The Story
Zipline USA is a family owned business. My family business not only extends to my children who are zip line guides but also my hired employees that are very much a part of my family. Now my son, Nathan, has opened Lasertag USA and followed in my footsteps as a young entrepreneur. For a few years’ I had been dreaming about owning a business that would make others enjoy travel just as much as I do. Now that I am in my very very young 40’s, I decided it was time to begin a retirement plan.
I google searched campgrounds, franchises, outdoor adventures, wellness places, etc. The searches were endless and fun to do in my downtime. As you know adult life doesn’t have much downtime. I have been a single mom for about 15 years, earned a Doctorate in Health Education with an emphasis in Public Administration while being the President and CEO of a statewide organization in Arkansas.
In my search, I found a campground in Branson for sale. Branson is where I have taken the kiddos over the years for weekend get-a-ways. We have fond memories of the Christmas spirt, the rustic theme, the pioneer atmosphere. Not to mention the times we spent on Table Rock Lake, enjoying the outdoor scenic mountains and trails. I wasn’t prepared to buy a business just curious about the future potential.
A miracle happened. I met Sue Vanier (read her name fast you will get it), our real estate agent. She wanted me to meet the owners of a zip line business that wasn’t for sale. I was always open to having a solid business mentorship from others in the adventure industry. I hit it off with the previous owners! Didn’t know that I was about to enter into an amazing opportunity. One thing led to another and they offered to sell the Zipline business to me along with offering their mentorship.
I believe everything happens for a reason and that we were truly blessed. In August of 2018, our family purchased Zipline USA and became the proud new owners where we will always treat our guests and our employees as one big happy family.
~Katrina Betancourt, 2018
