Today we’d like to introduce you to Jet Guerra.
Hi Jet, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I learned early on from Steve Jobs that technology wasn’t just about computers or writing code. It was a tool to change people’s lives.
That simple idea changed the direction of mine.
Growing up in Austin, Texas, I was fascinated by technology, creativity, and innovation. After reading Walter Isaacson’s biography of Steve Jobs, I became inspired by his vision of using technology to empower people, solve problems, and make the world a better place.
That inspiration led me to pursue a degree in computer programming at Austin Community College.
But another philosophy associated with Steve Jobs would eventually become my personal ethos:
“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”
To me, those words meant that you didn’t have to follow a conventional path, come from money, or wait for permission to create something extraordinary.
You simply had to believe in an idea strongly enough to pursue it, even when it seemed a little crazy.
That philosophy would eventually take me backpacking through more than 40 countries, experimenting with technology and marketing, and ultimately building multiple businesses in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
A Programmer With a Backpack
Before becoming an entrepreneur, I was a traveler.
I spent years backpacking across more than 40 countries, immersing myself in different cultures, meeting people from all walks of life, and experiencing the world beyond the classroom.
While studying computer programming, I also taught myself graphic design, photography, video editing, and digital marketing.
I loved the intersection of technology and creativity. I was fascinated by how a single person with a laptop could build a website, create a brand, and potentially reach thousands of people around the world.
At one point, I even tried becoming a travel influencer, documenting my adventures and sharing the incredible places I visited.
That dream didn’t quite work out.
But unbeknownst to me, the skills I developed along the way would eventually become the foundation of my entrepreneurial career.
Sometimes the things that don’t work out are simply preparing you for something bigger.
An Unexpected Journey to Mexico
In 2016, during the heated U.S. presidential election, Bernie Sanders had brought universal healthcare into the national conversation.
As a dual citizen of the United States and Mexico, I became curious about the differences between their healthcare systems and what life might look like outside the United States.
So I decided to move to Mexico and experience it firsthand.
It wasn’t supposed to be permanent. My plan was to spend some time in Mexico before returning to Europe or continuing my travels elsewhere.
But when I arrived in Puerto Vallarta, an old friend from Austin, who had relocated 10 years prior, offered me a job as an ATV tour guide.
My previous experience with motorized vehicles mostly involved riding scooters around Thailand during my backpacking adventures.
So naturally, I figured I’d give it a shot.
And I absolutely loved it.
Getting paid to explore beautiful places in Mexico, meet travelers from around the world, and share adventures felt like the perfect job.
During my free time, I would go fishing, snorkeling, and exploring secluded beaches around the bay. I documented these adventures through photos and videos.
While guiding ATV tours, I’d show my guests videos of the incredible places I’d discovered along the coastline.
They kept asking the same question:
“Can you take us there?”
Eventually, I simply asked guests to cover the boat cost and I would show them around to my favorite spots.
That’s when something happened that would change my life:
I got my first tip after a “tour” that I had curated based off of my favorite spots in the bay that I would visit on my time off.
Starting a Business With $100
In December 2016, I decided to turn those experiences into an actual business.
I launched **Jet’s Private Boat Tours** with exactly $100 USD.
My initial investment was incredibly simple: $10 for business cards, $20 for two shirts, and $70 for website hosting.
And just like that, I was in business.
I didn’t have investors, a bank loan, or a marketing agency. But I had something equally valuable: skills.
My programming education allowed me to build my own website. My graphic design experience helped me develop the branding. My years documenting travel adventures gave me the ability to create marketing content.
I managed reservations, communicated with customers, organized excursions, and worked directly with local boat captains.
I also applied lessons I’d learned from studying Steve Jobs and Apple: simplicity, beautiful design, attention to detail, and exceptional customer experiences.
I wanted guests to feel like they were spending the day exploring Puerto Vallarta with friends rather than participating in another generic tourist excursion.
No crowded boats, no cookie-cutter experiences. Just personalized adventures and genuine hospitality.
And it worked.
Within our first year, Jet’s Private Boat Tours reached number three on TripAdvisor in our category in Puerto Vallarta.
We were competing with established companies with substantially larger budgets and resources, but our focus on quality and customer satisfaction allowed us to stand out.
The business grew so quickly that within the first year, I began hiring friends as tour guides and expanding our partnerships with local captains.
Over time, we scaled into a tourism company generating more than a million dollars in annual revenue at its peak, eventually reaching the number one position on TripAdvisor.
It was surreal watching something that began with $100 develop into a business supporting local professionals and welcoming thousands of travelers.
Building an Ecosystem, Not Just a Business
I’ve always loved marketing, technology, and understanding how businesses connect with customers.
As Jet’s Private Boat Tours expanded, I began thinking beyond individual excursions.
I created a Puerto Vallarta Facebook community that eventually grew to more than 40,000 members, connecting travelers, residents, and local businesses.
It became both a community resource and a powerful organic marketing channel.
I also opened a hostel, creating opportunities to introduce guests to tours, local activities, and other services.
The idea was to develop an interconnected hospitality ecosystem where each business could support the others.
It was influenced by the integrated business models I admired at Apple: bringing different services together to create a seamless customer experience.
Over time, that entrepreneurial curiosity led me into new industries.
I developed **Jet’s Naked Beach**, a clothing-optional beach experience celebrating body positivity, inclusivity, and freedom of expression.
Later, I acquired and developed **Club Jets**, a large LGBTQ+ nightlife venue in Puerto Vallarta’s Romantic Zone, with a capacity of approximately 400 guests.
Our goal was to create innovative entertainment experiences, challenge traditional nightlife concepts, and offer something different to the community.
Not every venture has been financially successful. Operating a large nightclub taught me difficult lessons about overhead, timing, scaling, and economic uncertainty.
But entrepreneurship isn’t simply about celebrating your wins. It’s about being willing to take risks, learn from mistakes, and adapt when circumstances change.
Entrepreneurship With a Purpose
As my businesses grew, I began recognizing that entrepreneurship could create opportunities beyond financial success.
Through years of working in Puerto Vallarta, I developed strong connections within the city’s LGBTQ+ community.
I eventually became one of the founders of the **Vallarta Gay+ Community Center**, helping support free access to sexual health resources, education, wellness services, and community programs.
I served in a communications leadership role as board member.
This work became one of the most rewarding chapters of my journey.
Creating a profitable business is exciting, but helping build something that positively impacts people’s lives carries an entirely different kind of fulfillment.
I am also becoming involved in advocating for LGBTQ+ visibility and digital rights after Meta removed several community groups and business accounts I’d spent years developing.
One of those groups had more than 40,000 members.
Losing those digital platforms reinforced a lesson I’d learned early in programming: never depend entirely on technology or infrastructure you don’t control.
Today, that experience continues to shape my interest in independent digital platforms, artificial intelligence, marketing automation, and technology-driven entrepreneurship.
What Success Means to Me Today
My journey hasn’t been a straight line.
I’ve experienced rapid growth, financial setbacks, failed experiments, and the challenges of building businesses in another country.
I’ve learned that revenue doesn’t necessarily equal profitability, that passion must be balanced with financial discipline, and that sometimes walking away from a project requires as much courage as starting one.
But perhaps the most important thing I’ve learned is that “your greatest asset isn’t necessarily money. It’s your ability to learn and adapt.”
When I needed a website, I learned programming.
When I needed branding, I learned graphic design.
When I needed customers, I learned marketing.
When I saw an opportunity, I took a chance.
And when something didn’t work, I tried something else.
Today, almost a decade after launching my first tourism business, my definition of success has evolved.
It’s no longer simply about revenue or how many businesses I own.
It’s about freedom: the freedom to create, explore, make mistakes, reinvent myself, and build something meaningful.
It’s about providing opportunities for others, supporting local communities, and creating experiences that people remember.
I never planned to become an entrepreneur in Puerto Vallarta.
I came to Mexico out of curiosity, accepted an ATV tour guide job from an old friend, and discovered an opportunity while showing tourists videos of my snorkeling adventures.
One spontaneous decision led to another.
And nearly ten years later, I’m still here.
If I could offer one piece of advice to aspiring entrepreneurs, it would be this:
**Start with what you have, not what you wish you had.**
You don’t need a perfect business plan, enormous capital, or someone else’s permission to pursue an idea.
Be curious. Learn new skills. Travel. Meet people. Embrace technology. Focus on quality. And don’t be afraid to think differently.
Steve Jobs inspired me to believe technology could change lives. His philosophy encouraged me to believe that ordinary people could do extraordinary things by challenging expectations.
I may not have changed the entire world, but I’ve helped create businesses, jobs, experiences, and community spaces that have made a difference in the little corner of the world I now call home.
And it all started with a backpack, a programming degree, a little bit of crazy, and $100.
I’m still learning, still building, and still excited about whatever comes next.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
For the most part, I would actually say it’s been a pretty smooth road. Of course, there have been challenges along the way, but I’ve genuinely enjoyed the process of building businesses, learning new things, and figuring things out as I go.
One of the biggest challenges early on was simply being a founder. When you’re starting a business with $100, you’re pretty much responsible for everything. You’re the web developer, graphic designer, marketing director, sales team, customer service representative, and operations manager all rolled into one.
But honestly, that was also one of my favorite parts. I loved being able to use all the different skills I had picked up over the years and see how they could work together to build something successful. It was exciting to realize that everything I’d learned through programming, traveling, photography, and marketing had a practical purpose.
As the company grew, I started bringing friends on board, which made the experience even more enjoyable. We were creating incredible experiences, spending our days out on the ocean, and building something together. It hardly felt like work sometimes.
Of course, eventually I had to transition from being everyone’s friend to being everyone’s boss. Managing a growing team, especially when many of those employees are your friends, comes with its own challenges. You have to learn to establish boundaries, hold people accountable, and make decisions that aren’t always popular.
It took some adjustment, but I learned that friendship and leadership aren’t necessarily incompatible. It’s about finding the right balance between maintaining those personal relationships and making sure the business operates professionally.
The biggest challenge, without question, was opening Club Jets.
Compared to running tours and beach experiences, operating a large nightclub was an entirely different animal. The size of the venue, the amount of capital required, the staffing, entertainment programming, maintenance, logistics, and late nights created a level of complexity I hadn’t experienced before.
Suddenly, I was managing an entirely different type of operation, with much higher fixed expenses and far less room for error. It required an enormous amount of energy, creativity, and financial commitment.
Club Jets definitely taught me some of the hardest lessons of my entrepreneurial journey. It also made running my other businesses feel like a walk in the park!
But even with those challenges, I wouldn’t trade the experience. I got to experiment with ideas, create iconic techno events, collaborate with incredibly talented people, and learn an entirely new industry.
I think one of the reasons my entrepreneurial journey has felt relatively smooth is because I’ve always genuinely enjoyed what I do. I love creating, solving problems, experimenting with technology, and bringing people together.
For me, entrepreneurship has never been just about making money. It’s been about the freedom to turn ideas into reality, surround myself with people I enjoy, and have fun along the way.
And even when things get difficult, I try to remember that it’s all part of the adventure.
As you know, we’re big fans of Jets Private Boat Tours & Nude Beach. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
What sets our brand apart is our commitment to creating experiences that are not only memorable but also inclusive, welcoming, and truly unique.
At Jet’s, we specialize in private boat tours and exclusive beach experiences, including our all-male, clothing-optional beach, Jet’s Naked Beach. While some of our experiences cater specifically to the gay community, others are designed for families, couples, weddings, celebrations, and travelers from all walks of life. To me, inclusivity isn’t about creating one experience for everyone. It’s about creating different spaces where everyone can feel comfortable, safe, celebrated, and free to be themselves.
We’re proudly gay-owned and locally operated, and we’ve always considered ourselves pioneers in Puerto Vallarta’s tourism industry. Nearly a decade ago, when many local tour operators still relied on traditional booking methods, we were among the early businesses bringing private boat tours online, making it easier for travelers to explore options, read reviews, book experiences, and pay securely with credit cards. My background in computer programming, combined with my love for travel and hospitality, helped me bring a fresh perspective to an already established industry.
But what really sets us apart isn’t just the technology or the destinations. It’s the human connection.
One of the things our guests are most pleasantly surprised by is how personal everything feels. We often hear that spending a day with us feels less like booking a tour and more like having a friend with a boat. Our team is made up of passionate, friendly locals who genuinely love sharing Puerto Vallarta with visitors. We create an environment where strangers become friends, people feel at home, and ordinary vacations turn into unforgettable memories.
I like to think our brand carries a little bit of my Austin, Texas roots: that Southern hospitality, neighborhood friendliness, laid-back energy, and a touch of the tech-loving hippie spirit I grew up with. Combine that with the warmth, beauty, and culture of Puerto Vallarta, and you get something pretty special.
I’m especially proud that we’ve introduced new concepts and experiences to the destination, including creating spaces for communities that have historically had limited options. We’ve never been afraid to challenge traditional ideas of tourism or explore new ways of bringing people together.
Ultimately, we’re not just selling boat tours or beach days. **We’re creating spaces for people to connect, celebrate who they are, and experience Puerto Vallarta in a way that feels authentic and personal.**
And if there’s one thing I’d want readers to remember about our brand, it’s this: **Everyone deserves an unforgettable experience, and sometimes the best memories happen when you feel like you’re exploring paradise with an old friend.**
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Having traveled to more than 50 countries, I’ve had the opportunity to meet incredible people from all walks of life. But one thing that makes Puerto Vallarta truly special to me is the sense of community and mentorship I’ve found here, something I haven’t experienced quite the same way anywhere else in the world.
Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to learn from some incredible local entrepreneurs and community leaders, including Vidal from Almar Group, Tracy Parks from Incanto, Paul Chris from Mercurio, Don Pickens from Casa Cupula, and my dear friends Isaac and Joey from Gay Guide PV, who also share my Austin, Texas roots, along with many others.
These are just a handful of the people who have inspired me, shared their knowledge, and helped shape my journey as an entrepreneur. What makes Puerto Vallarta so unique is that there’s a genuine spirit of collaboration here. People are willing to share ideas, open doors, and help one another succeed.
Inspired by that generosity and mentorship, I went on to create **Gay+ Mixers Puerto Vallarta**, a networking initiative designed to bring together local businesses, entrepreneurs, community members, and travelers. The idea was simple: create a welcoming space where people could connect, exchange ideas, discover opportunities, support local businesses, and help each other grow.
For me, it’s always been about more than building my own business. It’s about contributing to a community that has given me so much. I believe success becomes much more meaningful when we create opportunities for others along the way.
**Puerto Vallarta didn’t just give me a place to build a business. It gave me a community of mentors, collaborators, and friends who taught me the value of growing together.**
Pricing:
- 349 USD Private Boat Tour
- 149 USD Naked Beach Ticket
- 199 USD VIP Naked Beach TIcket
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jetsprivateboattours.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/jetsprivateboats
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/jetsprivateboattours
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@jetsprivateboattours
