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Contact
E-mail: menno@findingmenno.com
Tel: +31 (0)6 22 47 85 03
Whatsapp: +31 (0)6 22 47 85 03
Skype: menno_verschuur
Website: www.findingmenno.com
Facebook: findingmenno
Experience
Business Consultant
Self-employed | Amsterdam, The Netherlands
June 2019 – current
Freelance business consultancy serving the diving industry. My services include providing diving and travel operators with revenue generating business initiatives, or translate your new ideas into hard numbers and an executable plan. Next to that I offer sales & marketing services such as social media management, trade show support, reservation management.
My characteristics are a natural curiosity to learn and a drive to always improve myself and my environment. This is combined with strong social, commercial and analytical skills. I benefit from a global diving experience, a corporate sales & marketing background, and an extensive network in the industry.
Some of my projects include:
- Relief crew and dive guide on a boutique sailing liveaboard ( S/Y Water & Wind, Azores, Portugal, September 2020)
- Canal cruise captain (Flagship, Amsterdam, Netherlands, seasonal)
- Creating a Business Plan as co-owner for a start-up technical diving operator based in the Caribbean (December 2019 – March 2020). Postponed due to pandemic.
- Sales & Representation of a Caribbean based diving operator at the largest Dutch trade show (Duikvaker, The Netherlands, February 2020)
- Sales & Representation of a Caribbean based diving operator at the largest European trade show (BOOT, Germany, January 2020).
- Sales & Representation of a Caribbean based diving operator at the largest North American trade show (DEMA, USA, November 2019).
- Creating a Business Plan for a start-up technical diving operator based in Indonesia (June – July 2019).
- Collaborator (creative, location support, guest host) for the fastest growing diving Youtube channel (>30k subs) (June 2019 – current).
Sales & Marketing Manager
Divetech | Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
November 2016 – July 2019
Sales & Marketing Manager at Grand Cayman’s most complete dive operator. Divetech has been operating since 1994, and has 2 shop locations. Diving is offered from 3 boats, as well as an award winning shore dive location.
Divetech offers a full range of diving and training; recreational SCUBA, Technical & Rebreather diving, and Freediving. Another specialty is kids diving, with programs starting at age 5.
For those looking for a care-free vacation, Divetech works with several accommodation partners to offer ‘dive & room’ packages.
Responsibilities:
– Sales of diving, and accommodation packages, using both direct sales and various indirect channels.
– International trade show sales & representation.
– Partner management, such as accommodation, transfers, car rental, media, agents, local government.
– Daily scheduling of dive activities, transfers, accommodations, staff.
– Marketing using Social Media, website content, and other digital platforms.
– Event planning and coordination.
– Assistant Operations Manager supervising 12 staff.
– Occasional dive guiding and training, including Technical & Rebreather diving.
Blogger
July 2016 – current
Personal website and blog. As marketing professional this is my own ‘digital playground’. I can experiment and build experience with all aspects of modern Digital Marketing. This includes elements such as website hosting, domain name management, content management, SEO, SEM, photo and video editing, PHP/CSS/HTML editing and more. Two pages have reached number 1 ranking in Google search for the related keywords
Secondly it provides a place to develop my writing skills and engage with my target audience. And it makes my mom happy as she can read what I’m up to!
Cruise Director | Dive Operations Manager
Infinity Expedition | South Pacific Ocean
May 2015 – June 2016
Cruise Director, Dive Operations Manager and dive instructor (MSDT) on an expedition sailing vessel. S/Y ‘Infinity’ is a 120 ft ketch hosting up to 20 guests from all walks of life. The itinerary is dynamic and set with the onboard guests, and is a mix of ocean sailing, diving, watersports activities, hiking and cultural excursions. Mainly exploring the South Pacific islands, ‘Infinity’ has also sailed into the polar waters of Antartica and the Artic.
Responsibilities:
– Conducting PADI courses and dive experiences from the ship in remote locations.
– Guiding certified divers on boat dives on often unexplored dive sites.
– Dive operation support, such as tank filling and basic gear maintenance.
– Sourcing supplies for the dive operation; teaching materials, dive equipment.
– Tender driving (50 hp outboard).
– Acting as Officer of the Watch.
– Managing ship’s itinerary.
– Guest communication, both during booking and onboard.
– Marketing using Social Media, e-mail, website content, and other digital platforms.
– General crew duties; deck crew, ship maintenance, cooking, cleaning.
Dive Instructor
The Dive Centre The Big Fish | Rarotonga, Cook Islands
November 2014 – April 2015
Dive instructor (MSDT) at a popular and well established Cook Islands dive center. The Dive Centre runs two boats to reach dive sites on all sides of Rarotonga. All the main PADI training and experience programs are also offered, as well as free try-outs at major resorts.
Responsibilities:
– Conducting PADI courses and dive experiences as both boat and shore dives.
– Guiding certified divers on boat dives.
– Preparing dive operations for both boats.
– Conducting pool try-outs, including selling of try dive experiences.
Assistant Manager
Divine Diving | Komodo, Indonesia
June 2014 – October 2014
Assistant Manager & dive instructor (MSDT) at one of Komodo’s oldest and most highly rated dive centers. Divine Diving operates two boats, one for day trips and one liveaboard for multi-day trips. With two locations in the town of Labuan Bajo Divine Diving offers a great presence for Komodo visitors.
Responsibilities:
– Managing the second (satellite) shop – walk-in sales, gear rental & boat scheduling.
– Preparing dive operations for both boats (gear preparation, guest administration).
– Guiding certified divers on boat dives.
– Conducting PADI courses and dive experiences from boats.
– Created company marketing plan.
Dive Instructor
VIP Diving | Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands
November 2013 – May 2014
Dive instructor (OWSI) & tour guide at VIP Diving, the #1 Tripadvisor rated dive shop on Bonaire. At VIP Diving we focus on providing excellent customer service, putting quality before quantity. We provide a personalised service, going ‘off the beaten path’, and ensure that our customers also enjoy their time between dives.
Responsibilities:
– Conducting PADI dive courses and dive experiences at shore dive locations.
– Guiding certified divers on shore dives.
– Island tour guide. (Tourism Corporation Bonaire certified )
– Operational support – filling tanks, gear maintenance.
– Shop and office duties – sales, administration, assisting with marketing.
Divemaster & Dive Instructor Internship
Utila Dive Centre | Utila, Honduras
July 2013 – October 2013
As a PADI Divemaster intern I started my diving career by immersing myself in all aspects of being a dive professional; assisting classes, helping day-to-day running of the dive operations, guiding dive groups and many more.
Following my successful completion of the PADI Instructor Development Course (IDC), I expanded my experience as an instructor with an internship.
I also enrolled in additional courses to become a certified instructor in several scuba diving specialties. This enables me to provide a higher service level to my customers, and provide more value to the Dive Center I’m employed at.
Education
B.B.A Business Marketing
NCOI | Amsterdam, The Netherlands
June 2010 – September 2012
The NIMA-B Business Marketing course is recognized as Marketing Manager Level 6 in the European Qualification Framework (EQF), equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree.
M.Sc Applied Earth Sciences
Delft University of Technology | Delft, The Netherlands
September 1992 – August 2001
Formerly Mining Engineering.
Master: Raw Materials Technology
Mining Engineering
Queen’s University | Kingston, Canada
September 1999 – August 2000
Exchange program from Delft University of Technology
Master: Mining Engineering
Elective subject: Aerospace Engineering
Certifications
Maritime
Instructor – Master Scuba Diver Trainer (incl. Nitrox, Deep, Wreck, Sidemount) | September 2013
Diver – Tec50
Diver – CCR Diver (KISS Orca Spirit)
Diver – Freediver Level 1
STCW 2010 Basic Training | May 2016
Ship Security Awareness Training – Seafarers with Designated Security Duties (SSAT – SDSD) | May 2016
Other
Driving licence – Dutch B (car), clean.
Passport – Dutch (Schengen)
Visa – US B1/2
Fundamentals of Digital Marketing | January 2020
Google Ads Search Certification | February 2020
Google Analytics Individual Qualification | February 2020
Languages
Dutch: Mother tongue
English: Fluent
German: Basic
French: Basic
Spanish: Basic
Volunteer Experience
Hyperbaric Chamber Assistant
Cayman Islands Hyperbaric Chamber | Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
February 2019 – July 2019
Training for hyperbaric chamber assistant / operator. The chamber is used for hyperbaric treatments and diving incidents.
Completed training but unfortunately did not act as staff due to leaving island.
Other experience
Sales & Marketing Manager
August 2001 – current
My diving experience is next to a corporate career in sales & marketing.
Please visist my LinkedIn profile for more information.