Honan has been working with Rip Swim for over two years,  and in what began as a night-time swim many years ago for Founder and open water swimming coach – Grant Siedle, Rip Swim now offers Australia’s most original open water swimming events. We caught up with Grant to learn more about the iconic events and how far the business has come.

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THE CRUX OF YOUR BUSINESS?

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‍To give people an exciting and truly unforgettable open water swimming experience.

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YOUR PARTNERSHIP WITH HONAN COMMENCED BACK IN 2018. TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT WHAT RIP SWIM LOOKED LIKE THEN VERSUS WHERE YOU ARE NOW.

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‍The event has grown steadily throughout that time. We’ve now completed 6 seasons of swims and more than 450 swimmers have braved the crossing from Point Nepean to Point Lonsdale. We’re reaching a wider audience than ever before, including triathletes and adventure enthusiasts, as well as the traditional open water groups. We also have a Byron Bay swimming trip coming up in April 2021!

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‍AT HONAN, WE'RE ALWAYS INSPIRED BY BUSINESSES WHO ARE BRAVE ENOUGH TO DO THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENTLY. TELL US SOMETHING UNEXPECTED OR TRULY DIFFERENT ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS.

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‍The swim across “The Heads” at Port Phillip Bay was always considered illegal. We convinced the authorities that we could safely navigate our way across the shipping lanes (even though ships come in at the same time!) This feature is one of the many exciting elements in the event, and it’s quite an adrenaline rush!

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A COMMITMENT TO ONGOING EVOLUTION IS A HALLMARK OF SOME OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES TODAY. WHAT DOES EVOLUTION LOOK LIKE/MEAN TO YOUR BUSINESS?

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‍Every year we seek to improve our safety and streamline the entry, training and team selection process. This is a team event, so making sure everyone is working together is critical to our success.

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YOU’RE A HIGHLY EXPERIENCED PRO-SWIMMER AND COACH, DO YOU THINK A HIGH-PERFORMANCE MINDSET STANDS YOU IN GOOD STEAD IN THE BUSINESS WORLD/IN SEEKING OUT NEW CHALLENGES?

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‍Having completed several very long swims, many triathlons and surf life-saving races has given me specific knowledge about how to take on these sorts of projects. The discipline of training does help in business, but I believe it is more about having a strong vision and not worrying about the setbacks along the way.

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AT HONAN, MAINTAINING QUALITY CONNECTIONS WITH OUR PEOPLE, PARTNERS AND THE COMMUNITY SITS AT THE HEART OF WHAT WE DO. WHAT RELATIONSHIPS & CONNECTIONS HAVE BEEN CRITICAL TO YOUR BUSINESS SUCCESS IN RECENT YEARS?

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‍Having a loyal sponsor in Honan helps from both a financial perspective and from a confidence perspective. Knowing that a larger organisation (particularly one that works in the area of risk) will stand alongside you reinforces that what you are doing is well-executed and worthwhile.

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YOU HAVE A PERFECT TRACK RECORD, BUT OPEN WATER SWIMMING NATURALLY HAS ITS RISKS! HOW HAS HONAN HAS SUPPORTED YOUR BUSINESS OVER THE TIME WE’VE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER?

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Providing our Public Liability is the main factor here. The process of putting that in place involves working through a detailed plan and each year, we seek to streamline that plan as we talk with the team at Honan.

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WHAT ARE YOU MOST EXCITED ABOUT FOR THE BUSINESS OVER THE NEXT 6-12 MONTHS?

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‍After the lockdown of 2020, I’m eager to see the increase in popularity of outdoor and adventure-related events. So far we’ve seen a lot of demand. I am also very excited about a swim we are likely to be running for teenagers from the Anglesea Lifesaving Club. This is a very positive initiative to engage younger people and encourage them to stay involved in lifesaving.

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Rip Swim’s open water swim calendar begins in January 2021. Click here to learn more about the upcoming swims and reserve your place.

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Discover more in our Partner Q&A Series: Catapult Sports.