The Expandacraft Philippines Project

As a lifelong entrepreneur of 52 years, I have lived by the mantra, “If you set out to do good, you will do well.” No longer just a mantra, this has turned out to be a proven formula for my business and my personal life.

To make a long story short, I plan to retire and split my time between the Philippines and the USA, but as a lifelong entrepreneur, I can’t simply flip a switch, stop being a creative business minded man, and go sailing every day for the rest of my life. Instead, I want to spend my time  teaching others the value and rewards which come from working for yourself. Not satisfied with simply teaching, I want to facilitate the startup of a number of small businesses in the Philippines with Expandacraft Modular Boats. Here is a very simplified plan for what I propose to do.

1. Import a number of Expandacraft to the Philippines to be used as rental boats of different configurations.
2. Establish partnerships with waterfront resorts where the rental fleets will be dispersed.
3. Seek out locals as owner/operators and set them up in business without the need to come up with the startup capital.
4. Seek out sponsors who will, like me, provide the startup capital needed to launch each individually owned rental business. One resort, one business. Each business will have at least two owners.
5. Replicate this business all over the Philippines with standardized operations and promotions.
6. Form an (employee owned corporation) in which my involvement and monetary gains will diminish over time as the company grows.
7. Begin production of Expandacraft parts in the Philippines. That’s in addition to the USA production, not instead of.
8. Develop new products for production, and select production for hire.

What about the money; who gets what?  Where does the investment come from?

First of all, I will not make a profit on the sale of Expandacraft boats used in these rental businesses, nor will I take profits from the individual rental businesses. That is where the “do good” part of my mantra comes in. I think the people of the Philippines are hard working, educated, and creative, but need more opportunities. I want to give people the chance to change their lives for the better, and that is rewarding to me.

Here is the “do well” part. By setting up a number of rental businesses and allowing the local owners to earn very good money, it will be easy to replicate the Expandacraft rental business and it will boost Expandacraft brand recognition. As a bonus, people who see Expandacraft at a resort while vacationing are likely to want one and place an order to be shipped to their homes.

Expandacraft has been produced solely in the USA for 15 years, and I have that market covered; however, the European, Australian, and Asian markets are prime for my product, even more so than my home country.

Why do those markets look better than the good ‘ole USA?

Space is a premium in Asia and Europe; a boat that breaks down to fit in a small car and doesn’t need a trailer or boat ramp is a natural, good fit. Additionally, multihull boats are part of the culture in the South Pacific, and so I don’t need to explain the benefits like I do in the USA. With our big roads, big trucks, and endless boat ramps and parking for big trucks and trailers (and don’t forget the big back yards to park our big boats) space is abundant. Well, that just isn’t the norm in those other markets, except maybe Australia–but they are part of the multihull culture.

Sponsorship and investment and the difference between the two.

An individual can sponsor as little as the cost of one Expandacraft boat or an entire rental fleet in which the owner/operator will pay back the cost over time without interest. Expandacraft will provide the boats at the manufacturer’s actual cost plus shipping from the USA.

Sponsorship perks.

Sponsor just one Expandacraft for the Philippines project, and you can buy an Expandacraft for personal use at the manufacturer's cost. Not to be confused with the manufacturer's suggested retail price; I’m talking about how much I pay to have the parts molded. Additionally, as a sponsor, you will get the rockstar treatment when you visit one of the Expandacraft rental businesses. Enjoy free rentals at resorts that include Expandacraft businesses. There will be some restrictions on how many times you can go for free, but policies will be very generous.

So there it is in a nutshell. Now who wants to set out to do good with me and do well too?

For profit business opportunities for investors.

It wouldn’t be much of an Export business if Expandacraft doesn’t have distributors in those markets to export to. I will be offering exclusive territories to individuals who wish to become a distributor in any country mentioned, or any country the Philippines could logistically serve. Existing distributors of sporting goods, and especially water sports would be preferable, but startups with a good plan and sufficient funding will be considered.