**A Story About a 24-Hour Decision**
Flash back to my 50th Birthday on October 23, 2020. I had just flown my parents and sister to Hawaii so they could live with Lori and I at my new Bliss Island Resort home, away from COVID (only 3 cases on the island at the time) and make the most of what was left of a terrifying year.
On my big day, Lori surprised me by taking me out on a boat. It was a memorable experience. Within the first five minutes we ran into a massive school of dolphins that decided to follow us around for about a half hour. I cannot even begin to describe how joyful this was for us, and the Dolphins too apparently.
Next, we took our first scuba diving lessons off the coast near our house. While we were not naturals, struggling a bit learning how to scuba in open waters, it was still a lot of fun.
Finally, we had a nice lunch on board with a gregarious Captain. In my mind, I nicknamed him Captain Sunshine. I day dream a LOT and have quite an imagination! You ever see Walter Mitty? That's me in a nutshell.
It was the perfect start to my big day.
So much so, the business side of my brain began doing what it often does. It always starts with a desire. And on this day, I desired more of this experience for both Lori and I, and my future guests at Bliss Island.
Playing with dolphins, swimming in open waters and lunching with Captain Sunshine as he told story – who wouldn’t want more of this?
I spent the next month researching boats, boat slips, marinas and distances to the other islands. My vision was to provide an awesome boating experience to each group of guests staying at Bliss Island. Then, in between retreat groups, Lori and I could explore the other islands on our very own boat! This sounded like a whole lot of bliss to me!
Exploring the other islands by boat is where my new bliss journey got challenging. Over Thanksgiving, I took my family out on the same boat Lori took me on for my birthday. Only this time, there were six-foot swells.
Instead of another day of nirvana, I got to watch my nephew blow chunks over the side of the boat all morning. This is when I began to learn how choppy the ocean waters around our island could get.
Undeterred, I stayed on my Bliss Journey obsessed with acquiring a boat so I could offer ocean tours and spend the next decade cruising the islands. I even explored buying the boat I had rented twice. Captain Sunshine thought it was a great idea and even introduced me to its owner. But as I did my further research, the same issue kept arising.
The channel crossing between the Big Island of Hawaii and Maui (the island closest to us) is considered one of the most dangerous in the world.
Knowing you can’t believe EVERYTHING you read on the Internet, I called an old mentor of mine who sailed around the world. I asked him if he every sailed the Hawaiian Islands. He proceeded to tell me that he had and how he never again.
Apparently, it is one of the most treacherous crossings in the world. Who knew, certainly not me. I've been on a boat maybe ten times in my life. Just the Internet and everyone who ever made the crossing knew this!
Our first stay in our new home in Hawaii was coming to an end, as I had made a deal with my wife (a city girl at heart) that after the first six months in Hawaii, she got to pick where we lived next. She picked the great state of Texas.
Next thing I know, I’m on a flight to Austin, a city I had only visited once in my life. Why Austin? Lori bought her first short term vacation rental there. So Austin it was!
Upon arrival, I had a few problems. One, I missed Hawaii, my happy place. Two, I had nothing to do in the great State of Texas. Three, I didn’t know too many folks there plus COVID was still raging, so not like everyone wanted to connect in person anyway. No businesses, no hobbies, no friends, and no ocean.
However, I coach my clients that they can experience joy anywhere. They just need to align with their purpose and select a Bliss Journey to go on! Joy awaits anyone that does so with commitment!!!!!!!!!!!
With this in mind, I focused on my current bliss journeys (I was writing my first book at the time). But, I never stopped talking about wanting a boat. It had clearly become an obsession. I lamented to anyone who would listen, how much I desired it, but had not been able to make it happen.
If you know me well, I am not into failure. In fact, I don’t even use the word. I have reprogrammed my mind to substitute the word ‘failures’ for ‘learnings’. I don’t fail, I learn! And I just learned that ocean boating off the Big Island of Hawaii is, well, super treacherous.
What I wanted was something chill and enjoyable. I wanted to be out on the water with my loved ones and guests taking in innumerable sunsets while having a well-made craft cocktail, or a cold beer, with a big ass smile on my face. Not white-knuckle experiences where you might actually die or my nephew hurling up pancakes and sausages over the side.
If you are still not catching my drift yet, more like a 49ers pre-game tailgating experience, less like an Oakland Raiders experience (my Bay Area friends will understand this).
Apparently, Facebook does listen to all of our conversations. They must have grown tired of hearing me complain about not being able to make my boating dreams happen, so they decided to solve my problem for me. Facebook A.I. served up the perfect ad for a company out of Phoenix, Arizona called Bravada Yachts.
As I saw the ad, I remember saying to myself. What the actual fuck is this?????
This company was disrupting the house boating industry by designing the first luxury lake yacht. It would have all the lines of a baller ocean yacht, as well as matching interior luxury and amenities, but the mechanical guts of a typical houseboat.
All this means is that it cannot cruise open ocean waters and costs a fraction of what would normally run you about a hundred million plus.
So, in short, a billionaire check book not required. No cruising the Mediterranean. But, perfect for any lake big enough to hold it.
The business side of my brain went into overdrive. My thoughts went pretty much like this (in order):
Wait – it has a gourmet kitchen!
A meeting space!
It has seven luxury state rooms and two bedrooms for staff!
That’s the same number of bedrooms as my hotel at Bliss Island.
This yacht is 85 feet long and 24 foot wide. That’s huge!
Holy crap - I could run retreats on it.
Holy crap - Lori could AirBnB it!
This IS our business model, just on water!
Holy shit crap – I am meant to have a boat!
Thank you Facebook. I think I love you!
I quickly got over the fact that I was not meant to own a boat in Hawaii. Fuck it, Texas has lakes and after all, everything is BIG in Texas. Maybe an 85-foot yacht will fit in nicely in Austin, the land of entrepreneurs and soon, every major tech company in America at its current pace. Think I can rent this out for retreats in Austin?
Hey honey, come take a look at this, I say. My wife hops on the computer with me to watch the promo video.
The first thing she says is, “I could rent the shit out of that as a short term vacation rental!”
I let out a big belly laugh as I had just had this same thought on her behalf! Do I know my wife well or what?
We lock eyes full of enthusiasm and vigor. Be kinda cool to own a Baller Yacht in Austin, Texas! We could experience a whole lotta joy doing this!
And just like that, a decision gets made. This is how we do!
I pick up the phone and call the manufacturer in Phoenix. Some sales guy answers the phone. We have a great initial conversation. Upon hearing that I live in Austin (well, sort of for the minute) he asks me to hold.
Next thing I know I am talking to the very excited founder and CEO of Bravada Yachts. Apparently, nobody has ever purchased one of his bad boys and taken it to another state. 100% of the Bravada Yachts made to date reside on nearby Lake Powell, just a short distance from their factory in Phoenix. He has expansion on his mind!
He goes on to tell me that his business partners and him just got back from Austin and they think Lake Travis would be perfect for their yachts. They just need someone bold enough from Austin to be the first buyer.
He asks me, “Can you be here tomorrow?”
Why yes I can Mr. Disrupter, I say.
So, Lori and I book the first flight out of Austin to Phoenix for tomorrow, a Monday. This is January of 2021.
However, that's a whole 24-hours away. No time to waste. Despite it raining cats and dogs, we drive to a nearby marina on Lake Travis that rents boat slips year-round.
Why? – cause we need a place to park this fucking thing! We don’t mess around when the iron is hot folks. We iron immediately! The death of inspiration is the passage of time!
It was raining so hard that we could barely see the lake let alone find anyone to talk to. But then, in the distance was one guy.
My first thought was, what the heck is this guy doing out in the rain?
Feeling a gravitational pull, we decide to pull up, roll down our windows and ask the guy if he works for the marina.
He says, no and then asks us why we are interested.
Despite it being none of his business, something told me to answer, so I spilled the beans. I said, we are thinking about buying an 85-foot yacht and are out today doing some reconnaissance on where to park it.
His eyes got big and his next question was, “have you ever owned a boat?”.
Honest answer – nope!
The next thing that happened was familiar. It is the moment when the Universe decides to reward us for stepping through a magic doorway with **BELIEF **to follow our bliss,** **despite not having all the answers or any experience.
He smiles and says, “My name is Marcos, and I own and operate a company called Yacht Sommelier. I take care of all the largest yachts on Lake Travis for their owners!”
I shit you not, the Universe delivers the one person we need on our team to make this bliss journey a reality, cause I sure as fuck can’t operate a row boat let alone an 85-foot yacht!
We happily took his business card and told him we would be in touch. Little did he know how big this introduction would end up being for him too.
When we arrived at Bravada Yachts in Phoenix the next day. We got the red carpet treatment. They toured us through their impressive factory where their yachts are built. We got to actually climb aboard several of their almost finished vessels. We even got to check out all their interior design options in their design center.
After the show, we ended up in the C.E.O.’s office for the moment of truth. He says, ‘If you like what you see, you would be #9 on the wait list for your own custom designed yacht.”
Oh yaeh, I say, how long would it take to build and deliver the boat?
“About three years!’ Mr. CEO says.
I look at Lori knowingly and reply, we are not the three-year wait kinda people (way too many investment options and we work at Warp Speed these days). Tomorrow is not promised you’all. (See what I did there? Threw in a little Texan dialog! Although, not sure how they actually spell it!).
We can see the wheels turning in his head, not wanting to lose out on possibly his biggest opportunity to date, because he REALLY wants to see his boats in Austin, Texas.
He then says, “Well, the buyer currently in the #2 position has become impatient and might be willing to be bought out! If he agrees, you could have your boat by next summer. I could call him.”
Without hesitation, we both reply, make the call.
Five minutes later, he comes back in the room and says, “the buyer is willing to give you his spot on one condition. You buy him out today!"
I say, this, we know how to do!
Smiles all the way around. Thanks Universe.
Introducing, the Bliss Yacht! Coming to Lake Travis by summer of 2023.
It will be the only one of its kind in the great State of Texas…………………………….for at least three years!!!!!!!!!!
And what became of that guy that we met in the rain in the marina parking lot that day? Well, he is our business partner and will skipper the Yacht. You will know him as Captain Marcos! But feel free to think of him as Captain Sunshine!
Never give up on your Dreams!
www.theBlissYacht.com
