Get ready to roar with excitement on Exit Rich! I’m thrilled to unleash my chat with Al Zone, CEO of Elmwood Park Zoo, a guy who’s tamed a struggling zoo and turned it into a wild jungle of success. Since 2014, Al’s taken Elmwood from a measly 110,000 visitors to a roaring 1.2 million annually, and his growth strategies are pure animal instinct—perfectly aligned with what we do in home services and beyond. As my close friend, Al’s story of relationships, community, and gritty execution will leave you howling for more. So let you raw instinct loose, this is a GGRRRRRRREAT episode waiting for you!
Key Moments -Relationships Are Everything: Al and I connected through a mutual colleague, Christian Hernandez, and clicked instantly. Our friendship led to me helping Elmwood dominate Google searches, using tricks like $13 beacons at an AZA conference to drive traffic. My sister Jolyn’s on their board, proving how real relationships open doors and fuel growth. -Community Impact: Al’s all about giving back. He welcomed kids from Glen Mills for free, feeding them and creating life-changing experiences with animals, despite slim odds of their return. This community focus, like being the first autism-certified and pet-friendly zoo, drives brand loyalty and growth. -Team Building & Culture: From 32 to over 300 employees, Al treats the zoo like a “mini Google” with a vibrant welcome center and vet hospital. He fosters a Chick-fil-A-like vibe where everyone’s happy, picking up trash himself to set the standard. His COO, Eric Dunovan (22 years at Elmwood), and CFO, Raffaella Tint (16 years), are key to managing personalities and financials. -Hiring & Firing Fast: Al’s coaching mentality means spotting toxic employees in 30-60 days and cutting them to protect the team. He ensures dignity in exits but stresses tough calls are non-negotiable to avoid business failure. Everyone’s replaceable except those truly vested in the mission. -Marketing & Social Media: Al embraced social media, using live giraffe cams and caption-heavy videos to capture attention, as people watch without sound. My team helped him stay ahead, blanketing the area with creative campaigns like Wild Lights, a holiday drive-thru that pulled 225,000 visitors. Sponsor Shoutout Big thanks to Service Titan, our go-to tech for scaling businesses and setting up epic exits.
Connect with Al Reach Al at https://elmwoodparkzoo.org/ or visit in person at Norristown, PA. Follow Elmwood on Instagram and other platforms for giraffe cams and more. If you’re in the area, don’t miss their Santa Brunch—it’s a family favorite!
Follow my guest at:
-Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elmwoodparkzoo/?hl=en -Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EPZoo/ -TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/discover/elmwood-zoo
Follow me on all Social Media: @LanceBachmann
Exit Rich: Home Service Secrets with Lance Bachmann Don’t wait! Get your ticket for The 7th Annual Roofing Process Conference so you can learn to grow, scale and sell your business to private equity:
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