Art of the Boomerang with Fred Fung of Bonita Bay Club
Bonita Business Podcast with Coach Darcy
Release Date: 02/15/2020
Bonita Business Podcast with Coach Darcy
As we wrap up this season, I asked a few of our past guests to update us on their business here in Bonita.
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As we came closer to the end of this third season of our local podcast, the world changed--fast. In this bonus episode, I catch up on the changes with tech leader Alex Allen of Two39 Group, co-owner of the year-old Bonita co-working space Two39 Work.
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This conversation with my guest Adam Botana was recorded prior to this stunning shift in our economy here, and of course our state’s stay-at-home orders are impacting his family’s company, Bay Water Boat Club, as they are yours, mine and others.
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My next guest and I share this goal of wanting to spread the word about the tech and entrepreneurial opportunities in Southwest Florida--and don't let the current economic environment fool you--there WILL be opportunities. He’s Alex Allen, who’s the co-founder of the Two39 Group, a tech startup hub that owns Two39 Work, a co-working and connection space for tech companies and entrepreneurs.
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My guest Greg DeWitt became Bonita Springs' fire chief in January 2020, but brings years of Bonita history as well as a vision for Bonita's future.
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When you think of local businesses, you’re probably not thinking about one very big, important local business. In fact, this business had a budget last year of $38 million, and if you pay taxes in Bonita, about 70% of that was funded by you and me.
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In Southwest Florida, animals are everywhere, and when an animal gets caught where it shouldn’t be or gets out of control, that’s when it’s time to call my next guest: Butch Smith, founder of Southern Trappers Nuisance Wildlife Removal.
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You probably know that starting a new retail service business can be hard. But how would it be if you were starting it with your mom?
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If you have a great company, you might see the "boomerang" employee--someone who leaves but rejoins your organization down the road. And that’s exactly what happened to Fred Fung, who in late 2019 re-joined the Bonita Bay Club.
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You might not realize that 70% of each new family who moves here, full or part-time, will have a pet.. That’s good news for our next guest, Debi Braendle, owner of the Bonita Boarding Kennel and Pet Camp. In this interview, Debi tells us about the real work of the business--and it's not what you might think.
info_outlineHere's something I see happen all the time when I'm coaching leaders and up-and-coming professionals. They’ve mastered their current role, and they’re hungry to grow. But, the next logical spot for them is one that’s already filled—often, by their boss, and at the time, it doesn’t seem like that boss is going anywhere. So, that ambitious person leaves to get the growth and opportunities they need.
But if you do the work to be a great company in your industry, something interesting happens. Those employees boomerang back, and rejoin your organization down the road. And that’s exactly what happened to Fred Fung, who in late 2019 re-joined the Bonita Bay Club after a couple years away, but this time in the top job of general manager.
Fred shares what’s happening behind the scenes in this company of 350 full-time employees serving a membership of 3600 people at one of the country’s top five clubs in terms of size. And that size includes not only five golf clubs and 18 tennis courses, but the ownership & operation of the 3-story, 60,00 square foot office building next to the promenade that not only houses the club’s fitness center and spa, but is home to offices not connected to the club, including Finemark, Hotwire, and several doctors and specialists. So they’re in the real estate business, too.
We also get in to the future of the club business as populations age, and hiring gets harder, and as environmental pressures grow.
Before we dive in, your Bonita Business Podcast is supported by the Spotlight News Magazine, local news that shines a light on the people of Naples, Bonita Springs and Estero. Read the Spotlight at swspotlight.com.
Also, we’re grateful for the support of Audible, which will give you a free audiobook when you sign up for a new 30-day trial membership. Just go to AudibleTrial.com/CoachDarcy, and you’ll get started today.
And a quick reminder that after the show, come over to BonitaBusinessPodcast.com. There you’ll find show notes with more resources, photos, and other tools related to the episode you’re listening to right now. You can also sign up to get regular email updates from me as new podcasts come out—that’s where I share the dish that doesn’t make it into the podcast. You won’t want to miss what’s ahead, so be sure to visit BonitaBusinessPodcast.com today.