Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Disarro.
Mike, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
It all started seven years ago on a summer night. I had no plans and my brother asked me if I wanted to go on a boat cruise around the Boston harbor for a performer named Jim Plunkett, who I’ve loved ever since. I ended up joining him for this “booze cruise” and we had an amazing experience. I remember being on the boat taking it all in and saying to myself “This boat is awesome…more events need to happen on here!”
We did one boat cruise party the following year that went amazing – people loved it. The following year we stepped it up and did TWO boat cruise events. The response was overwhelming and positive; I knew I needed to expand the business. A few years later, the Ocean Club at Marina Bay came to fruition; all of the biggest DJ’s in the world were coming to Boston to perform at the Ocean Club. I saw the crowds it drew and I saw the response people had to the music. Unfortunately, the Ocean Club eventually closed, but fortunately for me, this left a void to fill. We spoke to NV Concepts, a production/talent buying/booking agency who at the time had been booking these DJ’s and they said it would be a great idea to start booking these DJ’s on the boat! I was thrilled to begin this new journey, and I knew we were about to take my vision to the next level.
Flash forward to 2017: we now run 22+ boat cruises a summer in partnership with the Bay State Cruise Company. I can’t say enough good things about Mike and Julie who run Bay State Cruise Company. They have been very supportive throughout the growth of the Boat Cruise Summer Series and we are already looking forward to Summer 2018!
Great, 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?
Growing a company from one event to twenty-two events hasn’t been easy. We have learned a lot in this business that not everything goes as planned; I try my absolute best to learn from mistakes and believe that I’ve built a stronger company and brand by learning from those mistakes. In the music industry, you have to really be in tune with what people want and whats hot in the market at the time. Trends are constantly coming and going, and this industry never stops evolving; staying relevant is a full-time job.
With all the work that came with expanding and growing the company, we hired a full-time Operations Manager: Olivia Oldsman. She came in and helped a lot with building the brand into what it is today. She is in touch with the music side of things and knows which artists will appeal to our market and which artists will not. She is my right hand and I’m able to delegate many of my tasks to her, making my life easier. Olivia had previously worked with our partner NV Concepts, so she came with a great deal of experience. She was able to hit the ground running and filled the position perfectly.
Boat Cruise Summer Series – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We specialize in Boat Cruise parties on the Boston Harbor. We are known for bringing world-renowned DJ’s and music producers to Boston. Summer in Boston can be a difficult time for many businesses, especially in the music industry. The college students and schools all are out of session, and we all know how big the college market can be in Boston. The Boat Cruise Summer Series has found a fun, fresh way to fill the void in Boston, bringing the excitement back. There’s nothing better than heading out on the Boston Harbor with your friends at sunset, taking in the beautiful views and awesome music; our customers return time and time again.
The entire brand sets us apart from others; we are the only large-scale, reoccurring concert cruise in Boston. The brand as a whole is something I am proud of, as well as the progression of it all; to have started with 1 cruise, to now hosting twenty-two per Summer is inspiring and motivating. It has been an exciting ride and we’re already diligently planning and looking forward to Summer 2018!
How do you, personally, define success? What’s your criteria, the markers you’re looking out for, etc?
My true measure of success as an entrepreneur is always about how much I am learning. The key to building a successful company is about learning the market I am in, learning more about our clients and customers, and learning more about what we are offering. It’s key to learn as much as I can, mainly so if we don’t always go with our original plans we can always change and adapt to the market. In music, trends are always changing, so being adaptable is key. Another way I define success is being able to do something you love and are passionate about, while still managing to sustain and make a living doing so. With the Boat Cruises, I’ve accomplished just that.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.boatcruisesummerseries.com
- Phone: 7747223106
- Email: mikedisarro@gmail.com, ooldsman@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/boatcruisesummerseries
- Facebook: facebook.com/boatcruisesummerseries
Image Credit:
Austen Blass
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