Adrenaline Air Sports

When Billy Cockrell jumped into started his own business, he took the notion a bit more literally than most entrepreneurs. Cockrell first experienced that thrill at the age of 19. His first jump was certainly not his last. He knew that he was going to continue to skydive. Not only that, he knew he would make a business out of it. He mapping out business plans, and considered every drop-zone possibility and how to get started. In 1999, he moved to Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia to start what is called Adrenaline Air Sports. It was a beautiful location, but difficult to access and had relatively few people within driving distance to target as customers. And while he says the airport operators were very supportive, he was nervous not controlling his own fate. That's the nature of the skydiving industry; after all, as Cockrell has learned since he first started his own drop zone back in 1999. It's an expensive business with an indefinable target market, and uncontrollable circumstances. All of those risks could not compare to the exhilaration that drew Cockrell into the business originally and is what keeps him there today. It's the thrill of the jump that he loves to share with his clients. In spite of everything, Cockrell signed his five-year lease to open Adrenaline Air Sports, received a loan for an airplane, and bought equipment. It was now ready for business. In 2000, total sales amounted to approximately $90,000, and in 2001 amounted to a surprising $154,000. They are on a private airport and it is fine, but they are growing at such a rate that they need to find a way to keep up with demand The case is the study of Adrenaline Air Sports and their attempts to grow from a new start-up company just a few years ago. The company has many different internal and external environment issues that they need to overcome if they wish to continue to grow. In this case, I will be analyzing the industry, the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities,...