On today's show I sat down with J Hurless, co-owner of Indiana boating dealership and service company Reeder Trausch Marine.
Hurless shares how he dropped out of high school, built a sales and leadership career at Ray Skillman until age 28, then bought Reeder Trausch in 2018 with little marine experience.
The dealership had been a steady family business selling eight boats a year ($375K in 2017), and Hurless faced immediate challenges including a drained lake, limited working capital, and no floor-plan credit. By cleaning up the business, launching a website, hustling on Craigslist/Facebook Marketplace, engaging the Rockville community, and securing manufacturer-backed lending, the company grew rapidly to $1.2M in 2018 and $23M by 2023, later acquiring Denny's Marina in 2024.
Hurless also emphasizes building teams, training talent, embracing change, and resilience through setbacks.
If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast.
You are going to learn about:
- How a High School Dropout Acquired a Boat Business
- Leading More Experienced/Older Coworkers
- Tips to Scaling a Business Quickly
Thank you to our partners:
Keller & Keller
J.C. Hart
Check out these great clips from the show:
00:00 Lake Drained Shock
00:24 Guest Introduction: J Hurless, Reeder Trausch Marine
03:46 Dropping Out Hustle
05:24 Car Sales Rise
07:17 Leadership Lessons
10:15 Boat Buying Pain
14:28 Buying The Marina
21:25 Closing Day Surprise
24:40 Cleaning And Community
27:56 First Sales And Credit
37:19 Pre-Selling Boats
38:00 Building The Team
39:19 Nationwide Boat Demand
41:23 Growth Pains And Hiring
42:45 Revenue Explosion Numbers
43:38 Why Acquire Denny's Marina
44:31 Acquisition Secrets And Risks
45:58 Integrating The New Staff
48:53 Indy vs Rockville Performance
51:29 Future Expansion Ideas
53:59 Talent Development Playbook
56:50 Leading Without Micromanaging
59:59 Advice For Scaling Fast
01:01:53 Worst Day As Owner
01:05:09 Redefining Success Through People
01:07:22 Why Indiana Home
01:08:43 Indiana Favorites And Hidden Gems
01:10:43 Hoosier To Watch And Farewell
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