Today we’d like to introduce you to Tyler Collins.
Hi Tyler, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for sharing your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers.
Hello, My name is Tyler Collins, I’ve had a long journey to get to where I am, but I can keep it brief so it could be shorter. I am the person I am now with the events since I graduated high school. I was more interested in sports medicine and could care less about cars and mechanics. Unfortunately, life had other plans; I got sick in high school. At first, it was manageable; it was just fatigue and sinus inflammation. It sucked, but the day-to-day was still doable.
It was when things progressed to my intestines a year later that it got bad. I went from somewhat functional to entirely bedridden in just a few weeks. I lost the ability to drive and barely walked upstairs to my bed; I was existing. I lost everything about myself; in high school, I was on the swim team, played basketball every day, played many instruments, etc. Everything that made me who I was was gone now.
We went from doctor to doctor for a couple of years with no luck, not just small-time places; we went to Duke, Cleveland Clinic, etc. No doctor could determine what was wrong, but they agreed that I was very sick. It wasn’t until the end of 2012 that a doctor tried treating me for Lyme disease, and we started progressing. I don’t have Lyme disease, but it helped (which we determined later on) because the antimalarials used for coinfections are the same ones used for autoimmune diseases. Any time they removed the antimalarials, I would fall back into bedridden.
Over time I realized food played a part in my recovery. I filtered down my food to chicken and cucumbers at one point, which enabled me to be functional, functional enough to work and go to school (not enough to go to the gym). It was here I got my first job at an automotive performance shop. I had fallen in love with vehicles (I assume losing the ability to drive made me realize how cool it was). I didn’t do much at the shop. First, I just helped with their eBay store and website. Fundamental, not labor tasks, I learned much about e-commerce over time.
Eventually, as my health improved, my boss had me start working on cars. He showed me how to do everything, take cars apart, put on custom parts, etc. I got to where I was his main mechanic working on high-end cars like Nissan GTRs, Lotus Exige, 911 GT3, etc. It was a lot of fun. I didn’t make much money, but I was just happy to be doing something. Of course, during this time, I was still finishing school, and I did have to take it slow; even though I could do things, I still felt like I was on a tightrope regarding my health. I wasn’t better or cured. I just found ways to function.
In 2019 I decided to move to Florida, my dad had been down here for a few years already, and I wanted to be closer to family. I still had 2 years left of college, and I figured I’d finish it online. Unfortunately, my health took a downturn a few months after getting down here. I was now reacting negatively to things that once helped, and my tolerated foods returned to chicken and blueberries. I still didn’t have a diagnosis, so I had to diligently figure this out, as I wasn’t useful again.
Over the next year, I just focused on my degree and getting a diagnosis, and we finally found it: Mast Cell Activation Syndrome and Sjogren’s Syndrome. My body attacks the glands that make mucous and tears, probably because of weakened mucous lining. My mast cells are overactive (causing my food limitations and reactivity).
I started my own from-home mechanics business and bought a lift etc., using PayPal credit. It was a hit; I had very loyal customers and offered an affordable service that no shop around was doing. Only a few people had the customer performance experience I had gained, and those who did weren’t as affordable. I was prescribed Xolair, and not long after, I could work on cars again, not to the same extent, but it did help a lot. I did this for a while until college was coming to an end.
I realized I couldn’t do stuff like that forever, and I had done the math; even if I got a job in IT (since I was getting a computer science degree), I wouldn’t make enough money to support myself with just the one job fully, I would need 2, and working on cars and doing another job would be brutal on my body (my dad had been chipping in to help with my food and health expenses).
A buddy of mine bought my car (I was tired of the payments), put it on Turo, and made a killing. Something that never even crossed my mind. I went through his expenses, and while it made money, the return on time could have been better. So I looked at other options, and I had a jet ski. I figured I could rent jet skis; I know how to fix them, and I’d much instead be fixing my things every once in a while than someone else always.
I took out a $19k personal loan (the max I could get) and started my jet ski rental business as CCR Powersport. I built the website myself, did all my SEO, etc. I did everything. The only costs I had were buying the original equipment, Google ads, fuel, and insurance (and, of course, parts here and there that broke). My only goal was to break even at the end of the year to prove to myself I could make money doing it, and I did; I even made some money).
I had finished college and got hired as an applications analyst at a hospital (remote). It paid decently (I’m still there now), and I like the job a lot, but it does not meet all my needs. Further, I need something that will always pay all my bills and give me a buffer for my medical issues as things happen (I start subQ IgG soon, which can be expensive if insurance stops paying for it). Because of this, I pushed the business.
I sold my home to buy a commercial duplex that had water access. The owners probably should have considered the water access more beneficial since it was small, but it was perfect for me. Others saw a small place for a law office. I saw a place that could have an Airbnb in the front, a store in the back, a kayak launch on the creek, and jet skis. And that’s precisely what I did. The Airbnb covers the mortgage monthly; we’ve been slowly ramping up kayak and jet ski rentals. Our retail store is starting to make sales (we sell wakeboards, paddles, wake surfboards, life vests, etc.). Right now, I still can’t pay myself, but my employee gets paid, the store covers its overhead, and I generally have money to put it where it needs to go in the business to ensure we have everything we need.
I’m excited to see where we end up. I’ve always loved watersports, and that’s half the joy. I can’t wakeboard yet, but I look forward to being able to when my health improves again. I wanted to be able to do something that could pay for my health and also help keep me young at the same time. I missed out on everything my friends got to do in their early 20s, and I refuse to give up any more fun things if I can.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I said a lot of that in the last section. It’s mostly been health. It was switching back and forth between being bedridden and functional. This coupled with the struggles of just being a business owner working hard to break even at times when starting is hard. But I see the light at the end of the tunnel; it’s just getting there that takes time.
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Ortega Outdoors / Evolution Jetsports?
We split things just for SEO reasons and wanted it to be clear in Google. Evolution Jetsports is strictly engine-powered personal vessel rentals (definitely a mouth full). We specialize in jet skis and jet karts but also plan to add Craig cats here soon and some other things. It’s just the need for speed, adrenaline rush business. Ortega Outdoors is a motor of the wholesome and calm kayak and paddleboard business. It’s just a stop; check out the scenery, and enjoy the day. We also sell wake boards and things of that nature, but it’s more laid back and encompasses the rest of the watersports and outdoors world.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
To be well rounded. I gained many random skills over the years that helped make this work. If you’re renting jet skis, you better know how to fix them. Otherwise, they will be broken and unused often (most people I see need to learn about jet skis). The same goes for kayaks etc.; you better know everything inside and out about any equipment you’re renting or selling. It’s more than that, too; you need to know how to build your online presence, build a website, do you’re own SEO, do your marketing, etc. I am by no means the best at any of these things, but getting a degree in computer science, learning web design and SEO in school, plus learning e-commerce and mechanics over seven years at the performance shop gave me all the random skills I needed to run a business like this and not have to hire many people. Most people have to hire others to make a site, help them appear on Google, etc. And that can cost a fortune. As an owner, you have to wear the everything hat, and also, as the boss, I have to be able to teach and lead so my employee can grow as well.
Pricing:
- Jet Skis – $120 an Hour weekends / $110 weekdays
- Kayaks/sups $20 for 1 hour
- tandem kayaks – $30 for 1 hour
- Discounts for more time
Contact Info:
- Website: ortegaoutdoors.com
evolutionjetsports.com - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ortegaoutdoors/
https://www.instagram.com/evolutionjetsports/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/evolutionjetsports
https://www.facebook.com/ortegaoutdoors
