Feature Story for Prospective Clients:

Making Waves of Positive Change
for Leaders in the Dive Industry

by Jana Hubbart (published in DiveNewswire)

“I’m either going to die or this will be really cool.” This was the thought racing through Shelli’s

mind in a classic panic moment experienced by many new divers during open water

certification.

Running a dive business can feel like a panic moment at times. There’s enormous satisfaction

from doing what you love. But the daily grind of trying to manage a profitable and sustainable

company can be overwhelming to say the least.

It’s something Shelli Hendricks understands. She has come a long way since that do-or-die

moment in open water. Today, she is a Master Scuba Diver Trainer and active marine

conservationist. She’s also the founder and president of Blue Horizon Solutions, which provides

educational services for individuals, teams and business leaders. By navigating professional

challenges in ways that positively impact the people and environment around them, leaders can

build a business that thrives and can be passed on to the right successor.

How she got to this place is an inspiring story...

Spending much of her early years on the waterways of Northern California, boating, fishing, and

water skiing, Shelli’s family often vacationed on their boat for weeks at a time in the San

Francisco Bay and Delta.

This fostered a deep love and respect for the ocean. “I’ve always seen myself and others as

stewards of the planet. We have a responsibility to be wise in how we treat the environment and

one another,” she says.

This deep connection with the ocean sparked her interest in diving. For years, she wanted to

become a diver but was afraid to pursue the dream, until a trip to Maui changed that.

While snorkeling with sea turtles at Black Rock, she noticed a group of scuba divers entering

the water, passing right beneath her and continuing out into deeper water. There she was,

confined to the surface. And there they were, free to explore the vastness. The contrast was

stark, and she instantly resolved to become a diver, no matter what. No more letting fear limit

her. In fact, after her initial open water certification, she was hooked! She loved diving so much

that she continued her training to become a dive instructor, like many of our readers.

This same determined spirit surfaced again several years later. While attending her first DEMA

Show as a divemaster in 2011, Shelli began to notice the opportunity to share her experience in

corporate learning and leadership development for Fortune 500 companies. So, she launched

Blue Horizon Solutions with the vision of expanding professional leadership services for dive

professionals and marine conservationists. Staying true to her heart, she carefully planned the

company around her love for the ocean.

When she left the safety net of corporate life to focus on her business, she invested one

summer working as an intern with the Science Exchange International Sea Turtle Internship and

the local dive shop, Boca Divers, near Puerta Vallarta, Mexico. Along with her fellow interns,

she was immersed in marine conservation research with sea turtles, deepening her connection

to the ocean and the dive industry.

Now, she works with businesses, B-corporations and non-profit organizations of all sizes to

quickly identify leadership needs and offer solutions. She knows what it takes to transition from

struggle to thriving, whether you are an individual dive pro, a team member or a business

leader.

It’s clear to see, Shelli lives by her own motto:

Everyday words and actions create a cumulative impact on the people and environment

around us. Over time, this becomes our legacy. With a learning mindset, leaders can

create productive transition, transformation and sustainable positive change, leaving a

meaningful legacy for future generations.

This November at DEMA, Shelli will present three seminars on topics related to learning and

leadership development for dive professionals. It’s a great opportunity to discover the easy,

proven methods she uses to help leaders to make waves of positive change for their teams and

the dive industry for future generations.

To find out more about the sessions she is offering at DEMA, click here.

If you’re ready to schedule your discovery call, click here.