Teena Dickson | Dickson Outfitters and Who What Where Tours | June 13, 2020

Join Yukon Entrepreneur and Hunting Outfitter/Tour Operator Teena Dickson of Dickson Outfitters and Who What Where Tours as she talks about how her businesses are adapting to the pandemic. Teena has extensive experience in the tourism industry and is proud to be part of a multi-generational family-owned business that has been operating since 1903.

https://www.whitehorsetours.com/

https://www.dicksonoutfitters.com/

 

(1:30) As she transitions her business during the pandemic, she’s found tremendous support and ideas from within her community.

 

(2:34) Teena talks about how they haven’t had any clients for 14 weeks since the travel restrictions took effect and the impact that’s having on her life. She describes it like an “empty nest” syndrome not having tour clients calling, visiting and out on the land. The break has allowed her to take a moment to pause and reflect.

 

(4:55) Typically from May to October, everyone knows that the Dickson’s are BUSY working in tourism. They’ve taken the opportunity to work on their administrative processes and connect with people.

 

(7:30) As a Yukon tourism ambassador, Teena has been providing a lot of information and advice to her clients who are having to cancel trips. The multi-day expedition clients have been fairly relaxed through the pandemic but the day-trip clients have been much active in their communications as they try to understand how to manage through this crisis.

 

(10:10) Teena’s leadership strengths of creativity and adaptability have really helped her through this time. Leadership is about communication so she’s been focusing on reminding Yukoners about the importance of the tourism economy to the Yukon but to also get outside and explore all that the territory has to offer – acknowledging that it is Yukoners who help sell her products too to their friends and family who come to visit.

 

(13:50) Teena acknowledges that she’s had to refund a lot of money over the past few months but is confident that her clients will come back. She recognizes that she’s fiercely independent and so she’s focused less on government support grants and more on finding new revenue streams and “going down a road that I never get to tour.”

 

(16:55) Teena’s newest project is mushrooms. She has teamed up with Ponderosa Mushrooms out of British Columbia as their in-the-Yukon logistics partner and local buyer. She sees it as a great opportunity to get Yukoners out on the land harvesting morel mushrooms and making money. Training her staff to be mushroom buyers has been a great opportunity to work on leadership  and sales skills for her team.

 

(22:50) Teena sees how pandemic is a great opportunity for so many of us to re-set and re-start and she hopes the mushroom harvest is a good re-start for many Yukoners who have lost their jobs rights now.

 

(24:20) Teena hopes that Yukoners really step up to support local businesses now and going forward and to remember the heart and soul of the territory.

 

(30:25) Teena’s worldview shift? She’s excited that people are seeing the tourism economy the way she’s always seen it! She admits that she’s a very forward-focused person and constantly working to adapt how she operates.

 

(32:40) To stay grounded during this challenging time, she’s been spending more time with family. It’s been interesting to see her kids change and grow as they’ve found employment outside of the family business. Teena’s been spending time out on the land – but with new found freedom as a visitor rather than as a guide.

 

(35:25) With her new found time, Teena’s been reading books.. Right now, she’s reading “Daring Greatly” by Brene Brown. It’s not a book that she would typically pick up to read but it was all she had in her bag at the cabin. It’s a book that talks about change and taking risks and she’s uncovering a few ‘aha’ moments in it.

 

(40:25) Teena’s final thoughts: dare to be different OR take your own plate, fill it up and throw some mushrooms on it!