Bike About’s Daniel Young is an excellent example of a well-travelled young South Australian bringing his expertise home for our benefit. He has ticked off some of the most prominent Australian tourism destinations around Australia, including the Great Barrier Reef, teaching surfing in Western Australia, and the Victorian ski fields.
Since settling back in the Adelaide Hills with his wife, he has been taking on more duties in the family business.
“Since I’ve come home, Dad has taught me more about the business. When he was invited to the South Australian Business Chamber Cultivate Hills bushfire recovery program, he said I was better off doing it to help me take over the family business.
“I was pretty new to the business side of things before I started the program. I was good with the numbers but found focusing on the customer the most valuable part of the program.
“The South Australian Business Chamber Facilitator Tim Lavis was my mentor, and he was so great … and so frustrating. He would always answer my questions with another question, but it made me think more deeply about what I wanted to achieve with Bike About.
“The marketing components of the program were helpful, and I have gone over the material a couple of times. Having a digital strategy is something I will be actioning to reach new customers in international markets.
“Tim told me it wasn’t about finding where we should play but where we shouldn’t. He asked what would make me happy and taking groups of people on e‑bikes to beautiful wineries in the Adelaide Hills and Barossa Valley, and the Monarto Safari Park was it.
“We have a real opportunity to provide quality tourism experiences for travellers of all ages. We recently had an 82-year-old woman who had recovered from a broken hip participate in one of our seven-day tours without any issues.
“Australia does have an aging population, so Bike About has a fantastic offering well into the future. South Australia is like the best-kept secret regarding tourism, and I am proud to be part of it.”
