How Xtreme Gap Started

In the following interview with Oliver Bray one of the founders of Xtreme Gap, Pro Adventure Racing Athlete Thomas Kennedy finds out about why and how we started Xtreme Gap Year.

Thomas Kennedy: Well, this assignment is directed for me to learn about entrepreneurs and I am attempting to learn about how you started this company and why.
Xtreme Gap (Oliver Bray): Well a couple of reasons. Firstly I am passionate about travel and the good experiences you can have and after 8 years of working in jobs that I had no passion for it was time to do something about it. Secondly, I knew that there were alot of gap year companies taking advange of their clients by overcharging and pushing Voluntourism holidays that were not beneficial. I wanted to change that. And finally because I could – i had the contacts and experiences
Thomas Kennedy: thats amazing and honourable! what kind of work did you do before you created this? did you have any background education?
Xtreme Gap:None really I did a business degree but that did not really help, because i graduated in 2002 before the internet was really as it is today. I spent 8 years in Recruitment, Which is sales: but actually the skills are similar in a way. Talking to people about changing their lives, But no, I did not really have experience, of anything related to travel, or online marketing. It was avery steep learning curve. Still most entrpreneurs are the same, they launch businesses with out a related education. Richard branson went to my school and left aged 16 after he set up virgin records from a phone box at the school. Didn´t stop him!
Thomas Kennedy: What do you do on a day-to-day basis?
Xtreme Gap: Pretty much everything: From overseaing the direction of the business – stragetising, coming up with concepts for new trips, reasearching new partners overseas, web design, search engine optimisation, sales, marketing! Customer service lots and lots.  Too much actually!
Thomas Kennedy: That’s an unbelievable amount of work how many employees does your company have?
Xtreme Gap: 5 currently, but we have an unusual set up which keeps our overheads low. We work with a lot of contractors and do much in house.
Thomas Kennedy: may i ask what there roles are?
Xtreme Gap: The directors run the operations side of the business, then we have Joost in Sales and then we have  reps overseasworking on a contract per customer basis So they are not completely defined roles, although we all focus on different areas… With a small company there is always an element of all hands to the deck….
Thomas Kennedy: very true, i can see the same thing with my mothers company Started out of our basement and grew to an international level.
Xtreme Gap: It is a good way to grow a start up, so the management of the future knows exactly what it is like to do different positions. Solid foundations for organic growth.
Thomas Kennedy: that is what we were learning for the past 2 weeks, anyone can buy a company mid proccess, however the ability to create the company, gain knowledge and have complete understanding of the industry is priceless. When did you start the company?
Xtreme Gap: 2008 It is alot of trial and error too… And long hours and being prepared to keep at it. Take the good with the bad. When we started I remember thinking I had never worked so hard, for no pay just because I believed in it. I was no stranger to long hours, in my recruitment jobs I used to work 11 hour days, but this was on a whole new level.  Was tough, but it paid off. I still remember our first customers name, Steve Mosely We got him on a you tube video review later.
Thomas Kennedy: That is amazing!
Xtreme Gap: then 2 days later we had our second customer and we were off. It took 6 months from concept to the first person confident enough to book with us. I had to get a part time job during the start, working as a night receptionist is a hotel in Amsterdam. So I would stay up all night writing content for the website and then in the day work more on it, sleeping about 5 hours a night. It was tough!
Thomas Kennedy: We always talk about how hard it is to start a company, but you never really understand till you talk to someone who has… I take it you wouldent go back to your old position in a million years!! I just have one more question What kind of marketing strategies do you use? how do you make sure your company is well recognized?
Xtreme Gap: Correct. Never! Well we mainly use online marketing, mainly in the form of google optimisation, this is a very time intensive  process, alot of social media, maybe you have seen our you tube channel, with lots and lots of Video.  When we can we do PR but my personal favorite is word of mouth. Some of the trips we run are unbelievably cool they give you a real buzz once you have experienced them so people do tell their mates when they do things like this:

When we get a recommendation that is definitely the greatest reward so like us on facebook Tom!
Thomas Kennedy: Yes sir! Im pretty sure I already have! I have been keeping up to date since New Zealand and I am extremely impressed!
Xtreme Gap: Thank you

Thomas Kennedy: I hope you dont mind me doing a presentation to my 400 person class about your experience and your company.
Xtreme Gap: Well…. if you must! Stick in a video there as well how about this one. It is our take on how we blow everyones cash.
Thomas Kennedy: i can do that for sure I have 30 min of pure talking, im sure I can toss it in!
Xtreme Gap: That was actually our car! You need low overheads when you set up a business, it is a fine example! This is a perfect video! haha whatever gets you from A to B

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