By Karen Axelton
Ever since I moved to the Lengthy Seaside, California, space years in the past, I’ve heard concerning the gondola rides in Naples—a waterfront a part of Lengthy Seaside the place properties are constructed on a community of canals like these in the Italian scene above. Earlier this yr I obtained to witness gondola rides stay once I visited a house within the space. However I had no thought the gondola firm was run by an entrepreneur till I learn an article about it in my Auto Membership journal, Westways.
Mike O’Toole began Gondola Getway in 1981 when he was nonetheless a scholar at USC. The enterprise was a advertising mission, however when he graduated in 1982, O’Toole purchased an 18-foot duplicate gondola, put an electrical motor on the again, and began doing cruises on the canals with only one boat.
Because the enterprise began to develop, he discovered a enterprise associate, David Black, and added a second boat. However quickly, the enterprise required much more growth and in 1984, O’Toole went to Venice, Italy, to watch how actual gondolas had been constructed. He got here again and started constructing gondolas that may simply be steered by one gondolier with an oar.
In the present day, O’Toole has 10 gondolas and as many as 30 workers who take passengers on romantic cruises by means of the canals.
“I didn’t suppose I’d be doing this for the following 25 years,” O’Toole advised Westways concerning the enterprise he began as a scholar.
That obtained me serious about what number of profitable entrepreneurs get began accidentally. However was it actually an accident? O’Toole grew up on the canals of Venice and realized to sail as a child. He ended up making a enterprise that allows him to do what he loves.
And plenty of different individuals adore it too. Once I watched gondolas going by, my first thought was how joyous everybody was. The gondola passengers and their gondoliers had been beaming (no surprise, since O’Toole says a median of 1 marriage proposal a day takes place on the boats). And everybody within the properties up and down the streets overlooking the canals lit up, smiled and waved with pleasure every time a gondola glided by.
Some individuals make enjoyable of that saying “Do what you’re keen on, and the cash will observe.” I’m undecided how a lot cash Gondola Getaways makes, and it’s not the form of enterprise that may turn out to be the following Starbucks or McDonald’s. Nevertheless it warms my coronary heart to examine a enterprise proprietor doing one thing that makes him pleased—and makes everybody else pleased, too.
You could find out extra about O’Toole on the Gondola Getaway site.