Trey Serbin

A great idea equals finding an unmet need and filling that need.

 

Trey Serbin is a premier diving instructor in the metropolitan area for middle and high school students. Capitalizing on the demand for divers in college sports, Trey helps pave the way for students aspiring to receive an athletic scholarship and achieve a higher education. Having received an academic scholarship himself, Trey knows exactly what it takes to be eligible and awarded such a valuable opportunity. Trey offers multiple services, from providing diving instructional videos at both the 1 meter and 3-meter board as well as personal coaching lessons in person. Whether it is at your pool or his, these private lessons aim to mold aspiring college divers into competitive athletes.

Where did the idea for your company come from?

I noticed that diving was an excellent and easier path than most sports to receive a college scholarship, so I decided to capitalize on that.

What does your typical day look like and how do you make it productive?

I mail the appropriate videos to my clients and I make sure to always do it same day.

How do you bring ideas to life?

I brainstorm with other divers as to expected needs of nascent divers.

What’s one trend that excites you?

That more colleges are adding men’s diving to their athletic programs!

What is one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?

Organization. As a full-time college student, and diver, I must organize my day to be able to appropriate enough time to my business.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Start diving earlier!

Tell us something that’s true that almost nobody agrees with you on.

ANYONE can learn to be a good diver.

As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?

I revisit my business model every day to think how I can make my service better and more desirable.

What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business?

As per above, I am constantly brainstorming what my target audience needs and how I can provide that to them.

What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?

The most difficult aspect for me is making my target audience aware of my product. Word of mouth is minimal for a start-up, so I have to make my service known in the middle-school and high-school student communities.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?

Do A/B testing with all the online advertising platforms to determine the best ROI. Google AdWords and Yelp Ads have been my best advertising platforms.

What is the best $100 you recently spent? What and why?

I paid a professional $100 to help me with my website, so that it would be attractive and user-friendly.

What is one piece of software or a web service that helps you be productive?

I love using Google Drive. It helps me get the proper coaching and links to my clients. It is very easy to use and my clients enjoy the platform.

What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?

I encourage everyone to read Breaking the Surface by Greg Louganis, the most famous diver ever. This will stimulate your interest in diving.

What is your favorite quote?

“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift” — Steve Prefontaine (famous American miler).

Key Learnings:

• A successful startup requires a great idea, intelligent implementation, and constant reassessment.
• A great idea equals finding an unmet need and filling that need.
• To be successful, your product or service must be something you are passionate about.
• Diving is fun, easy to learn, and a great pathway to a college scholarship.

Connect: