Looking back to 11 years ago, which marked the birth of Fulcrum Surf School, no one would have imagined it to be what it is today, except Dan Mori. He knew the extent of what he could accomplish all along. By combining his passion and skill in surfing with the drive to share it with others, the rest fell into place.
Looking back to the start of Fulcrum Surf School, some of the mishaps that come with starting a new business really put things in perspective of how far it has come over the years.
“Since we were growing at such a fast pace, I didn’t have enough equipment to keep up, and ended up having to pay the full price out of my own pocket during the season to keep the standard of quality,” said Dan. “For example, instead of giving my clients damp wetsuits, I would go and buy new wetsuits from surf shops. I’m glad I am past that point!”
His expectations of elitist success were self-imposed, and Dan started the trend within himself, teaching by example. He only added to his team by hand-picking instructors who clearly understood and agreed with his ingrained Fulcrum Surf Philosophy, which is the three goals of the surf lesson: safety, quality instruction, and professionalism.
Because of this, the locals, tourists, students, campers and parents alike react to Fulcrum Surf School in a consistently positive manner.
“We love it when our clients have experienced other surf schools, and can realize that our service and professionalism is untouchable,” said Dan.
These moments of positive feedback and community responses are what make it all worth the while.
Some other key points to success included keeping the lowest overhead possible without compromising the quality of the notoriously exceptional image and customer service of the company. This goal of a low overhead allowed for a larger budget, allotting for the hire of the highest quality of instructors and employees.
From year-round coaching to summer camps to store merchandise to volunteering, Fulcrum Surf School’s presence in the community has only been for the better.
“As we take a pay cut in coaching the local high school and middle school surf teams, we create an awareness to the community about our incredible coaches; they are good mentors as well as good teachers,” said Dan. “On top of that, we donate over 3,500 dollars to charities, wounded warriors, cystic fibrosis, autistic children, and kids in disadvantaged areas.
In return, the community has supported the growing success of Fulcrum with its continued involvement, and in doing so, has helped to make Fulcrum what it is today.
As you can see, Fulcrum is different than the other surf schools in the area, and is considered elite for multiple reasons.
“Since we run programs all year, we can offer quality instructors and guaranteed progression,” said Dan.
Through year-round training and lower turn over rates than other surf schools, Fulcrum stands out far above the rest because people see results. The customer service is also above and beyond. The crew is instructed to carry the boards and equipment for clients, and provide a thorough debriefing and future goal-setting after the lesson. Another primary characteristic that makes Fuclrum stand out is the punctuality of the instructors, squashing the tardiness stereotype that has permeated the surf industry.
To have maintained the quality while continuing to grow is a great feat to be proud of. Dan always knew that Fulcrum Surf School could be what it is today, and now that he’s accomplished it, he’s not stopping here. Upon reaching and celebrating this 10-year anniversary, he is already looking to the future, and to go international, with the goal of having over 10 locations around the country and the world.
“As long as I don’t cut costs, maintain the high level of customer service, and train the right instructors, we will continue to grow,” said Dan. “The competition won’t know how to keep up, while all I do is think of ways to get better and take care of my team.”