Today we’d like to introduce you to John Cao.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I immigrated to the US when I was 13 years old as a political refugee from Vietnam. In 1981, I escaped Vietnam alone without family at the age of ten along with seventy eight other strangers by boat out of South Vietnam. After spending two years in the refugee camps in Malaysia and the Philippines, I was sponsored by a christian American family and started my American dream in Collegedale, TN. It didn’t take long before I was able to comprehend and eventually became fluent in English.
In 1995, I graduated from the University of TN at Chattanooga with a bachelor of science in Engineering and began my profession as an engineer right out of college designing and developing products for major corporations. In 2003, I earned my MBA from the Georgia State University while working a full-time job and attending evening classes. In 2007, I relocated to Boca Raton, FL to be closer to the ocean and the sub-tropical climate.
While I enjoyed working for many fine corporations throughout my career, I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur creating a business using my own creativity and imagination. I wanted to be a captain of my own ship. As an avid boater and fisherman, I have always enjoyed the lifestyle of boating, fishing and being on the ocean. While attending a boat show in Fort Lauderdale in 2015, an idea came to mind to create BocaShade based on the real-life necessity to protect friends and family from the harsh sun. It wasn’t long before local fishermen and fellow boating families began noticing BocaShade and inquiries to purchase it followed and here began the birth of BocaShade.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The entrepreneur path is seldom smooth and with new challenges around every corner. Balancing a professional full-time job and at the same time, developing and creating an innovative product requires unusual discipline, knowledge, resources, and most of all, perspiration. Designing an innovative product requires navigating around the mind field of existing intellectual property is one of the most difficult challenges. Developing an innovative product with ownable intellectual property is even more difficult.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the BocaShade story. Tell us more about the business.
BocaShade develops and manufacture retractable boat awnings for boats up to 35′ in length. I’m the company founder and chief engineer. Our retractable boat awnings are strong and light in weight. BocaShade boat awning was developed to cruise while the shade is fully extended to provide maximum sun protection. I’m most proud of the patent received from the U.S. Patent Office in January of 2018. We set ourselves apart from the competition by beating out the competition on price and value.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I believe that luck finds those who work hard every day to be successful.
Pricing:
- MDX5 5′ Length Shade $1,299 plus installation
- MDX6 6′ Length Shade $1,399 plus installation
- MDX7 7′ Length Shade $1,499 plus installation
Contact Info:
- Address: [email protected]
- Website: www.BocaShade.com
- Phone: 888-307-0276
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.facebook.com/BocaShade-489266757900761/
- Facebook: https://www.pinterest.com/myBocaShade/
- Twitter: https://www.instagram.com/mybocashade/?hl=en
- Yelp: https://plus.google.com/100209617834383777270
- Other: BocaShade
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