Allison Kendro, owner of SOLID Surf & Adventure getting what is her definition of “richer.”
I did everything the “right way.” I was a good student, played sports, stayed out of trouble, went to college, got a job, moved to the big city, became a grunt, worked the corporate ladder and finally made a great salary at a management level position. I did everything the “right way,” but at 28 years old, I was miserable. My job was unsatisfying, my living quarters pathetic, a savings account non-existent and all I could think about was the day I would make enough money to “live the way I wanted.” Ten days later, I realized I was doing it all wrong.
In November of 2012, I ventured to El Transito, Nicaragua and, in a country so poor, people were so happy. I started to ask myself what I was doing wrong and why I was so unhappy. A quick reflection made me wonder where I’d be in five, ten or 20 years. Unfortunately, if I kept the same path, the answer was right in front of me – sitting in my boss’s chair –a place that might give an amazing salary but leave me with the same feeling of emptiness. It was at that moment I realized that I was doing what was expected of me rather than what I believed in. It was at that moment I decided to take my life into my own hands–something I should have done a long time ago.
I’ve never been one to take life for granted ever since I dealt with death at the wise age of seven when my brother (age nine) passed away. I learned quickly there’s no guarantee of a future in life, but somehow 20 years later, I had forgotten that and found myself waiting for life to happen to me. It was my second trip to Nicaragua when I stopped waiting and took an opportunity that would get me back on track. I haven’t looked back since.
When I looked to visit Nicaragua the first time, my ideal trip included surfing and volunteering, but I found I had to choose between the two. I was bummed I had to choose but it sparked an idea. What if there was a place you could go to not only surf and volunteer but also choose how you did it–a personalized experience that would mix surf and adventure with volunteering in your specific profession or expertise. It’s not a cookie-cutter volunteer program but a personalized program to match your skill set.
I had the idea and had just been lucky enough to fall into the lap of the right partner–Jonathan Ocanto, an American-Venezuelan and former EMT/Firefighter and surfer from Jacksonville, Florida, who was working at the surf camp I was visiting. Unsatisfied with the limitations of his job, an unfit boss and ability to have an impact on the community he was living within, he too was looking for more. We knew that the two of us together had the perfect skill set to not only create a company we both believed in but to also create a company that would be successful. In less than three months, I packed up everything to move to a new country, learn a new language, and create a company I believed in called SOLID Surf & Adventure.
While fueled by surf, SOLID also provides opportunities for people to learn, inspire and make a difference in the communities they visit – which essentially means you don’t have to choose between a surf, adventure or volunteer trip anymore. You could say that we are a “voluntourism” company that enables adventurists to explore new countries, experience new cultures and volunteer in less fortunate towns. The best part is that our clients themselves end up being just as impacted from the experience as the locals are. Our expertise is in the knowledge of the towns we operate in, our ability to gain the respect of the local community and, of course, our service ‐ we take care of the logistics so you can enjoy the ride. While we currently operate in Nicaragua, we have plans to expand to Venezuela and other Central and South American countries as the company matures.
It’s been almost a year since I packed my bags and left for this adventure and can honestly say I feel more fulfilled than I ever have in my life. While I don’t have a guaranteed salary or a ton of money, every day I am making someone’s life richer through experiences and support (including my own) which is more rewarding than a six-figure salary any day. All it took was a little bit of reflection and an urge to break the mold to create a life I believed in and become a person I could look at in the mirror at night. In reality, the things we dreamed of as a kid are possible, we just can’t let anyone tell us differently.
