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March 28, 2025 13 mins

From college graduates to beach business owners at 22, Sharon and Kevin Faircloth took a chance that worried their parents but ultimately transformed into a thriving enterprise spanning three decades. Sharon shares the remarkable journey behind Holiday Water Sports, which has grown from a single jet ski rental spot to three beach locations offering everything from paddlecraft to parasailing adventures around Fort Myers Beach.

The conversation takes an emotional turn when Sharon reveals how Hurricane Ian devastated not just their business locations but also their home, which sat under six feet of water. What emerged from this catastrophe redefined her understanding of success. "When your staff's willing to come to your rescue, you are a successful person," Sharon explains, describing how employees showed up day after day to help rebuild their lives and business. This dedication inspired the creation of Holiday Debris Removal, a pivot that kept staff employed while helping the broader community recover.

Behind the sunny facade of beach business ownership lies surprising challenges. "Working on the beach is not easy," Sharon emphasizes, detailing the physical demands and strict regulatory requirements essential for safety. Her insider tips for visitors include seeking properly licensed operators and avoiding companies that offer "free range" wave runner riding in Lee County, which violates environmental protection laws. Whether you're planning a beach vacation or dreaming of starting your own coastal business, this conversation offers valuable insights into the realities of making a living in paradise. Ready to experience Fort Myers Beach like a local? The recovery continues, and businesses like Holiday Water Sports are ready to welcome you back to the water.

Holiday Water Sports 

Sharon Faircloth

Pink Shell Fort Myers Beach
(239) 765-4386
Diamond Head Fort Myers Beach
(239) 765-2252
Best Western Fort Myers Beach
(239) 436-6778

nfo@holidaywatersportsfmb.com

holidaywatersportsfmb.com

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Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Cabo Jim.

Speaker 2 (00:09):
Schaller.
Welcome Good Neighbors toepisode number 241 of the Good
Neighbor Podcast.
Today we have Good NeighborSharon Faircloth from Holiday
Water Sports right here in FortMyers Beach.
Welcome.

Speaker 3 (00:22):
Thank you.

Speaker 2 (00:23):
Yeah, pleasure to get to know people in the community
share their stories with ourlisteners.
So let's jump right in thewater here.
And why don't you share alittle bit about what you do?

Speaker 3 (00:33):
So I'm the owner of Holiday Water Sports Fort Myers
Beach.
My husband, kevin, and Istarted the business in 1991.
So we've been around for quitesome time and our business
basically is renting personalwatercraft and beach equipment
like umbrellas and chairs,paddlecraft, all the fun beach

(00:56):
toys on Fort Myers Beach.
And we have three separatelocations on the island at the
Pink Shell Resort, one at theBest Western Beach Resort and at
Diamondhead Beach Resort.
And we also have expanded overthe years to do a parasailing
company called the Stairwild andParasail.
And then we also opened holidayadventure tours and boat rental

(01:19):
, which does boat rentals,sunset cruises, all the fun
fishing charters and everythingelse.
So we kind of have, you know,expanded out on Fort Myers Beach
to cover all the fun bases.

Speaker 2 (01:30):
I love it and that's the one place to be.
I love it.
So let's back up the story alittle bit.
How does one get involved andopen into business like this?

Speaker 3 (01:40):
Well, the short version is my husband and I, you
know, we started dating.
We were 14, 15.
We went to college I went toI'm a gator and Kevin went to
UCF and then, once we graduatedcollege, kind of started working
at you know, one job or another.
But in our, during our years incollege, we always came to Fort
Myers Beach or actually onCaptiva, and we worked for his

(02:02):
brother that was also in theindustry.
So we rented jet skis allsummer as our summer jobs.
And then the opportunity atPink Shell came up in you know,
a long time ago, I guess it was1990.
And his brother said hey, doyou?
Do?
You and Kevin want to open thisbusiness?

(02:23):
And so we were 22 years old andwe got an opportunity to take a
beach job.
And so that's what we did.
My parents were, you know.
They were like we just paid forcollege and now you're going to
go live on the beach.
But it worked out.
You know, we worked really,really hard and it all worked
out.

Speaker 2 (02:42):
That is great, and who doesn't want to be on the
beach anyways, right?

Speaker 3 (02:45):
Oh yeah, I was like, should I keep this desk job or
go work on the beach?
Exactly.

Speaker 2 (02:51):
Tough decision?
Not really.
So let's talk about challenges.
Obviously, starting a businessis a challenge in itself, but
with the recent years and FortMyers Beach and everything
that's gone on, there's been alot of other challenges.
Is there something that kind ofstands out there that you can
look back at now and say whatyou know, what we made it

(03:11):
through?
We're moving towards a betterplace now.

Speaker 3 (03:15):
Sure, I mean, we've had several challenges when
you're in the business like thisfor 35 years, and it all
depends on the weather andeverything else.
You know we go through a lot ofdifferent challenges.
But I will say just, you know,on a funny note, I thought the
biggest challenge I ever facedwas being in business with my
husband for the first year ofbusiness.
That was truly challenging.

(03:36):
So I always thought, if we madeit through that, we can make it
through anything, and we did.
But everyone you know I guessmaybe your listeners know about
Hurricane Ian I will say by farthat was the absolute most
challenged thing we've faced.
So during Hurricane Ian, youknow, like I said, we have the
businesses all on Fort MyersBeach.

(03:57):
Everything we have is on thebeach.
So after the storm, all theresorts were wiped out not
completely wiped out, but theywere significantly damaged.
Our house was under six feet ofwater.
Our shop all the repairs wasunderwater.
My office with all of myeverything took it.

(04:19):
So one thing I found out,though what I learned from the
experience, as horrible as itwas, and it truly has just been
challenging, but I feel like Iactually learned the true
meaning of success, and I knowthat sounds kind of strange, but
you know, we, I learned thatreal success means that when you

(04:46):
have a small business that youhave been able to employ people
for 10 to 15 years, then you'redoing something right.
And our staff after the stormthey I mean everyone that could
show up that didn't have theirown property destroyed they all
showed up.
They showed up at our house,they showed up at our work Every

(05:07):
day.
They just showed up and we hadto gut our whole house.
We had to wash off Christmasornaments that were so
sentimental.
And they just came and theyhelped and helped, and helped
until our house was relativelyat least clean enough where we
could live in there.
We do have an upstairs too, soit was just our downstairs that

(05:28):
was destroyed.
But it made me realize that youknow, if someone, when your
staff's willing to come to yourrescue, you are a successful
person.
And then after the storm they'reso great and they and we got
kind of finished at our house.
And then we had other neighborsthat needed help and other

(05:50):
friends.
So we were asking the guys hey,can you go help these people?
And we all went and helped andthen we started talking after a
few weeks and I said clearlywe're not going to be able to
employ you on the beach for awhile.
So do you want us to start, youknow, a demolition company that
can go around and help otherpeople and you can still be

(06:12):
employed by us?
And all of them said yes.
So then we started anothercompany I don't know if you saw
this called Holiday DebrisRemoval.
That turned into HolidayDemolition and Debris Removal.
We kept all our staff employed.
Some not everyone could staythe whole time because it was

(06:34):
really hard.
But then when it came backaround to reopen some of the
resorts, we were able to keep alot of our original staff and
they came back and they helpedus reopen.
So you know, for me that justit meant so much and I really
felt like, after all thishorrible problems that was, that
was a huge success.

Speaker 2 (06:54):
And that speaks volumes not just for the
community but for you as abusiness owner and the type of
people you employ and the typeof business people want to work
at.
So you know, kudos for you,that is.
That is a great, great story.
So let's talk about some of themyths or misconceptions
surrounding water sport rentalsthat we could kind of clear up

(07:15):
for our listeners.

Speaker 3 (07:17):
Yes, I will say one thing that everyone should know
is, if you apply for a job, it'snot easy.
Working on the beach is noteasy.
I can't tell you over the yearshow many times, even when I was
out there working on on in thesand every day, I would have,
you know, folks come up and saywe want to retire and do what

(07:37):
you're doing, and I'm like, butyou don't understand how hard
this is.
You know.
Number one it's you're in theheat, you're in the sand, you
know, and the sun.
But we are highly regulated.
We have a lot of laws we haveto follow and we do.
We do so.
But you can't just take it asan easy job where it's just fun.

(07:57):
I mean, we really have to payattention, we really have to
make sure our guests areeducated properly.
So there's a lot that goes intoit.
So I would say that's onemisconception that I think
people should know about.

Speaker 2 (08:09):
Absolutely so let's talk about things that are
trending in industry orobviously you've been in the
business for a long time.
A lot of things have changed.
What's something that's changedrecently?

Speaker 3 (08:20):
I mean, really, you know, in the wave runner and
boat rental industry I wouldn'tsay, you know, over the 35 years
it's still people that love tocome to the beach, that want to
get on the water, that can't doit themselves, you know, maybe
they don't own a boat at homeand they don't know how to drive
, so all of that.
And you know, we have customersthat have been coming when they
were kids.

(08:40):
Then they, you know, they bringtheir kids.
So the general idea of gettingon the water, enjoying Fort
Myers Beach from the water,getting to fish, getting to jet
ski, getting to go see dolphinson the dolphin tour, really that
has just remained.
But there are some new funthings coming up, like you'll
see some of the but like thetiki boat cruises that have,

(09:03):
like the themes and those typesof things which are really fun.
So those are all things thatare, you know, in our industry.
But as far as like equipmentand what people want, they
really just want the beach, theywant the water, you know, they
want the experience of beingable to do that.

Speaker 2 (09:19):
Absolutely.
So I'm going to ask you astrange question, because you
know, usually if I have time off, I'm coming down and doing what
you're providing.
Yeah, what do you do when youget a moment of free time?

Speaker 3 (09:32):
There's a couple of things.
We love offshore fishing so,believe it or not, we do love
the water.
We are water people.
We love to take our boat.
I'll go down to the Keys andspend some time down there but
really what we really enjoy toois we love going airboating.
We love going into, you know,any areas that have like a

(09:58):
spring.
The central part of Florida isjust absolutely gorgeous and
everyone thinks it's only thebeach.
But if you get your airboat andyou get to go on an airboat
ride or you go to some of thesprings, we love doing the
fossil hunting and we justreally love the interior of
Florida and it's so differentfrom the beach so you feel like
you've gone someplace reallydifferent.
But really, you know, myhusband likes alligator hunting.
I know that's wild.

(10:20):
But you know, frogging and allthose things are part of Florida
and we just enjoy all of it.

Speaker 2 (10:26):
And that's what it's about getting outside enjoying
Florida and, as you mentioned, Imean I could spend a lifetime
just traveling around Floridaand visit different things,
different beaches, differenttypes of environments.
So you know, it's a wonderful,wonderful place to explore.
So is there one thing you wishour listeners knew about holiday
water sports that maybe theywon't be too familiar about.

Speaker 3 (10:50):
I would say, like you know, in our industry it's like
I said, we have to be socareful, following all the laws.
A wave runner ride in Fort Myersor really in Lee County, I
would highly recommend that youdon't go with a company that

(11:12):
offers the free range or freeriding, because in Lee County
I'm very familiar with all thelaws in Lee County.
That is illegal, that you arerequired to be with a guide in
the back bay, and that's toprotect the sensitive
environmental areas in our backbays.
So, on a rental wave runner,you are not allowed to do free
range riding in Lee County.

(11:33):
So I would just say find acompany that is reputable, maybe
that's been in business a longtime.
Ask them if they have their FWC, which stands for Florida Fish
and Wildlife livery license,because you have to have that
license in order to rent waverunners.
Ask them if they have a LeeCounty personal watercraft

(11:54):
vendors license.
You also have to have that.
So there are some businessesout there that are doing that.
I would just caution people tofind out and go with a licensed
contractor.
Basically.

Speaker 2 (12:09):
And that's pretty much for any kind of business.
You want to make sure thatpeople are reputable and they're
doing the right thing, so howwould our listeners go about
contacting you if they wereplanning to make a visit or come
on down to the beach?

Speaker 3 (12:22):
Well, our website is www.
holidaywatersportsfmb.
com and we have all three of ourlocations on the website where
you can check out items atDiamond Head, at the Best
Western and also at the PinkShell and you can do booking
online.
All the phone numbers are onour website.
That's probably the easiest way.

(12:44):
Or, if you are already on thebeach, just walk down to one of
the resorts and we'll be outthere under the red umbrella.

Speaker 2 (12:50):
Very good, very good.
Any last words for ourlisteners today?

Speaker 3 (12:53):
Just please come down and enjoy the beach.
You know we are still inrecovery mode from Hurricane Ian
.
The beach is packed, but we'velost so many hotel rooms, so
many Airbnbs.
It looks packed like in somelittle spots, but really, you
know, we could really use thebusiness.
So please come down and visitus.

Speaker 2 (13:13):
Absolutely, and it's beautiful down there as well too
.

Speaker 3 (13:15):
It's been gorgeous.

Speaker 2 (13:17):
Well, sharon, thank you for being such a good
neighbor, and I hope to see youout at the beach soon.

Speaker 3 (13:22):
Thank you, I really appreciate it.

Speaker 1 (13:25):
Thank you for listening to the Good soon.
Thank you, I really appreciateit.
Thank you for listening to theGood Neighbor Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to GNP Estero dotcom.
That's GNP Estero dot com.
Or call two nine six two, sixtwo one.
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