Who or what is your inspiration in business?

My Dad, Captain Lee had the vision to take one of his lifelong (& multi-generational) hobbies - boating, and turn it into a business in 1989. He was an incredibly great Captain & narrator teaching passengers about the NYS Canal System & sights/history along our tour route. I worked aboard as a 1st Mate for many years, opened/ran my own completely different business, & then returned shortly after my Dad passed away (1945-2016) to continue his business & literally take the whee

How do you stay motivated?

Our business is seasonal but VERY busy during our cruising seasons. Our passengers are locals, from all over NY State, all over the U.S. and many international visitors. We offer MULTIPLE different types of cruises with all ages & types of people aboard. I am blessed to share the history & current version of “our” section of the 200yr old Erie Canal that I am very passionate about. Every cruise is slightly different & keeps me excited to continue. I’m carrying on w

What would you do with the $25,000?

We are a small family owned/operated seasonal tour boat business. We had some challenging years 2019-2021 (2019 engine repairs followed by the pandemic & after affects.) $25,000 would allow funding for additional upgrades to our 1961 vessel, an increased advertising budget & the ability to have an inventory of merchandise that we don’t have a very large budget for currently as we continue to recover after some challenging years.