Today we’d like to introduce you to John Schulte.
Hi John, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
At 60 years old, I was looking for something new to do for the remainder of my working life. I had been a kayaker for some time, and many times over the years I had brought friends with me using my extra kayak. I brought them to my favorite places that I thought were common knowledge, but it turned out most of my friends didn’t even know these places existed. And when we got done, many would suggest I should do this for a business because it was so cool and people would love it.
I never gave these unsolicited comments much thought, it was more of a “wouldn’t that be nice” afterthought. But then one day shortly after my 60th birthday in January, I came across a kayak sale advertisement. I thought about it for a few minutes, and said to myself; that the money I saved wasn’t doing me any good just lying around, so maybe I should go buy a few and see what happens. I figured I could always sell them and get most of my money back if things went south.
With that in mind, I went and purchased 4 kayaks and threw them in the snowbank in my backyard. That gave me 6 kayaks to test my idea with. I planned to deliver kayaks to all the places I thought were cool to go. Now, I had to design a trailer to move them around. I worked on the design for the remaining months of winter and I started construction of it right away when the snow melted.
Also during this time, I created a Facebook group for people who like to paddle, be they kayakers, paddleboarders, or canoeists. It’s called Twin Cities Paddle Club. Now with nearly 6,000 members, it is the largest group forum of its kind in the Twin Cities.
That spring, with my kayaks in tow, I went to one of the lakes near me and parked. I went every day for a while, just talking to people at the boat launch and beach letting them know they could have a kayak delivered there every Wednesday for just $20 for two hours. This event is now called “Wednesdays on the Water” They just had to make a reservation ahead of time. I also told them about my Mississippi River and Rice Creek trips that was also a great deal. I also told all my friends what I was up to, if they, or someone they knew ever needed a kayak.
After that first test season, I knew the idea was working and started buying more kayaks and gear and expanded my trailer to carry 10. I worked like crazy for 3 years to build enough volume so I could bring in a second full-time person. Together we are now looking to add others to our delivery network.
Now, 7 years later, we have nearly 60 kayaks, and 4 trailers with vehicles, that allow us to serve large families, tourists, and large corporate, school, and church outings. No one can deliver more fun than Twin Cities Kayaking.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Overall, things have been going according to plan without too much trouble. The biggest struggle we currently deal with is weather, mostly the last 3 years of drought.
Thank goodness we are mobile and can go to where the water is. Like many companies right now, we also struggle to find the right help.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Twin Cities Kayaking, LLC?
We are a kayaking outfitter that delivers the kayaks and required gear to the location you choose. We are experts in large events and can deliver over 40 kayaks at one time.
We have specialty trips daily all summer long on the Mississippi River, Rum River, Rice Creek, Kinnickinnic River, and a variety of lake locations. We are also looking for strategic affiliate partners/owners to operate in areas outside the immediate Twin Cities area.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting?
Don’t wait to do something because you don’t think you have everything ready or perfect. If you keep delaying for one reason or another, you’ll end up putting it off until it never happens. You need to get out there and start making things happen.
Contact Info:
- Website: twincitieskayaking.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/twincitieskayaking/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/twincitieskayaking
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TwinCitiesKayaking
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TwinCitiesPaddleClub
