Name:
Gina Bradley
How your clients refer to you:
Paddle Diva / Gina Bradley
Company:
Paddle Diva
Contact Info:
Paddle Diva Center, 219 Three Mile Harbor, HC Road, East Hampton, Cell: 516-383-2296, Shop/reservations: 631-329-2999, Email: gina@paddlediva.com, Website: www.paddlediva.com, Mailing Address: 61 Lincoln Ave, East Hampton, NY 11937
How many years have you been in business in NYC?
We have been in the Hamptons since 2009.
How did you get your start and what was your initial inspiration?
The sport found me! I started before the sport even came into the limelight, I was a windsurfer first and spend many years at Napeague bay zipping around. When my husband had one of the first porotype SUP boards build in 2006 I jumped on and knew immediately that this was a sport that would take off! I opened with exactly 6 boards! Now, in 2017, I have over 40 boards and am building a nationwide presence, including Gurney’s of Montauk as an ocean front location.
What do you feel differentiates you from others in your field?
My authenticity and true willingness to go out of my way to ensure everyone has a rewarding experience on the water. I instill in my staff the same core values that I am led by so that at every touch point, no matter who is working with a client, they have an amazing experience.
What do you feel gives you longevity in this big city with so many options?
My Paddle Diva brand and brand image is my pillar. It holds me up and sets me apart from any other SUP/Watersports operator on Long Island. I came from a branding/marketing background and I have been lucky to utilize my 10 years of experience working in NYC to make my brand come to life in the Hamptons. I have a great team that helps me with my website and all my social media.
How do you positively impact your clientele?
I push my clients, no matter who they are or how old they are, to gently step outside their comfort zone! I make them get outside and really enjoy the Hamptons the way I know is the most wholesome, soul building, and authentic way!
What is your favorite part of your job?
Seeing clients relax for the first time while standing on a board, when they sort of say to themselves “I got this!”
What is your favorite secret spot?
Hands down my favorite secret spot in the Hamptons is the WATER! It’s our most precious resource and we all need to love it, pay attention to it, and help it recuperate. We are doing a lot as inhabitants of the Hamptons to impact our waters and just now we are all coming together to do things to help restore the bays and waterways!
How do you benefit mamas?
I allow them 1 hour on the water away from the noise of life on land. I allow them to step on to the liquid and let go of daily stresses to get a break from the grind of motherhood. I let them give back to themselves so they can be refreshed and a better MOM!
What is the most memorable feedback a client has given you?
That I changed their life. That they now look at the world with a new perspective.
Pay it forward and name your top colleagues in the same field or related field:
Gabby Reece is my #1 leader. I find her to be one of the most inspiring, talented, savvy role models I have every worked beside. She’s someone I love to watch and learn from.
What is the best advice anyone's ever given you? Or what is your "mantra" / words to live by?
I wake up every day with a smile on my face. My mantra when I open my eyes is “it’s a brand-new day,” nothing in life is ever guaranteed. But a BRAND-NEW DAY is something I can promise everyone and the universe delivers it to us all!
As moms, the day can escape us, what is your best time-saving trick?
To do a two-minute breathing mediation. Stop what you are doing when it all feels like it’s compressing you and take a break. It’s essential to look up at the sky, or a green plant, out to see or engage with something that is natural and from ‘mother earth’. This will help to hit the reset button!