Start Up Stories: No mountain too high for Nonstopski

For 30 years Patrick Taylor built up a successful career in various high profile executive roles, yet his dream of running a ski business was always at the back of his mind. Last year his dream became reality with the creation of Nonstopski.

Patrick Taylor started out as an accountant with Coopers and Lybrand during the 1970s. His career blossomed and in 1980, he was promoted to partner.

After six years, Patrick decided to move on. Following a spell at an independent leisure company he was headhunted by Capital Radio where he took on a variety of director roles. In 2001 he became Chief Executive of GWR Group, the UK's largest commercial radio group.

He was instrumental in successfully restructuring GWR's business and financial status, but after two years Patrick started up his own venture.

The idea

Skiing has always been an important part of Patrick's life. His interest began in his early teens and in 1970 he met his wife Heather during a winter holiday.

In 1973, Patrick came up with the idea of setting up a timeshare company selling chalets in ski resorts. But as his accountancy career progressed, he put the idea on hold.

"The promotion by Coopers seduced me to stay," he recalls. "But I spent the next 30 years wishing I'd set up the ski business and made some money from it."

Patrick's children share their father's passion for skiing. His son Rupert spent his university gap year training as a snowboard instructor in Quebec. While there he heard stories about the exceptional powder snow and laid back atmosphere in the resort of Fernie.

Rupert secured a position at a local ski school in Fernie and in December 2002 Patrick and his wife went out to visit him.

During the holiday, Patrick took Rupert to one side for a typical 'what are you going to do with your life?' father-son conversation.

"Rupert told me he wanted stay in Canada and stick to the snow sports industry. So I suggested that we start up an instructor training company," Patrick says.

The leap

The combination of Patrick's business expertise and Rupert's skiing experience gave them a distinct advantage but they needed local knowledge of Canada and Fernie in particular.

During their stay, the family decided to try some off-piste skiing. While working their way across the magnificent landscape, Patrick mentioned his ideas to ski-guide David Richards. David was a well respected and experienced 'man of the mountains' so Patrick was keen to hear his opinions.

"I told David of our plans. He thought it was a gem of an idea. That spark lit a fuse," he comments. To Patrick's delight, David and his wife Nicole agreed to manage the training programme from Fernie.

As a profoundly family man Patrick was keen for everyone to be involved and the idea of a family firm did not faze him.

"I was brought up in a family that ran their own business so working with relatives was nothing unusual to me," he says.

So with Rupert, David and Nicole established in Fernie building up local contacts, Patrick set about building the rest of the team. His god-daughter Lisa Barnes was the perfect choice; as an experienced skier with a degree in leisure management, working for Nonstopski was Lisa's dream job. Her father Anthony also signed up as director and Patrick's daughter Melissa took the post of UK manager.

With the family members in place, it was time to choose the all important company name. A brainstorming session produced 'Nonstopski'.

Once set up, Nonstopski (www.nonstopski.com) intended to target gap year students seeking a new adventure, but unfortunately, it was the wrong time of year. Patrick and his team racked their brains to come up with alternatives.

"We decided to spread the appeal to an older age group," he recalls. "We launched with the tagline 'give yourself a life changing experience.'"

The change of focus worked and 40 'wannabe' ski instructors spent the 2002/03 winter season training with the help of Nonstopski.

This year, the team has had time to target younger gap year students and clients aged 18 years and over are booked on to the courses.

The future

Patrick admits that learning how to do business in Canada as a British company was the biggest problem. Getting to grips with the Value-Added-Tax system and applications for travel operator licences was also a struggle, as was getting hold of property in Fernie to rent. The company has been totally self-financed and the family had to put in more money than they originally expected.

But Nonstopski's success has significantly outweighed the initial complications. During their first season, the company aimed for 20 clients across three separate courses. They closed the books at 40. For the 2003/04 season the company is aiming for 75.

Initially the company relied on word of mouth recommendations and school visits but after launching a website, the internet has proved to be their most successful form of advertising.

Although Nonstopski's ethos encourages everyone to have fun, it also aims to help the clients to develop as people. As well as instructor training, students are given the chance to sign up to language or photography courses and everyone is required to take part in first aid and avalanche instruction.

In the near future, Nonstopski plans to branch out into other activity sports.

"We don't want a load of drunken English yobs descending on the resort," Patrick says. "We want people to become part of the local community for the season."

Ultimately, however, the most important aspect for Patrick is that his family are taking part in the continuing success of the company.

"It is very special for us to see the business developing as a family. Nonstopski genuinely is a family enterprise, which is rather unusual these days", he concludes.