Take Back the Ocean

Build your brand. Own your demand. Keep your independence.

By Barry Coleman, Board of Directors, DiveISC

Scuba diving has always thrived because of passionate instructors and independent, owner-run dive centers. These professionals built trust one diver at a time, guided by local knowledge of reefs, wrecks, and conditions.

In today’s industry, however, many professionals feel pressured by the message: “You won’t succeed unless you align completely with a big training agency.” That idea is powerful—but dangerous. When a single brand controls your leads, marketing, and price signals, independence fades and dependency grows.

Why this matters

• Control: If most of your bookings come through channels you don’t own, rules can change overnight.

• Margins: Leads you don’t own cost you more. When you generate your own demand, you keep more value in your business and maintain your independence.

Dive professionals also invest heavily in membership fees, branded course materials, and agency-driven marketing. Collectively, these funds often promote the agency brand more than your own. The result? Students recognize the agency before they recognize you.

The risk of dependency

Some resorts now insist on specific agency credentials for instructors. Students sometimes ask for a card from a well-known brand simply because it’s the only name they’ve heard. This isn’t true demand—it’s the result of years of one-sided marketing.

The risk is clear: if this trend continues, course prices, terms of trade, and even job opportunities could be dictated by a few corporations. The freedom of dive professionals to build and profit from their own businesses will be restricted.

At DiveISC, we believe this path can and must change.

A guiding principle

Training agencies exist for standards and portability—they provide the passport.

Your brand is for trust, value, and growth—that is the journey.

Keeping these roles separate is the key to a strong, resilient dive business.

Practical steps to build independence

Strengthen your owned channels

• A fast, mobile-first website with real-time booking.

• An email list—still the highest-ROI marketing channel in diving.

• Social media with your voice: dive briefings, tips, and local stories.

Leverage neutral platforms

• Tourism boards and destination portals.

• Independent dive directories and travel marketplaces.

• Partnerships with hotels, sailing schools, camera stores, and universities.

Always lead with your brand

• Your name and location first.

• Links that go directly to your site.

• Calls-to-action that book directly with you.

What to measure

• Leads from your own site: target 70%+ within six months.

• Subscriber growth: +200 in 90 days.

• Repeat rate: AOW or specialty within 90 days of OW.

• Reviews highlighting safety, care, and local expertise.

• Margins per student: improving as outside costs drop.

  
  

A fair warning—and a better future

Yes, agency platforms can send you bookings today. But long-term dependence erodes freedom. Visibility tied to algorithms you don’t control, prices influenced by global averages, and careers based on brand loyalty rather than skill.

DiveISC is built on a different vision. We provide internationally recognized standards, ISO certification, and professional pathways—but we also believe your business should remain yours.

Build your brand. Own your demand. Teach for your waters and your divers. With DiveISC, you keep your independence while still meeting global standards.

That is how together, we #TakeBackTheOcean.