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Local Businesses & Your Neighbors in SWFL
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Ep. # 241 Beach Business: The Holiday Water Sports Story
From college graduates to beach business owners at 22, Sharon and Kevin Faircloth took a chance that worried their parents but ultimately transformed into a thriving enterprise spanning three decades. Sharon shares the remarkable journey behind Holiday Water Sports, which has grown from a single jet ski rental spot to three beach locations offering everything from paddlecraft to parasailing adventures around Fort Myers Beach.
The conversation takes an emotional turn when Sharon reveals how Hurricane Ian devastated not just their business locations but also their home, which sat under six feet of water. What emerged from this catastrophe redefined her understanding of success. "When your staff's willing to come to your rescue, you are a successful person," Sharon explains, describing how employees showed up day after day to help rebuild their lives and business. This dedication inspired the creation of Holiday Debris Removal, a pivot that kept staff employed while helping the broader community recover.
Behind the sunny facade of beach business ownership lies surprising challenges. "Working on the beach is not easy," Sharon emphasizes, detailing the physical demands and strict regulatory requirements essential for safety. Her insider tips for visitors include seeking properly licensed operators and avoiding companies that offer "free range" wave runner riding in Lee County, which violates environmental protection laws. Whether you're planning a beach vacation or dreaming of starting your own coastal business, this conversation offers valuable insights into the realities of making a living in paradise. Ready to experience Fort Myers Beach like a local? The recovery continues, and businesses like Holiday Water Sports are ready to welcome you back to the water.
Holiday Water Sports
Sharon Faircloth
Pink Shell Fort Myers Beach
(239) 765-4386
Diamond Head Fort Myers Beach
(239) 765-2252
Best Western Fort Myers Beach
(239) 436-6778
nfo@holidaywatersportsfmb.com
holidaywatersportsfmb.com
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Cabo Jim.
Speaker 2:Schaller. Welcome Good Neighbors to episode number 241 of the Good Neighbor Podcast. Today we have Good Neighbor Sharon Faircloth from Holiday Water Sports right here in Fort Myers Beach. Welcome.
Speaker 3:Thank you.
Speaker 2:Yeah, pleasure to get to know people in the community share their stories with our listeners. So let's jump right in the water here. And why don't you share a little bit about what you do?
Speaker 3:So I'm the owner of Holiday Water Sports Fort Myers Beach. My husband, kevin, and I started the business in 1991. So we've been around for quite some time and our business basically is renting personal watercraft and beach equipment like umbrellas and chairs, paddlecraft, all the fun beach toys on Fort Myers Beach. And we have three separate locations on the island at the Pink Shell Resort, one at the Best Western Beach Resort and at Diamondhead Beach Resort. And we also have expanded over the years to do a parasailing company called the Stairwild and Parasail. And then we also opened holiday adventure tours and boat rental, which does boat rentals, sunset cruises, all the fun fishing charters and everything else.
Speaker 3:So we kind of have, you know, expanded out on Fort Myers Beach to cover all the fun bases.
Speaker 2:I love it and that's the one place to be. I love it. So let's back up the story a little bit. How does one get involved and open into business like this?
Speaker 3:Well, the short version is my husband and I, you know, we started dating. We were 14, 15. We went to college I went to I'm a gator and Kevin went to UCF and then, once we graduated college, kind of started working at you know, one job or another. But in our, during our years in college, we always came to Fort Myers Beach or actually on Captiva, and we worked for his brother that was also in the industry. So we rented jet skis all summer as our summer jobs. And then the opportunity at Pink Shell came up in you know, a long time ago, I guess it was 1990. And his brother said hey, do you? Do? You and Kevin want to open this business? And so we were 22 years old and we got an opportunity to take a beach job. And so that's what we did. My parents were, you know. They were like we just paid for college and now you're going to go live on the beach. But it worked out. You know, we worked really, really hard and it all worked out.
Speaker 2:That is great, and who doesn't want to be on the beach anyways, right?
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, I was like, should I keep this desk job or go work on the beach? Exactly.
Speaker 2:Tough decision? Not really. So let's talk about challenges. Obviously, starting a business is a challenge in itself, but with the recent years and Fort Myers Beach and everything that's gone on, there's been a lot of other challenges. Is there something that kind of stands out there that you can look back at now and say what you know, what we made it through? We're moving towards a better place now.
Speaker 3:Sure, I mean, we've had several challenges when you're in the business like this for 35 years, and it all depends on the weather and everything else. You know we go through a lot of different challenges. But I will say just, you know, on a funny note, I thought the biggest challenge I ever faced was being in business with my husband for the first year of business. That was truly challenging. So I always thought, if we made it through that, we can make it through anything, and we did. But everyone you know I guess maybe your listeners know about Hurricane Ian I will say by far that was the absolute most challenged thing we've faced. So during Hurricane Ian, you know, like I said, we have the businesses all on Fort Myers Beach. Everything we have is on the beach. So after the storm, all the resorts were wiped out not completely wiped out, but they were significantly damaged. Our house was under six feet of water. Our shop all the repairs was underwater. My office with all of my everything took it. So one thing I found out, though what I learned from the experience, as horrible as it was, and it truly has just been challenging, but I feel like I actually learned the true meaning of success, and I know that sounds kind of strange, but you know, we, I learned that real success means that when you have a small business that you have been able to employ people for 10 to 15 years, then you're doing something right.
Speaker 3:And our staff after the storm they I mean everyone that could show up that didn't have their own property destroyed they all showed up. They showed up at our house, they showed up at our work Every day. They just showed up and we had to gut our whole house. We had to wash off Christmas ornaments that were so sentimental. And they just came and they helped and helped, and helped until our house was relatively at least clean enough where we could live in there. We do have an upstairs too, so it was just our downstairs that was destroyed. But it made me realize that you know, if someone, when your staff's willing to come to your rescue, you are a successful person.
Speaker 3:And then after the storm they're so great and they and we got kind of finished at our house. And then we had other neighbors that needed help and other friends. So we were asking the guys hey, can you go help these people? And we all went and helped and then we started talking after a few weeks and I said clearly we're not going to be able to employ you on the beach for a while. So do you want us to start, you know, a demolition company that can go around and help other people and you can still be employed by us? And all of them said yes.
Speaker 3:So then we started another company I don't know if you saw this called Holiday Debris Removal. That turned into Holiday Demolition and Debris Removal. We kept all our staff employed. Some not everyone could stay the whole time because it was really hard. But then when it came back around to reopen some of the resorts, we were able to keep a lot of our original staff and they came back and they helped us reopen. So you know, for me that just it meant so much and I really felt like, after all this horrible problems that was, that was a huge success.
Speaker 2:And that speaks volumes not just for the community but for you as a business owner and the type of people you employ and the type of business people want to work at. So you know, kudos for you, that is. That is a great, great story. So let's talk about some of the myths or misconceptions surrounding water sport rentals that we could kind of clear up for our listeners.
Speaker 3:Yes, I will say one thing that everyone should know is, if you apply for a job, it's not easy. Working on the beach is not easy. I can't tell you over the years how many times, even when I was out there working on on in the sand every day, I would have, you know, folks come up and say we want to retire and do what you're doing, and I'm like, but you don't understand how hard this is. You know. Number one it's you're in the heat, you're in the sand, you know, and the sun. But we are highly regulated. We have a lot of laws we have to follow and we do. We do so. But you can't just take it as an easy job where it's just fun. I mean, we really have to pay attention, we really have to make sure our guests are educated properly. So there's a lot that goes into it. So I would say that's one misconception that I think people should know about.
Speaker 2:Absolutely so let's talk about things that are trending in industry or obviously you've been in the business for a long time. A lot of things have changed. What's something that's changed recently?
Speaker 3:I mean, really, you know, in the wave runner and boat rental industry I wouldn't say, you know, over the 35 years it's still people that love to come to the beach, that want to get on the water, that can't do it themselves, you know, maybe they don't own a boat at home and they don't know how to drive, so all of that.
Speaker 3:And you know, we have customers that have been coming when they were kids. Then they, you know, they bring their kids. So the general idea of getting on the water, enjoying Fort Myers Beach from the water, getting to fish, getting to jet ski, getting to go see dolphins on the dolphin tour, really that has just remained. But there are some new fun things coming up, like you'll see some of the but like the tiki boat cruises that have, like the themes and those types of things which are really fun. So those are all things that are, you know, in our industry. But as far as like equipment and what people want, they really just want the beach, they want the water, you know, they want the experience of being able to do that.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. So I'm going to ask you a strange question, because you know, usually if I have time off, I'm coming down and doing what you're providing. Yeah, what do you do when you get a moment of free time?
Speaker 3:There's a couple of things. We love offshore fishing so, believe it or not, we do love the water. We are water people. We love to take our boat. I'll go down to the Keys and spend some time down there but really what we really enjoy too is we love going airboating. We love going into, you know, any areas that have like a spring. The central part of Florida is just absolutely gorgeous and everyone thinks it's only the beach. But if you get your airboat and you get to go on an airboat ride or you go to some of the springs, we love doing the fossil hunting and we just really love the interior of Florida and it's so different from the beach so you feel like you've gone someplace really different. But really, you know, my husband likes alligator hunting. I know that's wild.
Speaker 3:But you know, frogging and all those things are part of Florida and we just enjoy all of it.
Speaker 2:And that's what it's about getting outside enjoying Florida and, as you mentioned, I mean I could spend a lifetime just traveling around Florida and visit different things, different beaches, different types of environments. So you know, it's a wonderful, wonderful place to explore. So is there one thing you wish our listeners knew about holiday water sports that maybe they won't be too familiar about.
Speaker 3:I would say, like you know, in our industry it's like I said, we have to be so careful, following all the laws.
Speaker 3:A wave runner ride in Fort Myers or really in Lee County, I would highly recommend that you don't go with a company that offers the free range or free riding, because in Lee County I'm very familiar with all the laws in Lee County. That is illegal, that you are required to be with a guide in the back bay, and that's to protect the sensitive environmental areas in our back bays. So, on a rental wave runner, you are not allowed to do free range riding in Lee County. So I would just say find a company that is reputable, maybe that's been in business a long time. Ask them if they have their FWC, which stands for Florida Fish and Wildlife livery license, because you have to have that license in order to rent wave runners. Ask them if they have a Lee County personal watercraft vendors license. You also have to have that. So there are some businesses out there that are doing that. I would just caution people to find out and go with a licensed contractor. Basically.
Speaker 2:And that's pretty much for any kind of business. You want to make sure that people are reputable and they're doing the right thing, so how would our listeners go about contacting you if they were planning to make a visit or come on down to the beach?
Speaker 3:Well, our website is www. holidaywatersportsfmb. com and we have all three of our locations on the website where you can check out items at Diamond Head, at the Best Western and also at the Pink Shell and you can do booking online. All the phone numbers are on our website. That's probably the easiest way. Or, if you are already on the beach, just walk down to one of the resorts and we'll be out there under the red umbrella.
Speaker 2:Very good, very good. Any last words for our listeners today?
Speaker 3:Just please come down and enjoy the beach. You know we are still in recovery mode from Hurricane Ian. The beach is packed, but we've lost so many hotel rooms, so many Airbnbs. It looks packed like in some little spots, but really, you know, we could really use the business. So please come down and visit us.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, and it's beautiful down there as well too.
Speaker 3:It's been gorgeous.
Speaker 2:Well, sharon, thank you for being such a good neighbor, and I hope to see you out at the beach soon.
Speaker 3:Thank you, I really appreciate it.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to the Good soon. Thank you, I really appreciate it. Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to GNP Estero dot com. That's GNP Estero dot com. Or call two nine six two, six two one.