Meet Natasha Williams | Founder

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

Hi Natasha, what is the most important factor behind your success?
Embrace your story and your uniqueness. Your product or service is not for everyone, and that’s OK. You will find your tribe that resonates and connects with your story. People buy from the brand that shares their same values. The more you love and serve your guests, clients, and customers, the more you will reap. Being a woman of color, has been a blessing in disguise. People are naturally curious about a black girl with big hair on a SUP with her pup. I’m an anomaly in the water sports industry, and people are drawn to me and my story. I initially thought it would be an obstacle because paddleboarding is a white- and male-dominated sport and industry. But people of all races have supported me in different ways.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
SUP PUP was actually inspired by my almost daily paddles with Mr. Beaches and my friend. People on the canals would always ask what my dog’s name was, take pictures, or comment on how cool it was to see a dog on a paddleboard. My friend encouraged me to apply to become an Airbnb Experiences host and offer paddleboard tours, with Mr. Beaches as my marketing strategy. Now, Mr. Beaches is the face of my brand. There are several other paddleboard companies in Fort Lauderdale, but none that stand out quite like us. People come from all over to paddleboard with Mr. Beaches. Corgis are really popular dogs now, which definitely adds to the popularity of our tours. Mr. Beaches even has his own Instagram, which has helped boost our visibility in the paddleboard community.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Monday: Temple Street Eatery; Las Olas Beach.
Tuesday: Rocco’s Tacos (Taco Tuesday); SUP PUP paddle board tour with Mr. Beaches.
Wednesday: Coconuts restaurant; Chops and Hops Axe Throwing Lodge.
Thursday: Sistrunk Marketplace; A sunset cruise on Las Gondola.
Friday: The Wharf FTL; NYSW Jazz Lounge.
Saturday: Boat charter with Staying A Float Party Boats; Whiskey Neat bar.
Sunday: Brunch at Shooters Restaurant; Yellow Green Farmer’s Market.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My Boss Ladybugs group. It’s a group of women entrepreneurs and professionals. We support, motivate, and educate each other.

Website: Suppupftl.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Suppupftl
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-baker-williams
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SPftl
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Suppupftl
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sup-pup-paddleboard-fort-lauderdale

Image Credits
Fuse Creative Inc