‘If there’s one lesson I learnt from working with charities it’s that we should never underestimate Humans. They’re capable of amazing things.’
Meet Emma, Operations Director at Go Wild Experiences and your number one fan.
“There’s a story I like to tell people who say they won’t be able to do our challenges.”
Set in the jagged heights of the Peak District, a hesitant group of sales directors, marketing managers and credit controllers stood on the precipice of a 15-foot drop into ice cold water. From the moment she got up, till the moment she stood at the edge, the Sales Director had only one thing to say: ‘I don’t like heights.’
And as she rambled up the aptly named ‘Plunge’, she fell silent and slipped back down the queue. After watching all her friends take the Plunge, the Sales Director stepped up, beckoned by the guide who took her by the hand.
‘You’ve got two choices.’ the Guide said ‘Jump, and be with your friends, or go back and take the long way down.’ His outstretched arm held a harness. The Sales Director edged backwards, two choices became one. “I knew it, the guide knew it, she knew it. She was taking the long way down.”
“I think at that moment she must’ve heard the rest of them at the bottom because she changed. Everything did. Her face, her body, her spirit.”
“Just as I was about to step forward and show her the long way down she grabbed the harness. In an instant she was over barrier and standing on the ledge. With a single step backward she was falling, screaming. Until she plunged into the water.
3 seconds felt like three hours. I wasn’t sure what to expect. The guide looked at me, shocked. Then, we hear the second crash. The sales director burst out of the water. No gasps, no cries just laughter.”
“Yep. Humans are amazing.”
Emma, who has been with us for 18 months now, brings drive and passion to the workplace. It's that passion that has brought Go Wild Experiences to where it is now, creating strong and lasting relationships with charities who want to take on a challenge with a difference.
"I was working in the charity sector and that's when I was approached by Communicorp UK as they wanted someone to come in and advise on developing partnerships with charities for Go Wild Experiences, something I’d done a million times before.
It was on the last day I was offered the full-time role as Relationship Director. That’s when the excitement hit.”
Go Wild Experiences is an outdoor adventure company that offers amazing events in some of the most incredible locations across the UK giving ordinary people the opportunity to do loads of activities such as abseiling, trekking, hiking, zip wires, going across canyons and jumping across cliffs, things you wouldn't normally do on your own. They give people the opportunity to push themselves to the limit and face fears they really didn’t want to face.
"We tend to have two types of customers. There are people that come along who know they are going to be terrified of everything, not knowing whether they will achieve it. They manage to conquer fears and our instructors become counsellors at the top of cliffs managing people who are terrified getting them to do incredible things that they never thought was possible which is really amazing to watch."
"The other people are just those crazy, bonkers, nuts people who just love adrenaline fuelled activities. They think that throwing themselves off a cliff is a brilliant idea or rock climbing is fantastic. Those kinds of people come because we offer them loads of their favourite activities all in one go. We give them loads of activities bundled into one incredible day, which is what makes us different."
And soon that wasn’t the only thing standing Go Wild Experiences firmly away from the crowd. Just 5 months into her role as Relationship Director, Emma was called on to step up and take on total management of the company making Go Wild a singular vehicle of passion and devotion.
"I was like that Sales Director. I hesitated but took the plunge and came out stronger for it. The best thing that I've learnt is that I can do stuff that I didn't think I could do. Even when it’s unknown territory, I’m surrounded by people who have my back.”
" I report directly to the Chief Executive and he’s 100% invested in making me the best professional I can be. He’s always sending me bits and pieces to help outside of hours. You don't get that in other companies, people aren't usually as helpful. And then you have talented people sat around you who are here to deliver their best work for CCUK but then they are also one chat away from working with me and my business. So yeah, I'm super proud of what I've managed to do so far but there is still loads more that I need to do."
"We're not in a place where I'm happy yet. We've recently re-launched the website. I've done a whole rebrand on the organisation which includes the name, logo, the way we represent ourselves and our brand profile. That's been a real high for me, and incredible to be a part of. Having a Personal Best plan has allowed me to set goals which keep me focused. It's good to have something to refer back to that keeps me on track. Personal Best allows me to keep sight of what is important for me and the business."
So, as Emma edges closer to her own plunge, it’s not fear she feels just excitement.
"I want people to have heard of us. I want us to be the company that people are talking about. I want people to say 'oh my god, have you done one of their challenges?' I'd love for us to be the go-to provider for fundraising events. It will be incredible to watch them use something that we've created to raise loads of money for the really important causes that they're working for."
Without a doubt, Emma and Go Wild Experiences will make waves.