent four years as a hospitality director for a local winery, and learned a lot during that time.
We’re all about diving deep into our passions, and have traveled the globe in search of unique and interesting wines to help fuel our passion, and knowledge of the vine. We don’t box ourselves in. From weddings to corporate events, we’ll be happy to take on anything, and the love we get from businesses, big and small, shows that they appreciate our family-driven approach. Supporting local is always a win in my book!
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Covid, right? I mean, I think we all felt it! I remember receiving the announcement that we had to stop operating. We were gearing up for the busiest year yet, and BOOM, nothing. Luckily, we approached the challenge with a passion for others’ needs. Instead of saying, “Sorry, your money is ours now — we have a force majeure clause,” we decided the best way to approach cancelling weddings and tours was to offer a unique alternative. When customers called to cancel, we offered to keep their deposit on file and apply it to any future available date. You wouldn’t believe how thankful people were. All in all, I think we may have refunded maybe two deposits. Other wedding industry folks weren’t as gracious, and I definitely think folks appreciated that. The other cool thing we started doing was hosting what I called speakeasy weddings — small, intimate, LEGAL unions in backyards. We got calls from a lot of high-end wedding planners wanting us to provide transportation for these weddings as soon as we were able to operate again. It really provided us just enough to keep the lights on. When I think back on how hard it was, I feel so appreciative to those who supported us during that time.
Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?
Well, the thing about that is, he’s my husband. Don and I have been together since 2012, and I don’t think we ever thought we’d start our own business. I had a successful career in the hotel industry, and after a decade in the Air Force, Don found himself in the security field. We owned our home, had two dogs, and plenty of hobbies, so I don’t really know why we decided to start a business, but I am sure glad we did. When we think of quitting, I think we just remember what a great retirement gig this is going to be one day! Heck, maybe we’ll be able to retire early.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nextadventure805.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/nextadventure805
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nextadventure805/
- Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/company/next-adventure-805
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2L8G4h-eOQM7LDx1p6LEgQ
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/next-adventure-tours-and-tasting-lompoc-2
Image Credits
Craft + Cluster Photography