This week I chat with Merrill Charette a long timer listener to the podcast (and a podcaster himself!) about his upbringing, experiences and how he ended up in the maritime industry.
I really enjoyed chatting with Merrill who is a fascinating character and a great raconteur. In this interview we cover.
- How he grew up the '6th child' with his other siblings being 5 Old English Sheepdogs!
- His very sports orientated childhood and his (and his fathers) obsession with Lacrosse
- The benefits of focus and determination to achieve his potential in lacrosse
- How he attended 4 high schools in 5 years experiencing bullying at every turn
- Tough love from his father
- Why he gave up lacrosse and rebuilt his identity
- Dealing with authority (when you know they are wrong)
- The 1000 Origami Crane Challenge and how it changed him
- Completing a challenging 2,200-mile trek along the Appalachian Trail
- Quitting law school
- The difference between moving on and giving up
- How a random comment from a stranger "You could always live on a boat" led him to the maritime industry
- How he negotiated for and bought his first boat
- How he taught himself to sail his first voyage from New York to Boston
- Finding a new community of boat owners
- Becoming a boating entrepreneur as an outsider to the industry
- Artificial intelligence and the maritime industry
Mentioned in this episode:
This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.
