Tag Archives: Entrepreneurs

Cobalt – First Boats, then Wine

My article about Pack and Paxson St. Clair and Cobalt Boats in the May issue of Soundings Trade Only was a real pleasure to write.  I have known Pack for many years and seen him at numerous boat shows and NMMA conventions. We had a fun and rather lengthy interview on the phone before writing the article. There is no doubt that Pack is a real gentleman. And he is another amazing and innovative entrepreneur in the boating industry. Starting his boat building business with a small business loan, Pack built it in to one of the top brands in the industry. And now his son Paxson is taking the brand forward with the introduction of an innovative, top of the line pontoon boat.

Pack and his wife Jill enjoy their Cobalt wine
Pack and his wife Jill enjoy their Cobalt wine

But Pack’s innovation and entrepreneurship didn’t stop with Cobalt Boats. He then successfully got in the California wine business with…that’s right…his Cobalt wine. And as you can see from this pic, Pack and wife Jill enjoy their Cobalt wine.  He sent me a couple of bottles of Cobalt wine that my wife and I enjoyed. On the bottle it reads, “A shared passion for excellence and quality brought together an esteemed boat-builder, Pack St. Clair, and a respected vintner, Steve Sherwin. One afternoon in the cellar over a glass of red wine, they decided to create something special for you to enjoy.” And you will enjoy it. Continue reading Cobalt – First Boats, then Wine

The Entrepreneurial Spirit

Webster defines an entrepreneur as, “one who organizes, manages, and assumes the risk of a business or enterprise.” Most all dealers and many boat builders have the entrepreneurial spirit. They are in business because they love it and don’t want to work for someone else.

One of my older brothers was a classic entrepreneur, starting at a young age. In high school, Jim worked at a gas station for spending money and soon bought his first car out of his earnings. After fixing it up a bit he then sold it for a profit and bought another car. He kept doing this all through school, buying and selling cars and each time, making a profit and trading up the year and model of the car.

Taking a big risk

After getting out of the Navy, he bounced around between several jobs but didn’t like working for someone else. So he finally bought a run-down Lincoln Mercury dealership “on a shoestring,” as they say. Over the next thirty years his business grew, he became incredibly successful, and made a ton of money as an entrepreneurial car dealer. Continue reading The Entrepreneurial Spirit