Many businesses are dependent on other businesses to operate effectively. It is a simple concept. Businesses rely on other company’s products and services to allow them to prosper and for their customers to enjoy the benefits (indirectly or directly). Companies rely on distribution partners and supply chains, other organization’s sales channels, food and beverage as well as apparel partners, landlords, consultants, marketers and a plethora of mutually beneficial business to business (B2B) partnerships. That simple concept could not be more important to The Tropical Treasure Hunt Co. Our value proposition is predicated on partnering with other Virgin Island companies to bring a magical day to life for our clients.

When I created my first treasure hunt for my girlfriend and partner Angela on a fateful day years ago, I realized immediately that I would need a business to partner with me to execute my plan. I needed the business to give the treasure hunt clue to her and understand we could have a mutually beneficial relationship, even a small one, for the occasion. I nervously walked into one of our favorite restaurants and hoped the business owner would give the clue to Angela when we entered the restaurant later that day. It was a straightforward yet unique B2B transaction (before we were an actual business). The owner would provide the clue to Angela and we would buy a delicious pizza from our favorite pizza parlor (Pizza Amore). Sure, the business would make a small sale. But for me, it meant so much more. It meant that my crazy plan to have personalized clues waiting all over the island for her would come to fruition. It was a chance to make a memorable day that showed how much I cared about her. Some business owners would have refused, stating “Sorry but NO, we don’t do stuff like that.” It was an added responsibility for him on top of running his business that day. Fortunately, I had been a loyal customer and the owner is a great guy who remembers your name. He treats you kindly the moment you walk in. So It was no surprise he said “Sure, sounds fun!” The owner may have even got a kick out of the idea and helping me impress a girl. It worked like a charm resulting in Angela smiling the whole time as we devoured our pepperoni pizzas while she solved the next clue.

Fast forward to our business now, where we create memorable adventures that bring teams, families and other couples closer together. We partner with at least four businesses for each treasure hunt. Some of our corporate team building packages include over six businesses participating on the same day! That means up to six businesses have tweaked a process to ensure our treasure hunts are executed flawlessly. The result is extraordinary. The client feels like the whole island is in on their adventure! Many clients are pleasantly perplexed after a hunt and ask, “how do you get everyone to work with you guys?” The answer may sound cheesy, but the truth is we do our best to treasure their business. We do this by bringing them additional business and foot traffic. Additionally, we bring additional awareness to their business. These organizations include attractions, bars, restaurants, jewelry stores, etc. Each relationship is unique and valuable. We thoroughly vet the partner out to ensure we are sending our clients to a place we trust. Many times, we have already been customers of theirs.

We take our partnerships very seriously. It takes a lot of energy and due diligence, but the result is always worth it. To ensure success we meet with each business owner at the beginning of the partnership and hold occasional check-ins. We show respect for what they do and their processes, understanding they don’t have to work with us. It takes time and patience to get a new package up and running smoothly. At times it can put an additional burden on their staff and processes (especially with a 50-plus person corporate hunt with a lot of moving pieces). But we respect them enough to augment our processes as we learn to try and make it as seamless as possible for both businesses to prosper from the relationship. We have learned that one of the most gratifying experiences is witnessing two businesses continue to grow while discovering how to improve clients’ experience, together. Hearing our client discuss how much fun they had at the partner’s establishment is the icing on the cake. What’s not to treasure about that?

Anthony Schultz
Co-Founder & Managing Member