Editor’s note: For our annual Women in Business issue, we invited women in our local business communities to share insights they’ve gained through their work in Western North Carolina. The first three questions were asked prior to Tropical Storm Helene.
Jen Lauzon co-owns LaZoom Tours, which offers a variety of comedy and music tours on the famed purple bus.
Xpress: What was the path that led you to founding your business?
Our business has truly been a labor of love. Jimmy [Lauzon] and I have been driven by a desire to provide guests with consistently outstanding, unique and colorful experiences. Our passion is to spread joy and laughter by taking guests on whimsical adventures through the streets of Asheville. This dedication to creating memorable experiences keeps us motivated and focused as we continue to grow the company.
What’s been the strangest aspect of running a business in Asheville?
The most unexpected aspect of running a business in Asheville has been surprisingly pleasant, to say the least. In Asheville, the tourism industry shows remarkable support for one another. From the day we opened our doors in 2007, we have felt embraced by the Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce, locals and fellow businesses. This sense of community and mutual support is truly unique and something I believe you won’t often find in many other cities. Knowing that we have such a strong network around us has been incredibly reassuring and motivating for our continued success.
How do you define success, and what should every business owner know before launching?
I feel most successful when business is thriving and my employees are genuinely happy. I hadn’t anticipated the profound impact that employee satisfaction would have on me, shaping the mission of my days, weeks and months. For new business owners, it’s crucial to understand that while it may not take long to master the craft of what you’re selling, if you intend to have employees, serving them well as a boss will be an ongoing commitment. This requires continuous effort to ensure a positive and supportive work environment, and it will be one of the most important and lasting responsibilities you undertake as a leader.
Follow-up question in the aftermath of Helene: How are you doing, and what is the greatest need for local business owners at this moment?
Thankfully, everyone on our team is safe and well, post-Helene. None of us lost our homes, though some did have to deal with damages. Despite these challenges, our team came together to volunteer and help our neighbors wherever possible.
LaZoom Room has reopened. We’ve invited the Yalla food truck to set up in our lot. We’ll be open Wednesday through Saturday, and Yalla will serve food Thursday through Saturday in the afternoon and evenings. We plan to kick off our annual Holiday Comedy Tour on Friday, Nov. 15. We understand ticket sales will likely be slow for quite some time.
Right now, funding is needed for small-business owners like us. We’ve had to lay off most of our team but are doing our best to keep our leadership crew intact, even though it’s tough to pay salaries with no revenue coming in. It’s difficult to know when visitors will return in numbers similar to recent years, and so many small businesses depend on that. While we intend to cater the tours we’re opening in November to locals, we rely on tourist volume to have the ability to bounce back fully.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.