We had the good fortune of connecting with Christopher Gonzalez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Christopher, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I created my business because I am passionate about the ocean. I grew up spearfishing and boating in South Florida and it’s something that I’ve done my whole life.. That passion coupled with a desire to be an entrepreneur lead me to create Captain Planet Charters.. I started the company about five years ago with one goal in mind. That is to share with people what makes our coral reef’s such a beautiful marine habitat..

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have two jobs that I enjoy very much, one is my career as Assistant Principal for Dade County Public Schools and the other is as operator for my very own business, Captain Planet Charters. Both are very challenging, but in very different ways. As an educator and administrator I have a lot of task oriented responsibilities that require an ability to organize, prioritize, and work collaboratively with other educators. As the owner/operator of Captain Planet Charters, my focus is on generating business through a variety of marketing methods and delivering a unique experience that is customized to meet the expectations of every client that boards my boat.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would start with an evening at little Havana, taking in the cigar bars and dining in one of the local Cuban Restaurants and capping off the night at Ball and Chain. For the next couple of days I would include a fishing trip with Captain Planet Charters and a day in Coconut Grove. While in Coconut Grove stopping for lunch or dinner at Lokal is a must, it’s the best burger and beer joint in Miami. Another must do, is head south to the fabulous Florida Keys, I would recommend at least 2 nights in Key West. Dining in the Keys is amazing, any restaurant will carry fresh local seafood, but I’ll personally recommend stopping at Key Largo Fisheries cafe and in the lower keys No Name Pub in Big Pine Key has the best Shrimp Pizza I’ve ever had.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
So many people that I have to thank, beginning with my wife Elizabeth Pineda for all of her support on every adventure that I take on. However there are two people that probably played a particular influence in my decision to start this business. That is my father, Cristobal Gonzalez and my sister in law Sandra Pineda. Both are business minded people and I spent a lot of time picking their brain for ideas and inspiration. Their input was crucial because as an educator my experiences in Business were limited.

Website: Captainplanetcharters.com

Instagram: @captainplanetcharters

Facebook: @captainplanetcharters

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