Profession, Articles, On a Personal Note
Stacey Ludlum
Growing Small: An Alternate Definition of ...

My company is just me. And that’s by design. I do not intend to hire employees and I purposefully keep my fees and client volume low. I view it as a complete success, but given the common perception of “business success,” I often wonder if others would agree… In this article, I outline my business strategy of Growing Small as an alternate measure of success.

Growing Small: An Alternate Definition of Success
Articles, On a Personal Note, Profession
Stacey Ludlum
Tips for Working with Introverted Consultants

Believe it or not, many consultants, including yours truly, are actually introverts! Learn the best practices for working with introverts by reading Felis Consulting’s somewhat self-effacing and certainly vulnerable ‘Top Tips for Working with Introverted Consultants.’

Tips for Working with Introverted Consultants
How-Tos, Master plans, Profession
Stacey Ludlum
Master Planning 101

As a designer dedicated to the long-term planning of zoos and aquariums, I’ve had to explain the process of master planning many times, and although every zoo and aquarium is different, the best master plans (i.e. those which have been implemented) always follow a similar structure. In this post, we address the most commonly asked questions to help you understand what master planning is, when is the right time to start, and who should be involved.

Master Planning 101
Case Studies, Reviews, Travel
Stacey Ludlum
Columbian Park Zoo: Gold-Standard Small ...

The city of Lafayette, Indiana has one of the oldest—and best—small zoos in the country. Recent renovations, thoughtful and modern designs, and focusing on providing for their local guests as top priority are a few reasons they are successful.

Columbian Park Zoo: Gold-Standard Small Municipal Zoo
Profession, News
Stacey Ludlum
Addressing DEAI in Zoos and Aquariums

Zoos and aquariums have a long way to go related to being community assets that are truly reflective of their surrounding communities. Recent discussions in the AZA suggest that instead waiting for ‘best practice’ solutions, that individual organizations must start somewhere acknowledging that our strategies will evolve as we all learn the most productive ways to approach DEAI.

Addressing DEAI in Zoos and Aquariums

cute

Connection! Otters as a secret weapon...

I stumbled upon this YouTube video while researching sea otters on the web for inspiration for a new exhibit.  I'm sure most of you have seen it before, as, according to YouTube, its the most watched animal video of all time.  Killer CuteBut, its an excellent example of the human-animal connection occurring at a zoo (or aquarium, as in this case).  At first glance, you wouldn't think the design of the exhibit would have anything to do with this connection.  Its all about the otters.  Its always about the otters when you're dealing with an otter exhibit...People love otters.  And, I'm just as guilty as the next girl. 

Think about it though.  The exhibit isn't anything special, from what I can see from the video, but, special thought was given to how the guests would view the furry little floating faces.  Sea Otters spend most of their time on exhibit in their pool.  They dive and swim, but mostly, they float around on their backs, pudgy bellies exposed to the sun.  Placing the visitors above the water level looking down into the pool allows the guest to capture this cute moment (that's actually quite common, as it is part of the natural behavior of the otters). 

Remember...cute sells.  And, cute equals connection.  This video proves it 10,000,000+ times!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epUk3T2Kfno&hl=en]

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We're a surprisingly social species.