Interview with Jennifer Webb, Founder of Universal Disney Nutz
Tell us a bit about Universal Disney Nutz.
Universal Disney Nutz is a social media group, blog, podcast and travel agency. We specialize in providing up to date information regarding all of the major Disney and Universal theme parks, as well as the Central Florida area.
What gave you the idea for your business and how did it start?
I originally started the group just on Facebook. They are a dime a dozen, however so many of them have become political in nature and the members are just out to get each other. My staff and I have all worked for the theme parks at one time or another, or still do. What we wanted to do was take the guest service initiative that was instilled in us in training with these employers and put it out there on a global scale, hoping to offer something the other social media groups do not.
Shortly after, my dear friend Bill came to me with the idea of the podcast and it exploded. We have listeners from 8 different countries, including England, Australia, Canada, just to name a few. We are currently in the works of revamping the podcast into a talk show format with 3 hosts, including a weekly YouTube channel. Here is the link to our podcast page. http://www.
We started petitioning for sponsors that would either give us a commission based on sales of their merchandise through the group, or would offer another benefit to our group members. This is when we joined forces with Castle Vacations and our staff became Certified Travel Specialists with them. We are now in the process of launching our travel agency, which will not only offer travel to the major theme parks and resorts, but international travel, cruise lines other than Disney, and other related services.
We have two writers on our blog staff that contribute weekly, including a recurring column called Tasty Tuesday, where she review the food and beverages at the parks, and Festival Friday for the Festival of the Arts that is currently taking place at Epcot. David writes more in depth, out of the box articles such as what your dream theme park would be, historic facts about the parks and the resorts, etc. Here is the link to the blog page if you would like to take a look. http://www.
What’s your favorite thing about your job?
I used to work for Disney, so the fact that I can take this experience to a completely different level is exciting. I think that we have something really great and only being a year old we have made HUGE strides in the right direction. I love talking to people about what we do, helping them figure out things they weren’t sure to ask about when planning their trips, and showing them that we are so much more than just a social media group.
What are your keys to making yourself productive?
Productivity is based on the personality of the person. With over 20 years of management experience in the Hospitality industry I am one who goes after things and thinks that with a little hard work anything is possible. I have alerts set up throughout the day to check on certain aspects of the company, whether it is podcast subscriptions or comments on blog articles, as well as making sure we are posting enough that we don’t lose people’s interests.
Tell us one long-term goal in your career.
The number one long term goal is to obtain our media credentials so we can get the media passes necessary to attend pre-opening events, press conferences, etc. I think once we get to that point there will be no holding us back and the door will swing wide open.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned through the course of your career?
Patience is definitely a virtue. Nothing good comes easy. This is a learn as you go business and you can’t get upset by the fact that everyone under the sun is trying to do the same thing you are. I want to get us to a point where people are talking about us, asking who we are, seeing us in the parks and thinking “ok these people know what they are doing”.
What advice would you give to others aspiring to succeed in your field?
I think any time you are trying to break into the social media market, you have to start small, basic. We started with just the Facebook group. I never thought in one year we would already be at he phase we are now. Do your research about what you want to accomplish and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. You cannot let vulnerability get in the way of your success.
What are your favorite things to do outside of work?
I spend most of my time with my children. I am happiest with them, and now that my daughter is 16 and working, my time with her is limited and I try to take advantage of it as much as possible. I sing in the choir at my church and love that. Other than that, I just enjoy my “me” time. I don’t have to be doing anything. I love my home, I love my life and I like to just sit back and be content.
Name a few influential books you’ve read and/or websites you keep up with that you’d recommend to readers.
For me it’s more of a podcast following or website following. There really isn’t a select one that I recommend; I tend to run across one that peaks my interest and go from there. I would just recommend that you explore. If you have an interest, look for it online. There’s going to be a podcast or website that relates to it. I have learned so much on forming this business by doing just that.
