This week I chat with Merrill Charette a long timer listener to the podcast (and a podcaster himself!) about his upbringing, experiences and how he ended up in the maritime industry.

I really enjoyed chatting with Merrill who is a fascinating character and a great raconteur. In this interview we cover.

• How he grew up the '6th child' with his other siblings being 5 Old English Sheepdogs!
• His very sports orientated childhood and his (and his fathers) obsession with Lacrosse
• The benefits of focus and determination to achieve his potential in lacrosse
• How he attended 4 high schools in 5 years experiencing bullying at every turn
• Tough love from his father
• Why he gave up lacrosse and rebuilt his identity
• Dealing with authority (when you know they are wrong)
• The 1000 Origami Crane Challenge and how it changed him
• Completing a challenging 2,200-mile trek along the Appalachian Trail
• Quitting law school
• The difference between moving on and giving up
• How a random comment from a stranger "You could always live on a boat" led him to the maritime industry
• How he negotiated for and bought his first boat
• How he taught himself to sail his first voyage from New York to Boston
• Finding a new community of boat owners
• Becoming a boating entrepreneur as an outsider to the industry
• Artificial intelligence and the maritime industry

Mentioned in this episode:

This show was created by the original host of the show, Mark Williams.