This is the first in a series of our Members Small Business Highlights.  Please support small businesses and their employees affected by this pandemic.

Today we talk with Joanna Mikutowicz

Tell us the name of your business, what you do and why you love it so much?

Divetech. We are a scuba diving company located in West Bay, Grand Cayman. Divetech offers the most diverse scuba diving experiences for divers of all levels. I love it because it truly allows me to live my dream in real life – helping others see the amazing sights of the underwater world in one of the most beautiful environments possible.

 

How long have you owned Dive Tech?

5 years

 

What’s up with the pink boats?

Pink has been my favorite color for as long as I can remember. As I’ve grown in life, to me the pink represents the balance of feminism and strength – a philosophy I carry through all of life. When we first painted the hull pink, all of the activity in the boat yard came to a screeching halt. All of the workers gathered around and stared. The effect isn’t just limited to boat yard workers, when people see the boats, they stare. The pink is memorable, stands out, and has been an amazing branding tool for Divetech. Everyone knows the company with the pink boats, and we’ve had a viral response to it. We’ve actually had bookings where people called in and said “my daughter says she had to go on the pink boat.”  I support women and believe in giving them the same opportunities that men are given in a male dominated industry.

 

How many people do you employ?

12

 

What’s the greatest thing about owning a business in Cayman?

There’s a saying “I live where you vacation.” For me, it’s true. Cayman is one of the most beautiful, diverse and safe tropical islands you can visit. It is a first-world standard of living combined with white sand and turquoise water – a rare combination. It’s an absolute paradise, and is amazing to live and work in.

 

How can local residents support you and your staff during this time?  What types of groups and events can you host?

Divetech offers the most diverse scuba diving experiences on the island. Some companies here offer simply boat diving, or snorkeling excursions. Divetech is able to offer something for every person – from those who have never been in the water before, up through highly advanced and specialized technical training, as well as underwater scooters, freediving, lionfish culling classes, photography. Most relevant to the current crisis we are facing, Divetech offers a number of programs for children and families. Kids who are not in school can still learn about the marine ecosystem, our local environment and conservation. Kids can even learn the fundamentals of discipline, attention to detail, and even develop a new lifelong hobby, passion or even career.

 

You are an extremely busy business owner but you still manage to make it to the gym at 5:30 am. How do you do it and why is being fit important to you?

I have a hard and determined work ethic in everything in life. With this and Crossfit, also comes the benefit of staying very physically fit, and maintaining a health lifestyle. The nature of Crossfit allows me to develop and maintain the proper fitness level mindset to face all kinds of life challenges – from simply carrying 200 dive tanks, to the difficulties associated of running a business in a highly competitive industry.

 

In 50 years what do you hope you, your staff and Dive Tech are remembered for?

The pioneers of diving in Cayman are well known – Bob Soto, Marvin Ebanks, Peter Milburn, and many others all started the industry. They had a true passion about Cayman, scuba diving, and showing others the amazing underwater world Cayman has to offer. Since then, others have come along who have merely thought of a watersports business as a profit center.

I want Divetech to be known as company who’s brought the passion back into diving. Not just running a successful business, but one who succeeded in developing a new generation of passionate divers.   We will also be known for supporting each other through difficult times like the one we are facing.  When everyone bans together, anything is possible.

 

An important issue right now is what is Divetech doing to protect staff and guests from the Coronavirus?

Aside from our usual rinsing of equipment we have set up 2 sanitisation buckets for the gear.  All mouthpieces, snorkels and masks each get sanitised twice in a bleach/water solution as well as a steramine solution.  We also have brand new spare mouth pieces on hand that we would be happy to put on a rental regulator.

Our restrooms are stocked with soap and paper hand towels.

Can’t transfer any germs underwater so you can do all of the touching down there that you can no longer do on the surface 😉

Our boats are all very spacious and we run them at half of their rated capacity to give everyone lots of personal space.  Our dive boats have a fly bridge area as well as a large beck on the bow for people to spread out over to keep their distance from each other.

 

Thank you Jo for telling us more about your business and what you can do.  7 Mile Strength & Fitness will be working to organize some group trips, certification courses etc.  I urge others in Cayman to reach out to Divetech and arrange some trips as well, and please don’t forget to tip your staff!

Contact Details:

https://www.divetech.com/

1-877-946-5658(US), 1-345-946-5658 (Local)

278 Crighton Drive, Grand Cayman

KY1-1206, Cayman Islands