Today we’d like to introduce you to Michaela Brewer.
Hi Michaela, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I was fortunate enough to start traveling at a young age. My first big travel opportunity presented itself through a program called the People to People Student Ambassador Program. I was about 12 years old when I was invited to travel to Europe for the summer. The months leading up to that trip were filled with fundraisers and side jobs (job opportunities for a 12-year-old are limited) working towards raising funds for this trip. Hard work and determination paid off, and I could go on the trip. That trip lit the fire for me- I caught it, the travel bug, and it hooked me. Fast forward to my first year of college when I learned you could travel and earn your college credits- study abroad?! Sign me up! It was my first month of college, and I had already committed to spending the winter studying in Belize. Again, after a few months of hard work and saving, I was able to make the trip a reality. At this point, I was 18, and I had found my passion- travel! Soon after, I applied to finish my degree in Melbourne, Australia. I finished a Communication and Public Relations degree with a Marketing concentration. I spent the next few years bouncing around Australia, New Zealand, and South East Asia. During these travels, I was introduced to two life-changing activities- 1. surfing and 2. the concept of work/life balance. Until then, I worked constantly to save money for my next travel adventure.
Eventually, I returned to the States and bounced around- mostly between South Carolina and Southern California (one beach to another!). Finally, due to a career opportunity for my incredibly supportive boyfriend/travel partner, Matthew Burkett, we found ourselves leaving San Diego and establishing roots on a small barrier island outside of Charleston, SC- Folly Beach. The community on Folly took me in, supported, and fostered my passions like I had never experienced before. I was surrounded by like-minded, passionate entrepreneurs that never shied away from hard work, risks, or challenges. These people truly inspired me, and I knew I could find a way to combine my passion for surfing and traveling while enjoying the work-life balance. I started working for a local sunglass brand called Nectar Sunglasses- based out of Charleston, SC. Again, I was surrounded by surf and travel enthusiasts who appreciated hard work and play time equally. An opportunity to surf in Costa Rica presented itself, and without hesitation (and with the support and encouragement of my boss, Sean Holmes), I went for it. A few months later, in response to a Facebook post on a women’s surf page, I traveled to El Salvador to meet a handful of strangers with the same mission- surf and travel. This is the beginning of Barebones Surf.
Chloe Reynolds and I met on this trip, where we connected immediately. We fell in love with the country, the culture, the food, the people, and the waves. We would continue to visit El Salvador any chance we got and always extend the invites to anyone who expressed interest. After a few trips, we started connecting with the community, and that’s when it happened! Local chef and business owner Pedro “Makoi” Castillo and his lifelong friend, President of the Salvadorian Surf Federation, Jose’ “Bamba” Diaz, approached us with the idea of bringing sustainable tourism to the community. This was when things started to take off. Chloe and I would make a few more trips to El Salvador to connect with the locals and develop a plan that truly focuses on supporting the local community in El Salvador. Our mission was clear- we would offer affordable, authentic surf trips to El Salvador. We wanted to take a new approach to surf trips (typically quite pricy) and make ours accessible to more people, so we cut out all the frills and the extras and figured out how to provide a cost-effective, barebones surf trip that directly supported the local community. Everything from the accommodation, surf coaching, photography, and meals are all owned and operated by locals in the community. This approach allowed us to make surf trips available to more people while supporting the locals and providing a more authentic cultural experience. The concept took off, and we never looked back. Welcome to Barebones Surf 🙂
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The support of the local community in El Salvador and here at home in Charleston, South Carolina, has made all the difference! Before starting anything, we sat down and put together a brand guide that allowed us to dive deeply into who we wanted to be and our goals and mission. This brand guide has acted as our compass for business decisions moving forward. We would always revisit our brand guide to ensure what we were doing aligned with the original goal. As with anything, there have been unexpected hurdles and our fair share of curve balls, but we pride ourselves in being resilient and hard-working, allowing us to overcome the challenges we’ve faced so far. We truly believe in our brand. We have kept it authentic and transparent, which people can see and appreciate. That honesty, combined with local support, has truly allowed the brand to thrive.
As you know, we’re big fans of Barebones Surf. What can you tell our readers who might need to be more familiar with the brand?
Real Experiences. Real People. We are bringing it back to the basics with our all-inclusive*, barebones, no-frills surf trips. We aim to make surf and travel more accessible by providing a safe and affordable experience. We work with locals to ensure authentic trips that support and serve the community. The Barebones Experience is undeniably unique and memorable. Our surf trips are intentionally designed to give our guests the most authentic, community-focused experience (on a budget). We don’t claim to provide the fanciest, most luxurious, extravagant surf trips- in fact, we went the opposite direction and have created an affordable surf experience that focuses on the truly essential elements of a surf trip- safety, accommodation, surfing, community, and food. We do this by cutting out the unnecessary frills and partnering with locals to ensure our trips directly benefit the community hosting us while offering a cultural experience to our guests. From the surf coaches to the accommodation to the food, it’s all local. Real people. Real Experiences.
Full Disclosure – the Barebones experience isn’t for everyone- and that’s okay! We didn’t set out to create a “one size fits all” surf trip. We created a trip for the surfer that is down to get a little dirty and gritty. The guest values experience over material possessions. Traveler thrives being pushed just slightly out of their comfort zone to try something new. We strive to create an environment for real experiences, authentic community, and memories that last a lifetime.
Can you talk to us about the role of luck?
I have been extremely fortunate with the opportunities presented to me and the community that has supported me and allowed me to take advantage of the opportunities in life and business. As much as I would love to contribute all to hard work, the reality is that so many small life decisions led me to the place I am not. Had I not had the travel experiences growing up, had I not seen the Facebook post about surfing in El Salvador, had I not been encouraged by such a supportive partner, employer, family, and friends, none of this would be a reality today. “Lucky” isn’t the first word that comes to mind; instead a lifelong series of fortunate events.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.barebonessurf.com/
- Instagram: @barebonessurf
Image Credits
Clara Guedelhoff
