Current in Entrepreneurship Blog

What if your side hustle — even something as fun as renting jet skis — could evolve into a business with purpose? That’s exactly what happened to one enterprising MBA student whose journey from lakeside rentals to portable-shower stations offers a powerful lesson in adaptability, vision, and social impact.

• Riding the Waves: Starting with Jet Skis
  
  When he first dipped his toes into entrepreneurship, the student — let’s call him “the founder” — started renting jet skis and personal watercraft at parks, lakes, and reservoirs across Indiana. The service quickly caught on. People loved the thrill, and demand surged. But as usage rose, the business began to outgrow what could be managed with limited resources: scheduling, equipment maintenance, and scaling logistics became increasingly difficult.
  Recognizing this constraint, the founder didn’t jump ship — he pivoted.
  
  Re-thinking Business While Studying
  
  After relocating to Louisville, Kentucky, to pursue an MBA, the founder had the opportunity to re-evaluate his business model. With fresh networks and resources at business school, he and some classmates began brainstorming ventures that could marry entrepreneurship with social good. The answer came in a surprisingly humble — yet deeply impactful — form: portable showers and hygiene stations.
  
  From Recreation to Real Needs: Building Portable Showers
  
  What began as a business renting jet skis transformed into a venture aimed at solving real-world hygiene challenges. The portable showers were originally conceived for regions lacking proper plumbing or electricity — a critical need in many developing communities.
  But the impact doesn’t end there. The same mobile hygiene stations can serve homeless populations, people displaced by natural disasters, or anyone facing limited access to plumbing. This dual-purpose — commercial viability and social relevance — turned a simple side hustle into a mission-driven enterprise.
  
  Lessons Learned: What This Story Teaches Us
  

• Be ready to pivot. The founder didn’t cling to the original jet ski business when it became unsustainable — instead, he adapted.

• Use new environments to rethink old ideas. Business school didn’t just teach management; it offered a fresh perspective on what entrepreneurship could mean.

• Align business with impact. A venture that serves both paying customers and vulnerable communities becomes more than a business — it becomes a force for good.

• Scalability and sustainability matter. The shift from rental equipment to portable hygiene infrastructure reflects a long-term view of business scaling.

Beyond Profit: Business as Social Impact
In a world where businesses often chase rapid profit, stories like this stand out. By transforming a recreational rental service into a social-impact venture, the founder demonstrates that entrepreneurship can — and perhaps should — do more than just chase revenue. It can improve living conditions, bring dignity to underserved people, and address real societal problems.
For aspiring entrepreneurs, the journey from jet skis to portable showers offers a blueprint: start small, stay flexible, think beyond the obvious — and dare to build something meaningful.