Going with the Flow
With Zach Kersey, Manager of Seven Falls
ZACH KERSEY, MANAGER OF SEVEN FALLS
Waterfalls are often viewed as metaphors for life: often taking unexpected turns, sometimes they’re gentle, and other times, roaring cascades. Much like a waterfall forging ahead, so does Zach Kersey, steward of our flowing canvas known as Seven Falls.
Can you tell us a bit about your position as Manager at Seven Falls? How did you make your way from the Operations side at the hotel over to Adventure?
I started working at The Broadmoor in 2019, back in Banquets as a Server, and that eventually got me to the position of Co-Captain. Michael Reed, my former boss, was a pretty big inspiration for me, as I was a little bit younger and naive as far as the hospitality industry goes. Then that little thing called The Pandemic hit...so no more banquets...but, I was asked if I wanted to come back after the reopening to assist Room Service. I didn’t really know what to expect—but I loved it—I just fell in love with Room Service. In January of 2022, Osanna started as the Director in Room Service and I just took off from there. I progressed pretty quickly from a Room Service Server to Room Service Manager to Lead Amenities Supervisor, etc. It’s all thanks to Osanna; if it wasn’t for her guidance, I wouldn’t be where I am today. She’s pretty close to a perfect leader for so many different reasons - I genuinely mean that.
I eventually started to develop my own leadership style after a couple of years and really wanted to grow and take on more responsibility. My goal was to really have my own department, so when I was offered Seven Falls, I thought it was a good opportunity. Plus, it put me into a more “outdoorsy” role, which was a nice change from being inside of a kitchen with Amenities where there were no windows!
What does a “typical day” look like for you at Seven Falls?
So a lot really depends on the season. When we are out of season, it usually involves some office time, a drive through of the park, recruiting and building training packets, more admin duties, etc. But when we are in season, it’s very different. I check to make sure that the park is safe and clean before we open each day. I make sure that our Admissions team is getting guests into the park smoothly, that the shuttles are up and running (and on time), and then I pretty much assist wherever I am needed within the park at any given time throughout the day
How many staff members make up the Seven Falls team?
A lot. When you think big picture, you have the entire 1858 team, the entire retail team, Broadmoor Outfitters (which operates our Soaring Adventure within the park), Shuttle Drivers, Ticket Agents, etc. I like to think of us all as a huge, group project: it’s a lot of mini experiences inside of one big park.During the high season, I’d say there’s upwards of 25-30 people working inside the park on any given day. On very busy weeks during the summer, there have been roughly 3,000 people in the canyon, so it really does take an army to run it at that point. On one of my first few days on the job, there were over 3,400 people inside the park!
Seven Falls retains a largely “seasonal” staff. What are some of the trials of this part of your job? How do you staff up for each season, and what are you looking for in a potential Seven Falls employee?
Fantastic question. I would say one of the biggest trials is having to recruit an entirely new team each season (although some folks do come back from prior seasons, and I will reach out to them personally if I really want their enthusiastic, positive personality as part of the team again). Another problem I face (and it’s actually a “good” problem) is that many of my seasonal employees will go on to other positions within the hotel during the off season and flourish, which I love to see, but I lose them that way. It’s a win for the resort, but it’s always sad for us over here to see them go.
We do a lot of recruitment pushes for Seven Falls, looking for outgoing people who are charismatic, easygoing, willing to learn, etc. I want a team that can easily converse with not only myself, but also with all of the guests/ visitors that come through the park. Our ability to put them at ease, and be surrounded by friendly staff, is a huge part of their experience here and it bridges their time at The Broadmoor to Seven Falls. On the flip side, for many of my employees, their job at Seven Falls is entry-level (some maybe even their very first job!), and we want to make a good impact on them and give them an opportunity to grow.
What challenges did you face as you stepped into your new position?
Hmmm...so coming from Room Service and Amenities, where time and schedules are very tight and strict, to Seven Falls, where I’d say things were a little more chaotic, was something I didn’t anticipate. There was definitely a transition period, but I was fine with that, because you have to know where you are coming from in order to know where you are headed. There were a lot of challenges regarding organization and structure, and some hiccups with scheduling and availability of team members. I made sure that I let all of my employees know that I am here for them, and we can work together moving forward to openly resolve issues. I am so proud of Seven Falls and what it’s become now.
I also had to learn and adapt to a whole new operations environment, but I’m so glad that I did, or I would still be in Room Service, maybe not growing as much as I was capable of. Probably the best piece of advice I received when I started was directly from our CEO, Jack: if you need help, ask for it. I had the advantage of working with many different departments at the resort when I was over there. I have formed good relationships with so many people across property, that I was able to reach out and request help if I felt I needed it. Maybe it was Engineering that I needed some assistance from, or maybe it was Marketing to help with some materials, etc., but things would have been much harder for me when I started at Seven Falls if I didn’t have those connections to rely on.
What is your favorite duty at the park? What is your least favorite?
I love this question, because my absolute favorite thing to do is run our courtesy cart, which is a 6-seater golf cart intended for guests who have low-mobility issues and need some help getting from the entrance gate up to the base of the falls. I get to act as a mini tour guide when driving people in this—I share history with them, point out rock formations, talk about the families that owned and operated the park before The Broadmoor did, etc. I love the opportunity to show off the park this way. And, I think for guests, it’s a nice build up to the experience. When we get to the actual falls, I let them out, point out a few need-to-know things, and then turn them loose to have fun!
As for my least favorite duty....hmmmm...I don’t want to say the stairs...but I want to say the stairs...haha. I love the fitness aspect of them, but the trails and stairs in tandem present a unique challenge if there is an emergency situation that arises. Think about having to clear 224 steps to get to someone quickly who might be experiencing a medical crisis. These are intense situations that require focus and speed in a very short amount of time.
Do you play a role in the operation of Restaurant 1858 at Seven Falls?
I make myself available to them by offering my support wherever I can, but it’s pretty minimal. It really comes down to them using some of our equipment and tools from the park, like golf carts for transportation, etc. Every now and then I help out with guest issues that require my assistance at the restaurant. However, we do communicate a lot with them, especially at the end of the night, to make sure that all guests and employees are out of the canyon and everyone gets home safe.
When the park is closed in the off season, how does your position morph into working at The Broadmoor? Do the other seasonal staff have similar opportunities/options for winter employment? And what happens to the park during the winter closure?
This last off season, my goal was to kind of learn and experience what I could outside of the park, and then bring all of that knowledge back to the park. For example, I spent time with Rhonda in Retail to learn more about her role in Seven Falls. And in December, I spent time over at the Cog to learn more about what our sister property does and how we can cross promote one another better. I spent a good amount of time with Marketing to learn about what they do, and how we can work together to promote Seven Falls. It’s important to be a good partner to all departments on campus. I feel like that will continue to be my goal during the off season: to make sure that I can keep acquiring that knowledge that will make Seven Falls better. Plus, this allows me to keep fostering those relationships with other departments in case I ever need some outside help.
As for the seasonal staff, we always encourage them to apply over at The Broadmoor, and we talk quite a bit about that in our meetings leading up to the park closure for the season. I want them to look at open positions over at the hotel, and if something peaks their interest, I offer to reach out to that department to see if I can help facilitate a job for them. I want all employees to grow. I don’t want to say that Seven Falls is finite, but if someone is looking for something more, beyond their position at the park, I encourage them to seek additional job opportunities. If come November or December and employees are needed to fill a slot in another department, please keep the staff at Seven Falls in mind. These team members are shining over here in their own right and I’d love to ‘send them off to college’, so to speak, and continue to see them thrive and grow.
During the winter, the park basically gets dumped on with snow...haha. I mean, literally, once we get that first snow, then the snow banks just keep building up. I try to come over and drive through the park multiple times a week and check on everything...just kind of keep an eye on it.
Are there any special features at Seven Falls that you feel everyone must see/experience while visiting?
I feel that Restaurant 1858 is a staple...oh my gosh!...the food, the atmosphere...and the supervisors and the team there just do an amazing job with everything. If you are in the park, it’s a place you must visit for either lunch or dinner. Second, I think that everyone should explore the trails. When people think of Seven Falls, they typically think of the waterfall, which is one of the best parts, but some of the trails..wow! If you go past the waterfall, you can view beautiful Midnight Falls, which is a 20-30 minute round trip hike. You get to see this secluded waterfall and dip your toes in a little creek if you want to, or, you can go to Inspiration Point and experience one of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen; right before sunset is gorgeous as you look out over the city.
How would you like to see Seven Falls improve the overall guest experience? Do you have any plans in the works to carry this out?
I think there’s definitely potential to do more fun and creative things inside the park, like maybe incorporating a visitor’s center...or adding a tour guide adventure. I’d love to find more ways to bring guests into the park, but retain the true outdoors experience that it is. The ecology of Seven Falls is very important and we want to retain that. I’m really focusing on getting a good foundation under us this year, and then going forward, looking more at what the park could become. We also are looking at past things we offered, like panning for gold for kids; maybe we bring some of these activities back.
Why do you think Seven Falls is a unique outdoor adventure for not just locals, but those coming from out of state? What is the most incredible piece of feedback or comment you’ve ever received from a visitor?
I love this question so much! Well, there’s a reason they call it The Grandest Mile of Scenery in Colorado—it’s beautiful—and at the height of summer, it’s so green and lush. Every minute in the park is different...the way the sun hits the trees or the mountain...there’s just so much variation throughout the day and even the different seasons. And it’s not just a place to come hike; it’s so much more. We have the waterfall, the creeks, the restaurant, gift shops, etc., making it a very unique experience for visitors. You really have to come and just take it all in—it’s an amazing slice of Colorado that everyone should see.
As for visitor feedback, we happen to have a season pass holder who is just amazing. She is the kindest soul, so sweet, and she would come to visit the park every day last season, claiming that this was her ‘walk for the day.’ She knows our staff by name, waves to all of us, and every Sunday, she would bring us cookies. And at the end of the season, we received an e-mail from her that had feedback, but it was so lovely...it makes me tear up thinking about it. It’s those instances and that kind of commentary that make the staff feel so good...even our shuttle drivers have received amazing feedback like this...it’s so important and just makes it all worth it.
What is your favorite time of day at Seven Falls? Favorite time of year? And why?
My favorite time of year is when the leaves are starting to turn colors, and the weather is perfect then...not too hot, not too cold. For time of day, I’d have to say early afternoon. Once the morning chaos has kind of subsided and guests are transitioning over to lunch, it’s just so serene and beautiful—even when it’s raining, too. I love the park when it rains and right afterward, because I don’t know...it just feels ‘greener’ to me?...it’s more vibrant, more lush. And once that rain has subsided, there’s a quietness that you just can’t get anywhere else...no noise from traffic or the city.
Are you involved in any other organizations at work? If so, how do you balance that with working off property for much of the year?
I am on the BCC (Broadmoor Cares Committee) which has actually taught me a lot about managing, and it’s such a blast. It’s so fun, and there’s so much consideration that goes into making sure everyone knows they are valued and that we truly care about The Broadmoor team. Jimmy and Rhonda, who lead it, just do such an incredible job, and I truly believe that if they weren’t on the team, it would be such a different experience for everyone. I am so proud of what it is and so happy that I get to be a part of it. And then of course, there is my B-More Appreciative group that I am part of, which is really fun, and I think our Core Values are so important. I think that showing appreciation, and being appreciated, as we do in our group, is really significant because I think people sometimes get tunnel vision and forget what it takes to make everyone really successful. We have to show gratitude to one another. Plus, I love the wishes that we get to grant and all of the events that we do!
To find out more about the amazing Zach Kersey or Seven Falls, reach out to him at [email protected] or 719-476-6705.