#WIB – Q&A With Carmen Lerm Founder Of West Coast Way
1. Can you please tell us more about your business?
West Coast Way is a destination marketing company specializing in the Cape West Coast of South Africa. We bring tourism in reach of the many businesses in the area that offer accommodation, activities and are attractions that offer authentic West Coast experiences to visitors. West Coast Way is known as South Africa’s road trip with the most twists. We crafted an interlinked road trip made up of themed routes, one that visitors can follow to explore the region and over 101 attractions of the area.
2. When, how and why did you start your business?
I started the business in 2014 through a business opportunity that was ignited by the landowners of the area, who, with the co-operation of some of the region’s municipalities and SANParks (West Coast National Park). Many people in the West Coast recognized the importance of nature conservation to ensure the sustainability of the area. One of the pillars that were identified to stimulate investment, a necessity to drive conservation, was tourism.
After a rigorous process of looking at different solutions, the decision was made to have a route developed. We were very fortunate to have been selected to start a business of this nature – one of the requirements was that the business had to operate independently and sustainably. It was wonderful to receive so much freedom to explore and create solutions for travellers in one of the areas of South Africa that has so much to offer in terms of nature and biodiversity.
3. What is your role in the business?
I am pretty hands-on in whatever needs to be done, and this is how I get “in touch” with the best solution for every challenge. I serve over 40 clients in the area – each one require a special solution to best market their offering to their target market – from towns, to accommodation to boat cruise operators. So, yes, I am the CEO and take responsibility for whatever comes our way. I see myself as a success-maker.
4. Where did you study and what did you study?
I studied at the University of Stellenbosch, 4 years in Visual Arts. Then another mini-MBA, followed by an intensive new media course. But I am the greengrocer’s daughter, and I started working very young – primary school, high school, and student years. There is no better way to learn about people than to dedicate yourself to servicing others.
5. How did you finance your business?
I have another company that I started in 1999, namely FusionDesign, an expert creative design and PR agency, which funded West Coast Way for the first three years.
6. Describe your average workday if such a thing exists.
Up at 4:30, to bed at 21:00. Do my admin and creative work early in the morning – spend as much possible daytime dedicated to lunches, networking, and guiding my team. I spend close to 60% of my time on thinking and, thus strategy for my own business and our clients’s businesses.
7. How do you balance your home life and your work life?
It has become a lot easier now that I work from home. I never thought it could ‘work’ – but here I am post-covid and happily working from home. I have an incredibly committed husband who has never stood in my way and always encouraged me.
8. What drives you and inspires you?
Seeing brands prosper, the pride in people’s eyes when they achieve. All great work achieved is proof that “there is much more in us than we think”!
9. Where and when do you have your best ideas?
Those lunches are invaluable, but I have often dreamt of solutions. If you don’t write it down, it will not happen.
10. Where and how do you market/advertise your business for sales leads?
Social media, public relations, trade shows, associations we belong to, and networking. Keeping great relationships is uno #1 in marketing.
11. What is next for your business?
West Coast Way should now focus on reaching more clients through a visual campaign. But before we do that, our website needs to be redeveloped. It is the time! Then there is something that I want to achieve this year: form an advisory board. This will give multiple benefits to West Coast Way, but also to the members.
12. What advice would you give to female entrepreneurs hoping to start their own business?
Just do it. There are no guarantees – whether you work for a boss, a big corporate, or yourself. And always ask yourself: is what I am doing now the best use of my time. Be careful how you use your time, money and energy to build your business. Last, but not least: Find the best accountant, because: Revenue is Vanity, Profit is Sanity and Cash is King – Alan Miltz.
Short Bio:
Carmen Lerm lives for making the unknown known.
Award winning marketing specialist (A Premier’s Entrepreneurship Recognition Awards winner – the Western Cape’s most prestigious entrepreneurship competition which honours excellence in entrepreneurship). Carmen is the founder and CEO of West Coast Way – one of the hottest destination marketing organisations, which was established to market the Cape West Coast and the many wonderful things to see and do in this beautiful area situated on Cape Town’s doorstep.
Carmen has many years of experience, knowledge and connections in the travel and tourism sector and she has employed her expertise in the creation and running of West Coast Way. She is a force to be reckoned with and there is no such word as can’t in her vocabulary.
Carmen Lerm’s long career has taken her from a background in design to becoming a destination marketing specialist who is passionate about delivering results to her clients. Together with her team, Carmen conceptualises, strategises and delivers on all the marketing, design, internal and external communication needs for her valued long-standing clients.
Some background
Carmen holds a BA in Visual Communication Design from Stellenbosch.
In 1999 Carmen founded FusionDesign, which is a leading full-service integrated brand agency whose entire strategy is centred on the customer. The agency has a hands-on, personalised approach – everyone within the organisation becomes involved with every client and project – it is about absorbing the client’s values and passions and becoming the brand. FusionDesign also focuses strongly on community involvement and skills development within the community.
Then in 2014, Carmen founded her second passion, West Coast Way, to market the Cape West Coast and the many wonderful things to see and do in this beautiful area situated on Cape Town’s doorstep.
This goal has been a great success through the creation of South Africa’s road trip with the most twists, where visitors can explore a unique collection of over 101 destinations along themed routes.
One has to only look at the various offerings that have been developed – such as the list of 101 things to do on the West Coast, the Tractor, Berg, Foodie, Cultural, Wild and Cape Way Routes, and most recently the Weskusbeskus catch phrase that was developed by West Coast Way and which encapsulates the richness of the Cape West Coast culture, to see the creativity and innovation being employed to best expose West Coast Way clients to the public in order to bring more “feet through the door”.
More about Carmen
Carmen has many years of experience and connections in the travel and tourism sector through years spent marketing businesses within the tourism sector and she has employed this knowledge in the running of West Coast Way. She is a force to be reckoned with and there is no such word as can’t in her vocabulary. It came as no surprise when she won the Premier’s Entrepreneurship Recognition Awards (PERA Awards) – the Western Cape’s most prestigious entrepreneurship competition which honours excellence in entrepreneurship.
With West Coast Way she has slowly but surely built a proud identity that highlights the unique aspects of the West Coast, and is always one step ahead of the latest emerging trend in tourism. Carmen has created routes that are well on their way to being amongst the top 10 of South Africa’s tourist routes.
Carmen thinks big – seeing the bigger picture, yet also paying attention to the tiny details that make the bigger picture a reality. She is able to take the tourists view of an area and mirror it back to the residents of the West Coast, allowing them to see it differently and create a collective pride in the uniqueness of the West Coast.
Contact information carmen@westcoastway.co.za. 0828255715, www.westcoastway.co.za
– Social media links @westcoastwaysa (instagram, twitter, facebook)