Today we’d like to introduce you to Kelly Shane.
Hi Kelly, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Certainly, thank you for having me!
I am the co-founder/co-owner of Wake Riderz, a premier family-owned local boat rental business operating on beautiful Lake Austin. I serve as our company’s Booking and Client Relations Manager, supporting the back-end operations of our business and the front-end connections with our customers and our team.
I consider myself to be a native Austinite. I was born in Ohio but raised in Austin since the age of 5. I graduated from Bowie High School (Go Dawgs!) and have an AA – English from Austin Community College. I spent the majority of my professional life in the field of Human Resources before starting our small business with my husband. I’ve worked in the communications, educational resources and government services industries in roles such as HR Assistant, HRIS/Payroll Coordinator, HR Associate, HR Employee Services/Operations Specialist and most recently HR Generalist.
A little bit about our story: My husband and I used to frequent local lakes to enjoy the outdoors on a jet ski we owned at the time. However, with the limitations that come with operating them, like minimal seating capacity & rules which prohibit use from sunset to sunrise, we decided to purchase a jet boat so that we could extend invitations to our family and friends and be able to enjoy the waters at night.
We often encountered when out with both of our watercraft, more particularly the boat, much curiosity from bystanders and other watercraft owners. I remember one evening in particular, a group of other boaters who had just come off the water before us on Lake Austin remarked how much they really liked our boat and inquired as to if we would ever consider renting it out. It was like a light bulb went off and we thought to ourselves, why not?! With little hesitation, we moved forward with the idea. That was in 2015. We initially started with just that one boat, offering self-captained rentals on Lake Travis, but given the proximity to Downtown in addition to its expansiveness and unpredictability with water levels, we decided to shift business to Lake Austin instead. Lake Austin just felt more like home with its intimate setting and, given its constant-level water, popularity and location, it just made sense. We also chose to offer captained instead of self-captained rentals, which our customers over the years have come to appreciate and enjoy. Fast forward to 2022 – we now have a fleet of four luxury pontoon boats.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
It hasn’t always been a smooth road. We made the leap to start a small business together and then eventually step away from our corporate jobs with salaries, health care benefits and retirement plans. While that, in and of itself, was a huge financial adjustment for our household, our biggest challenge has actually been the COVID-19 pandemic.
In July of 2020, when Austin reached Stage 5, Travis County Parks (with whom we are permitted to operate) made the decision to close amenities and prohibit commercial use of all boat ramps under their park system following Austin Public Health (APH) guidelines and recommendations, which specifically included the launching or retrieving of rental boats as well as the loading/unloading of passengers. This closure forced us to have to re-evaluate our business strategies and become bold and creative in our approach to marketing and in our operations. Not only was our main access to Lake Austin compromised, but access to all surrounding bodies of water were as well. We had to learn how to navigate through unprecedented times, how to adjust to our circumstances and how to communicate with and preserve the confidence of our customers and staff concerning safety measures, all while continuing to offer, as best we could, our services. Business fell from an average of 10-12 rentals a week to 2-3 rentals a week.
Thankfully, in March of 2021 when Austin moved to Stage 3, commercial activity was given the green light to resume and we have since been able to operate without interruption.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
We provide highly rated boat rentals for all types of events and occasions, serving both locals and those visiting Austin. We host corporate events, adult and kid birthday parties, bachelor/bachelorette boat parties, anniversaries, just for fun, graduations and much more. We are most proud of our leading customer service and the relationships we’ve built through our attention to detail and the level of care & safety we bring to our customers which they have come to expect, love and trust.
One of the most common questions we receive is if a boat captain is required with our rentals. Not only are our boat captains boating certified in safety education and extremely knowledgeable, but they are engaging, friendly and enjoy what they do. They know how and where to navigate the lake, they understand our State laws and regulations concerning boating basics and conduct, they have the knowledge to troubleshoot mechanical issues and they know how to assist and who to contact in emergency situations. They can also identify potentially inclement weather conditions and act accordingly to keep everyone on board safe. All of these reasons and more are why we decided to require a boat captain with our rentals and why we continue to do so today.
What sets us apart from other boat rental companies is our organic and transparent approach to growing our small business and clientele. We have multiple rental options because we believe that our industry is not a one-size-fits-all. In addition to our general rentals, we also offer public boat tours, private boat cruises, water tubing, 2-hour time slots on weekends and lake house pick-up/drop-off services. We love giving back to our community by supporting local non-profit organizations with boat rental donations and we are BBB accredited.
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
We definitely expect to see shifts in our industry, particularly in the way people discover, book and experience boating activities. Travel websites have become extremely popular in recent years, giving travelers visual (photos) and written (product description) insights as well as other travelers’ perspectives (customer reviews) into what one can expect and believe that this trend will continue. We anticipate and expect to see a shift to “virtual” experiences of the activities offered as well.
I also believe we’ll see a trend in customization in order to stay relevant, competitive and unique; what are customers wanting to be able to get from their boat rental that makes it feel more personalized over other competitors? We have some ideas in mind for how we want to bring customization to the forefront of our business and we’re looking forward to exploring and eventually offering those options.
The boat rental industry is expected to see extraordinary market growth over the next 5+ years. The benefits of renting a boat versus owning one and the responsibilities that come with such ownership (maintenance costs, storage fees, etc) make it understandably clear as to why we’ll continue to see an uptick in the boat rental space. Simply the discovery and enjoyment of the outdoors, worry-free with family and friends, is what keeps and will continue to keep customers coming back year after year.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wakeriderz.com/
- Instagram: @wakeriderz
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lakeaustinboatrentals
- Twitter: @WakerRiderz
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBM4X1SpJL1kb-cUqw-VsKw
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/wakeriderz/
