{"id":28734,"date":"2020-10-20T10:24:40","date_gmt":"2020-10-20T10:24:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/?p=28734"},"modified":"2020-10-20T13:09:15","modified_gmt":"2020-10-20T13:09:15","slug":"catching-up-with-karl-meyer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.skydivemag.com\/new\/catching-up-with-karl-meyer\/","title":{"rendered":"Catching up with… Karl Meyer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Performance Designs<\/a> recently announced the promotion of Karl Meyer to the coveted position of PD\u2019s Marketing Manager. Karl is a 4-way, big-way & fun-way enthusiast who’s been jumping for over 22 years.<\/strong><\/strong>..<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Karl Meyer, photo by Zach Lewis<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Karl, congratulations on the new appointment! What do you think were the deciding factors in PD\u2019s choice?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dashing good looks?! In all honesty, I\u2019m sure that with what I have brought to PD over the years in the various positions and marketing knowledge it felt the right move for the company. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What positions have you held with PD? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I first joined PD in late 2008 as their US based European Tour Rep, the plan was for me to travel to Europe a few times a year and supplement the current EU Tour. Outside of that primary role, I also helped from time on the US tour events, and was part of a strong marketing team during my time at PD. I left PD in 2011 to go run Marketing at Skydive Arizona.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2016 saw me return to PD to take up the role of Sponsorship Coordinator. Having spent over a decade working in and around the sport and my vast connections with both US and EU based athletes, the transition to this role was easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ve been a driving force in the PD sponsorship program \u2013 for all those Wannabe-PD-Sponsored-Athletes out there, any advice on what you\u2019re looking for in a sponsored athlete?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The million-dollar question \u2026 I did a seminar at PIA about sponsorship, and my focus was on how we as skydivers can build our own brand (who you are) within the community, with social media and quick access to people. Being a strong part of the community, educating, teaching, inspiring, mentoring and having a great attitude will in time be recognized by those around you. And that\u2019s what brands want to be aligned to, your journey in the sport. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Ready to take the marketing reins at PD<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m intrigued by life on the road with the PD European demo tour, what sort of education does that give you about the different DZs? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Oh, life on the road. As a native English-speaking person, travel around Europe was at times challenging. It however gave me so much in terms of understanding the sport and customer base in Europe, and how diverse it is from country to country, and DZ to DZ. There are many similarities amongst skydivers around the world. The passion, excitement and love we share not only for the sport, but towards each other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve been blessed with those opportunities over the years and it has helped shape me as a skydiver and also as a member of the PD marketing team, be it a sponsorship coordinator or team leader. I hope to be as inspiring to the team here as others have been to me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When and where did you start jumping?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I was born in Namibia and raised in South Africa where I started my skydiving career in 1998 out of a Cessna 206 on a static line jump. I went back up the same day and did jump number 2. I moved to the US in June 2006.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Jumping over The Palm at Skydive Dubai during the Dubai Cup
Photo by Naomi Kotzee<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You competed for over a decade in 4-way, tell us about that. <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I had about 77 jumps and started to find skydiving a little boring. I felt that I was not progressing, and each jump just felt the same. I did not feel I was a competitive person in terms of sports, maybe other aspects of my life. One day I saw a 4-way team land and walk in with all the fancy matching gear, watched them dirt dive, debrief and I was, like, \u2018WHAT IS THIS?!\u2019. By jump 100 I was on a 4-way rookie team with Beavery Cosslett, Amy Kirkland and Vana Gulliver. Vana was our player coach and she has gone onto to achieve great things in the sport. So have Beverly and Amy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you have a favourite 4-way competition? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

My favorite competition would be the year we won the Rookie class as it was 10 rounds of pure clarity with some of my favorite people in the world. The other would be the opportunity to represent South Africa in Dubai for the Dubai Cup, jumping over the Palm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Phoenix formation flying over Skydive Deland
Photo by Gustavo Cabana<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ve done many complicated big-ways, what are the most memorable?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The most challenging was the Flight of the Phoenix event at Skydive Deland. We spent a few days struggling with getting the base to exit and then build the formation, and if I recall the jump was completed on the last jump on the last day.

Some of the Arizona Challenge jumps have been fun, tested my skills and made me thankful that I was entrusted to be a small part in the bigger picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My favorite would be the 4th<\/sup> July jumps, run by Doug Barron, Craig Girard and Eliana Rodriguez out at SDC. The combination of close friends, good skydives, amazing facilities and world class coaches make each jump fun & stress-free. I\u2019m excited to go back in 2021 and do it all again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you have a motto, or favorite quotation?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Not so much a motto or quote, more an idea: be kind to others, it costs nothing. Know how your actions affect others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s your pet hate? Inside and outside the sport<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Toggle\/brake fires and mass-produced beer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Karl, getting his groove on, at Skydive Arizona
Photo by Bill Schmitz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Describe yourself in 5 words or less<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Funny, Dedicated, Loyal, Passionate and Driven<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You clearly love working for PD, why is that? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Culture\u2026 PD has always had a great culture, how the treat their staff, to how we have been mentored by managers over the years. And the bonus is that it is within an industry that I am passionate about. Getting people to find the perfect wing for them, and hopefully it\u2019s a PD wing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What advice would you have about choosing the perfect wing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Demo, Demo, Demo \u2026 take your time to find the right canopy for you. Don\u2019t just accept what you\u2019re told is the right one, try them all out and get canopy coaching. You\u2019ll thank yourself later on as you progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think it\u2019s fair to say Performance Designs is the largest manufacturer in skydiving, how did PD become that? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I think it can be attributed to the dream of flight that Bill [Coe] & John [leBlanc] have had over the decades of making parachutes. And staying true to some core values about designing parachutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Karl loves ‘a sneaky lunchtime jump with friends’
Photo by Alex Swindle<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You have a background in marketing, tell us about that <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I worked in advertising for a decade, as an art director for a series of ad agencies in South Africa, before transitioning full time to working within the skydiving industry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who works with you in PD’s marketing department? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We have a young team right now, they are all eager and about as passionate as I am about the sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n