Hawaii’s Pioneer Professional Surfer

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in training and education but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Nancy Emerson, Founder of Nancy Emerson School of Surfing, located in Maui, HI, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I built and started an international surfing school, and I place a strong emphasis on water safety, ocean awareness, and surfing etiquette. Coaching with a keen eye to the subtle aspects of form and style, with a specialty in developing a proper foundation for beginner and first-time surfers, as well as providing the tools and techniques to help focus the skills of even the most experienced surfer. I work with all levels of people and coach elite surfers as well.

I started Hawaii's first surf school in Maui, Hawaii, in 1973 and 1980. And on Oahu in 1986 Hawaii, I learned to surf on a surfboard for the first time from a Hawaiian Beach Boy as a little nine-year-old girl. The Beach Boy who taught me to surf in Waikiki out at Canoe's surf spot was Barry' Nappy' Napoleon. I grew up at the beach, and from the age of one-year-old, my parents, who were avid body surfers, taught me how to swim and body surf. I started teaching surfing lessons, ocean awareness & water safety on the island of Maui at the Maui Surf Hotel as the Beach & Pool Director, which is now the Maui Westin Hotel. I continued teaching in Hawaii, foreign countries, Chiba, Japan, Malibu, San Clemente, California, and Mexico, and in 1990 started doing surf clinics in other countries Dominican Republic, Namotu, Fiji, and in 1998 on the Gold Coast of Australia. And I have been teaching people of all ages ever since from around the world.

Our clients have come from worldwide but before the nonsense of 2020 + mostly Japan, the USA, Australia, New Zealand, and China. Currently, after this time in history and dropping my SEO in early 2020, knowing what was a planned situation to hurt small and medium business people the only USA now. We have more educated and affluent clients because they want quality and a real surfing experience.

Tell us about yourself

I started teaching children and adults how to swim soon as I was 18 with the license I worked for. Being in the ocean and loving the Moana my whole life and watching what was shared in Waikiki with the visitors about how to surf, I felt there was so much missing in the lessons there. I was taught to give the Best Quality in whatever I did by my Mom, Grandma, and Daddy. So in 1973, I was hired at the Maui Surf Hotel (now the Westin) to be the beach and pool director. I was given permission to teach swimming and surfing on the side as long as I did what was needed for my job. I traveled worldwide surfing on tour and went to the Marshal Islands in 1976 for The Baha'is of The Hawaiian Islands and taught many children there. After coming 2nd Place in the Women's Masters at Sunset Beach, Hawai'i, in 1979, I decided I would take my $600. prize money and open Hawai'i's first surf school in Hawai'i and 2nd worldwide on Maui. I wanted people to have the opportunity to learn about the ocean, and the focus in the water will be on having fun, knowing how to read the different currents, as well as learning proper wave etiquette, surfing style, and technique.

I am one of the former pioneer international professional surf champions with 43 + years of coaching and teaching experience. I currently have an amazing team of surf coaches for her Hawaii surf lessons and surf clinics on Maui and Oahu, which cover the total surfing experience. This is the best foundation for a surfing lesson that has set past champions on the path to success. Nancy taught and coached Hawaii's Sunny Garcia, who was the 2000 WSL World Champion 6 Times Triple Crown Champion.

I am motivated each day because I Love what I share and am so very passionate about teaching. I know people will be safe and be able to progress and have so much fun surfing!

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Well, there isn't one accomplishment. There have been many. Firstly, opening a business with only $600. and making it happen out of passion and determination. 2nd Being able to open surf schools slowly worldwide. Get a permit to open my surf school on Malibu Beach in 1984 before the Los Angeles Olympics. I kept it going until October 1991, and then because the river going into the ocean was so polluted, and LA County would not do anything about the chemicals going into the Pacific Ocean, If I wasn't going in, I could not expect or want to run a surf school there. But if you ask Los Angeles County or City about this, they have no records. But I do. Maria Shiver came out from New York and interviewed me for a piece in the news. 3rd Opened my surf school during 'Golden Week' in Chiba, Japan, in the early '80s for three years. 4th Being asked to go to the Dominican Republic in 1990 to share about surfing with anyone and free to them as I was sponsored by Sheraton Hotel and Brugal. My 5th accomplishment was having one of the first surfing websites in 1991. 6th accomplishment being a business owner was getting a permeant residency in Australia for 'Distinguished Talent' in 2000.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

The hardest thing in 43 years of being in business is the governments and Illuminati crushing my businesses with their fake story of sickness to crush small and medium businesses worldwide.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Love and be passionate about what you want to open for your business.
Do Not go into partnership with anyone, Do it on your own. You need help hiring the best quality people.
Build your business slowly and give the Best Quality you can with Aloha!

If anyone needs coaching for building one's business, I can help and direct people to focus, motivating their sales and business directions and teams. You can reach me via: nancy@nancyemerson.surf.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website:
https://surfclinics.com/
https://nancyemerson.surf/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nancyemersonschoolofsurfing/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nancy_moana_surf/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NancyESurfs
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancy-emerson-08579012/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.