ISSUE #5

Happy New Year Everyone!

I hope you had a good break over the festive period and are as eager as I

am to tackle the excitement of 2015.

It is very common for New Year messages to contain superlatives, but I am

not someone to normally follow a trend; owning a selfie stick being the rare

exemption to this rule! In this case, however, I declare that 2015 is set to be

the biggest year for Smaller Earth yet, but let me explain why.

Let’s start back in September 2013. The global economy at the time was in

crisis and most companies were focusing on consolidation. SE followed a

similar path by actively reducing our range of activities and by launching

the strategy to focus on Work&Travel programs, which we run in-house.

And whilst reducing our risk exposure, we simultaneously worked hard

to expand and grow. By the end of 2013, we launched Canago. Then in

early 2014, we looked into the opportunities in both Australia and New

Zealand, and started working on an in-house program in New Zealand. By

the summer, we were able to launch Kiwi & Kiwi. All this was going on while

endeavouring to focus on delivering a successful Camp Leaders season

with 5,000+ participants in the US that summer – a new record number for

us.

Message from the CEO

BASTIAN WEINBERGER - CEO

This would have been enough for most companies to keep them occupied

for one year. However, looking at our values of ‘ambition’, ‘excellence’ and

‘innovation’, it was a logical, consistent and natural step to also strive to

implement a new IT system, which would enable us to administer all in-

house programs from one platform and thus help set us apart from our

competitors globally – Hanover enters the scene!

It is fair to say that introducing an intrinsic element that is so important to

our business at the beginning of the recruitment season was ambitious in

the extreme, and consequently we did face some challenges and obstacles

which we had not anticipated. However, employing a positive attitude and

sticking with our ethos of doing things the Smaller Earth way, meant nothing

was too big to be dealt with when it came to positive change.

We are currently still in the implementation phase for Hanover, while two

of our in-house programs Kiwi&Kiwi and Canago are in early development

and we are also witnessing a significant growth phase(/potential) for both

Resort Leaders and Camp Leaders. Sound intimidating? Well it might be to

some, but try to remember those values and the culture statements. One of

the phrases at the conference was: ‘It will not be easy, but it will be worth

it’. This is exactly the way to approach the next few months. Smart working

practices, good communication and the belief in what we stand for; will

make 2015 the biggest year for Smaller Earth!

I have to say I feel honoured to be working with such great people around

the world and I have every confidence that we have the right set-up in

order to change any challenges and obstacles into opportunities for further

success.

Have a great start to 2015, Happy New Year Everyone!

MEET THE TEAM S M A L L E R E A R T H G R O U P

MEET THE TEAM S M A L L E R E A R T H G R O U P

BA STI A N WE I NBE RG E R

CEO

After completing a Business Studies degree in Sheffield and spending 5 years working for

the New York YMCA (where he met his wife), Bastian started his career at Smaller Earth as an

intern in the UK office in 2007. On completion of his internship he persuaded the then CEO,

Chris Arnold, to allow him set up a German office for the company. He then returned to the

UK to continue his Anglicisation by leading the development of the non-camp programmes

for the broader Smaller Earth portfolio. The sports mad German who was a swimmer but

more recently prefers land based sport including crazy triathlon challenges and heavy gym

sessions is now the CEO for Smaller Earth Group and is settled with his wife Suzie and his

18 month old son Julian in the Wirral on Merseyside.

DAVE ROBI NS ON

Direc tor

Dave is the co founder of Smaller Earth (formerly Campleaders in America) in collaboration

with Chris Arnold in 1999 and opened the first Camp Leaders office in Liverpool on 11th

September 2001. Dave has had a long career in sport as an administrator and coach. He

has been coach to two Olympic medal winning swimmers and has worked with others to

set up a number of successful businesses who include Chris Arnold and Chris Hargreaves.

As part of his day job at Smaller Earth Group he oversees the development of HR policy and

works on non- travel related Business Development Opportunities such as Sport Makers

and the business start up programme Another Level. Although a Liverpudlian, Dave has

lived in Manchester for the past 12 years. When not working, entertaining his 2 daughters

or watching TV, he runs leadership development programmes for up coming stars in the

sports world.

C H R I S H A RG R E AVE S

CFO

Chris is the son of an army officer (who has an OBE) and an accomplished competitive

swimmer and squash player. He invested in Smaller Earth along with his wife Glyn in

2006 after having declined the offer from the founders to help set up Camp Leaders in

America back in 1999. In his current role as Group CFO, Chris has responsibility for all

commercial contracts and negotiations and works closely with the Global Finance Manager

to monitor and evaluate the company’s global performance and to oversee all statutory

accounting requirements. Previously Chris was the Commercial Director for Countryside

Properties overseeing a £130 million portfolio and he continues to act as a consultant to

the construction industry. He constantly strives to live up to his life motto of play hard and

work hard.

G LYN H A RG R E AVE S

Global F inance Manager

As the Global Finance Manager, Glyn’s duties are to oversee the finances of all companies

in the group and to run the UK and US company finances. She does this whilst continuing

to teach Math on a part time basis at a local High School. She has been with Smaller Earth

for 9 years and has been a teacher for 30 years.

Glyn believes completely in the transformational power of Smaller Earth programmes.

She went to Kenya as volunteer Teacher in 2011 and her children other family members

and friends have all participated in a range of programmes as a result of her enthusiasm

and encouragement. When Glyn is not working or selling the benefits of the Smaller Earth

programmes she dedicates her time to her two dogs, her two kids and her husband.

A L E X FE K E TE

Sales and Business Development Direc tor

German born, but having lived in Hungary for most of his life, Alex was born to sell.

Originally, trained in Hospitality and having worked in a number of high quality European

Hotels he set out on his own entrepreneurial career started organizing ski trips in Europe.

Whilst volunteering at Camp Lindenmere for a number of years he met Chris Arnold and

established a relationship which resulted in Alex starting Camp Leaders Hungary (originally

Marco Polo) 9 years ago. He joined Smaller Earth Group as a shareholder and Director 2014

and became the Sales and Business development director; responsible for developing new

and existing Smaller Earth programmes and driving sales across the group. In keeping with

the Camp Leaders tradition Alex is also a former competitive swimmer and has a thirst for

facts relating to European history.

MEET OURVISA

SPONSORS

MEET OURVISA

SPONSORS

CENET is a new addition to our strategic partners. Based in Cape

Girardeau, MO, this non-profit visa sponsor has a great reputation in

the industry, and its culture, values and vision are very closely aligned

with ours. This makes CENET a perfect fit as the exclusive visa sponsor

for our Resort Leaders program.

CHI - With 34 years of experience and a presence in over 100 countries,

Cultural Homestay International (CHI) is a world leader in educational

and cultural exchange. Smaller Earth is proud to have a strong and

exclusive relationship with CHI on the Camp Leaders program. CHI and

Smaller Earth have been working together since 2002.

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D E S I G N E D BY

T E A M P H OTO S BY

Dean Maddocks

O N T H E C O V E R

Smaller Earth Group Head Office - Church House