Tuesday February 10 - Martin Kejval - Ski Cape Smokey

This week, we’re headed to Cape Smokey in Ingonish, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia—a ski area where you can make steep powder turns while looking out over the Atlantic Ocean, and maybe even see snowmaking whales, and a real whale

Cape Smokey breaks just about every rule. It sits nearly at sea level, far from any major population base, in a region better known for music and lobster than lift lines. The mountain had already failed—more than once. Most people had written it off for good.

Then Martin Kejval showed up.

Raised in the Czech Republic on ski racing and ski films, Martin arrived with a plan that sounded only slightly unhinged: revive a dead ski hill, build Atlantic Canada’s first gondola, and turn a forgotten mountain into a four-season adventure destination.

And somehow, it worked.

Cape Smokey went from abandoned to internationally recognized, landing on National Geographic’s list of top winter adventure destinations, ahead of places like Whistler and Lake Louise. Skier visits jumped, summer tourism took off, and the mountain became something rare in this industry: fun.

In this episode, we unpack how he did it, why four-season thinking matters, how transparency and storytelling built trust, and why you don’t need perfect conditions or a nearby city to build something people will travel for.

Welcome to Cape Smokey, where the snow meets the sea, and the rules are flexible at best.

Actionable Insights from Ski Cape Smokey

Guest: Martin Kejval – Founder & Visionary Behind Ski Cape Smokey

1. Stop Marketing the Ski Hill—Market the Experience

Insight:People don’t travel for lifts and trails alone. They travel for stories, emotion, and experiences they can’t get anywhere else.

Supporting quotes:

“We are not a ski hill, and I don’t think we ever will be a ski hill… If you are adventurous, if you want to try something different—this is for you.”“It’s for the people who want to surf and ski in the same day… take a romantic walk on a beach with snow… live on their own terms. That’s the Smokey way.”

How to apply:

Focus marketing on unique experiences, emotion, and adventure—not just features like lifts or trails.

• Highlight stories guests will tell afterward

• Emphasize “once-in-a-lifetime” moments

• Show your resort’s personality and lifestyle

2. Design Everything Through the Customer’s Lens

Insight:If something is inconvenient for the guest, it’s broken—no matter how easy it is operationally.

Supporting quotes:

“Did we forget completely who we are doing this for? At the end of the day, it’s the customer.”“How do we make it easier for our customer—never harder?”“We are a little bit stubborn in the ski industry… we still force people to wait in lines, even though the rest of the world solved this years ago.”

How to apply:

Audit every touchpoint from the guest’s perspective and remove friction.

• Question all “industry norms” that inconvenience guests

• Prioritize convenience over operational ease

• Iterate based on real guest feedback

3. Build a Brand That Feels Like Home

Insight: People don’t want to feel like a number—they want to feel like they belong.

Supporting quotes:

“We wanted it to feel like the back porch of your grandmother’s house… where everything clicks and you feel safe and at home.”“You don’t feel like a number at Cape Smokey. You feel like part of the family.”

How to apply:

Create an environment where guests feel welcome and cared for.

• Focus on warmth, personality, and human connection

• Make staff interactions personal and memorable

• Build loyalty through belonging, not just perks

4. Tell Local Stories—Not Corporate Ones

Insight: Authenticity beats polish every time, especially in small or emerging markets.

Supporting quotes:

“The whole idea was—how can we tell the local stories so you don’t feel alien, so you don’t feel like a number?”“There is no magic button… we wanted to show what actually goes on behind the scenes.”

How to apply:Share behind-the-scenes, human, and local narratives in marketing.

• Highlight staff, local suppliers, and unique traditions

• Show real people instead of stock imagery

• Position your resort as part of the local story

5. Think Four Seasons or Don’t Think at All

Insight: A ski resort that only works in winter is a fragile business.

Supporting quotes:

“You cannot run any business on four or six months a year—it’s rubbish.”“Two bad winters can wipe you out… the odds of a bad winter and a bad summer are a lot lower.”

How to apply: Develop year-round experiences to stabilize revenue.

• Identify off-season offerings (summer, events, rentals)

• Design infrastructure for multiple uses

• Use year-round operations to retain staff and guests

6. Don’t Repeat the Past—Understand Why the Resort Failed

Insight: Revival starts with brutal honesty about what didn’t work before.

Supporting quotes:

“The biggest part is to fully understand why the ski area failed before. Repeating the same mistake—that’s insanity.”“Smokey failed because there were not enough accommodations—and because seasonality kills businesses.”

How to apply: Analyze previous failures thoroughly and redesign around those lessons.

• Identify structural problems first (accommodation, seasonality)

• Avoid short-term fixes that ignore root causes

• Communicate transparently with stakeholders

7. Adventure Is a Differentiator

Insight: If you can’t win on scale, win on soul.

Supporting quotes:

“We are not Mont Tremblant. We will never be Killington.”“If you want no lines, no crowds, and to feel cared for—this is the place for you.”

How to apply: Market your unique, adventurous identity boldly.

• Embrace niche positioning

• Highlight what makes you different, not bigger

• Create experiences that large resorts can’t replicate

8. Pricing Is Part of the Brand Promise

Insight: Affordable pricing reinforces inclusivity and value—not cheapness.

Supporting quotes:

“We always want to be affordable… it’s an experience for everybody.”“You’re getting a big bang for the buck here.”

How to apply: Use pricing to communicate accessibility and fairness.

• Align pricing with the promise of value

• Consider dynamic pricing to maximize access

• Avoid cheapening the brand through deep discounts

9. Build Instagrammable Moments—Let Guests Do the Marketing

Insight: Design visual moments people want to share.

Supporting quotes:

“That’s why you have the eagle swings… every single person takes a photo and shares it.”

How to apply: Create signature moments that naturally generate social content.

• Highlight scenic or unusual features

• Encourage guests to share their experiences

• Use visuals to amplify word-of-mouth

10. Integrate With the Community—Don’t Compete With It

Insight: A rising tide lifts the whole town.

Supporting quotes:

“Do what you’re good at—and find other people who are good at the other things.”“You’re not coming here only for skiing—you’re coming for the experience, the locals, the authenticity.”

How to apply: Collaborate with local businesses to enhance guest experience.

• Promote complementary offerings

• Share credit and traffic with partners

• Build goodwill through community involvement

11. Expect Failure—Progress Comes From Iteration

Insight: Nothing works the first time—and that’s normal.

Supporting quotes:

“The list of things that didn’t work is so long we’d be here for hours.”“It’s through pain, blood, sweat, and tears that you get somewhere.”

How to apply: Iterate quickly and embrace learning from mistakes.

• Test small ideas before scaling

• Accept setbacks as part of growth

• Encourage experimentation across operations

12. Rebuild Habits, Not Just Infrastructure

Insight: When a ski hill closes, it loses muscle memory with guests.

Supporting quotes:

“If the ski hill was closed for more than a year, people switch their habits.”“If it used to get 50,000 visits, don’t be surprised if the first year is 10,000.”

How to apply: Focus on rebuilding guest habits through consistency and visibility.

• Maintain marketing presence during closures

• Reward repeat visits to regain loyalty

• Expect gradual ramp-up, not instant recovery

13. Own Your Story—Even If It Sounds Crazy

Insight: The ideas that sound impossible are often the ones worth doing.

Supporting quotes:

“People thought a ski hill next to the ocean wasn’t feasible.”“It breaks every rule in the rulebook.”

How to apply: Be bold with your vision and embrace unconventional solutions.

• Challenge industry norms

• Use bold ideas to create memorable experiences

• Show guests a story that only you could deliver