Meet Gonzalo Fernandez of Chamonix Yacht Management in Miami Beach

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gonzalo Fernandez.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Gonzalo. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Chamonix was founded back in 2001, as a boat cleaning company. I took ownership in April 2011, and we steady increased the number of services, based on the demand of clients. We saw there was a gap between the owners, and their providers. I took the time to bring the best companies out there, and partnered with them to offer a onetime shop for our clients.

Today, we handle from the purchase, captain and crew placement, upholstery, mechanic, refit, and as always, we maintain our core business of detailing and underwater services. We serve more than 95 clients, from Coconut Grove to Aventura, and soon we will be expanding into Ft Lauderdale area.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It’s been a very interesting road, if you will. Along the way we learned the value to keep great people around, same as we had to let go of the one that could/would not see the evolution of Chamonix. Darwin said is not the smarter nor the strongest species that survive, but the one that which is more willing to adapt. As times goes, we became a pioneer on the industry, those changes and transitions, (systems, process, technology, etc) usually are a bit bumpy, not matter how much you prepare the client and team for it. Cash flow was also another learning curve, and we had to become very creative, since is always needed for expansion and new development on procedures. Last but not least, we learned the importance of identifying which client fits our criteria, and let go of the ones who don’t. This created space for the right ones. There is a client for every company, and a company for every client.

Please tell us about Chamonix Yacht Management.
We guarantee every service, if you don’t like it, you don’t pay. I am not sure many companies can back this up, and we got paid 100% of the time.

We are the preferred company for Miami Beach Marina, the biggest marina in Miami. And we serve the only water limousine for USA, for a special type of client in Fisher Island, we are about to certify ISO 9001 (a certification accepted in 189 countries, which focus on process and client satisfaction). Our company has grown a steady 37% since we took ownership in 2011. We learned the importance of process and system, using the technology to our advantage. We also have our own application so clients can order services thru the app.

Now, if you ask me what I am most proud of, I would say “relationships”. At the end of the day, this is not business, this is Personal, yes. You read this right. We are all in the business of relationships. I like to be involved with people who I like to spend time with, we only have one life, so why would I choose sharing with people that I am not gravitated to? I love to interact with my team, partners that I bring my clients to, and my clients, they are a constant motivation, I come from very humble meaning, and I always dreamed to have a lifestyle, and my clients are the proof that if you work hard and have good ethic, on this marvelous country, you can make it.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I always say that I made every single mistake, and even more. Each one of those made me the man I am today, each one has taught me something. When I started, I did not have experience in business, finance, or boat maintenance. I learned everything in the battlefield.

The one thing I would have done a bit differently, is to reach out more to people. I am very humble to say when I don’t know something, and I had even asked competitors how to do it, no joke. I learned they are willing to help if you come straight and drop your ego. People like to help, at least the right one.

But having connection with business owners, I could’ve ask for some guidance when struggling with reports and reading some P&L at the beginning (not my strongest suit).

Contact Info:

• Address: 64 Alton Rd #7
  Miami Beach, Fl 33139
• Website: www.chamonixvip.com
• Phone: 305-772-9023
• Email: info@chamonixvip.com
• Instagram: @chamonixvip
• Facebook: facebook.com/chamonixvip

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