Having a Whale of a Time! Meet Carmen Ellis.

Do you remember last week’s interview with the lovely Sarah Cullen? This week, we’re talking to her equally smart and talented sister, mumpreneur Carmen Ellis, and discussing what it’s like to raise a family and run Majestic Whale Encounters in NSW, Australia.

Amanda: Welcome, Carmen! It’s lovely to see you.

Carmen: Thank you!

Amanda: You run an ocean tour business in Australia. Where and when did you first get the idea to do this and how long did it take you to achieve?

Carmen: I’ve always loved dolphins and whales, ever since I was a child, and always hoped to have a career in that field. When I was about 25, I heard that you could swim with whales in Tonga. In 2012 I went to check it out, at 2 years later, Majestic Whale Encounters was born!

Amanda: I had to check out Tonga on Google Maps for a minute! Wow, swimming with whales. How exciting! So, you set your company up in 2014. What challenges did you face along the way?

Carmen: Oh, there have been so many. One example is a tour we had booked in Norway and the company we used to hire the boat had broken its contract with the owner. Even though we had signed a contract, we still lost $15,000 and never managed to get that back. Also, one of our most popular tours is in Tonga, and every year, they cancel loads of their inter-island flights. This makes it very stressful as we’re constantly checking if the flights are going to go ahead. At times we had to put guests on an overnight ferry just to get them to the island. Travel can be very tricky, but we love it, and that’s why we keep on doing it.

Amanda: Oh my goodness. There’s so much that goes on behind the scenes that never crosses our minds. Losing that money must have been painful.

Carmen: It was…

Amanda. I can only imagine. How does being a mum impact your goal-setting and achievement?

Carmen: I draw inspiration from being a mum. Sometimes, when it all feels too hard, I look at my kids and it gives me that extra boost to show them how to work hard and that your dreams really can come true.

Amanda: How do you market your business online and in person?

Carmen: Facebook has been quite successful for us. At the beginning, we used Facebook advertising to build our pages. I used to spend $100 and get 400 new page likes each time. Then it started to take care of itself. We find that sharing amazing whale footage gets us lots of likes/comments/shares and page likes. We also used to hire a PR company and they used to get us in the newspapers and magazines quite often. Since COVID hit, we’ve not been able to afford PR anymore, so we’ve had to do it all ourselves. This also gave me the chance to work on ‘Nellie the Narwhal’ and ‘Spike, the Penguin with Rainbow Hair’ with my sister Sarah.

In person, our biggest success without a doubt is the fact that we have been sponsors for the Ocean Film Festival for the last five years, and we get to meet our perfect target audience in person when we attend these shows.

Amanda: That must be so exciting! Tell me, what has helped you along the way?

Carmen: It’s funny, because I actually feel like I’ve seen a shift in what has been more successful. At first, print was the best way to book new clients. For example newspapers, magazines, etc, but as the years went on, it shifted to social media and word of mouth as our most common form of conversion. If you are in a business like ours, it’s a good idea to ask the question ‘How did you find out about us?’ on your booking form as it helps you spend your marketing money in the right way.

Amanda: That’s so simple, but such excellent advice. What are you working on at the moment?

Carmen: We are working on a new and exciting tour to Antarctica!

Amanda: Oh, wow! That really does sound exciting! What’s the best thing that has come out of following your dreams?

Carmen: There’s nothing like doing what you love every day. It is such an amazing feeling to travel the world and swim with these beautiful, big animals and know that it’s actually your career!

Amanda: I’m gonna have to book myself on one of your whale tours one day! Who has been instrumental in helping you achieve your goals?

Carmen: Without a doubt, my husband has been the biggest support, and I wouldn’t be where I am without him. He’s amazing!

Amanda: That’s so nice to hear. Name someone you admire and why.

Carmen: David Attenborough. His conservation efforts, and even just the awareness he brings to wildlife is incredible. A true legend.

Amanda: I couldn’t agree more. What’s the best advice you can give to anyone who has a dream?

Carmen: Don’t give up! Sometimes it can feel like you are failing, but if you keep going, one day you will wake up and realise that you made it!

Amanda: That’s so true. Carmen, we’ve now come to the end of this interview. How can people get in touch with you?

Carmen: They can visit our website www.majesticwhaleencounters.com.au, or follow us on Facebook or Instagram.

Amanda: Thank you for your time. Enjoy the rest of your day!