Today we’d like to introduce you to Henrik and Kimberly Laursen.
Miami Nautique International was literally founded on the water in 1998. Their Nautique Dealership is a family run business, owned and operated by Henrik and Kimberly, with the support of a great team of staff members. They have been actively involved in boating for the past 25 years. In the 1990s, between sets of driving, coaching, skiing, and being avid Nautique fans, conversations often centered around sharing their passion with others through opening a small boat dealership.
Over the years, the dreams became reality, and they’ve grown from a small 6 boat dealership to a dealer/distributorship with hundreds of boats in the water in dozens of countries around the world, on multiple continents.
Miami Nautique is the top-selling Nautique dealer in South Florida and South America, recognized as a Boating Industry Top 100 Dealer. They have been honored as one of Nautique’s Top 5 Domestic and International dealers many times over.
Several years ago they saw the shift in consumer behavior towards a more prominent online shopping experience and launched the e-commerce division of their business. Now their customers can buy water skis, wakeboard’s, wake surfers and other equipment online 24/7, 365 days a year by visiting www.MiamiNautique.com.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not always been easy, in fact often times it has been quite challenging. Due to the fact that we have such an international customer base, as economies in other countries around the world face difficulties, we feel the impact of those struggles.
Having our main location situated next to what was later to be the high end Design District and neighboring to the then-not-so-trendy Wynwood, originally we were far from having designer brands and definitely no Panther Coffee shops nearby. The area was sleeping but Miami Nautique saw the potential and has been making its mark on the market for over 18 years.
Despite all the obstacles we’ve faced through the years we are still the same at our core, further, we have grown to become a benchmark our competitors compare with and try to emulate.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Miami Nautique International – what should we know?
We specialize in providing top quality wakeboarding and waterskiing boats, gear, parts and accessories to an array of clients located in the United States as well as internationally. For nearly two decades, we have been committed to helping water sports athletes develop and improve their in-the-water performance, gain a competitive edge, and achieve maximum results by sharing expert advice and fitting them with the best gear and equipment on the planet. As athletes ourselves who have dedicated our lives and passion to water sports, we have firsthand knowledge when it comes to either helping you reach your potential or enjoying a fun time in the water.
Most of our employees compete and are internationally ranked. They live the sport, intimately know the products and share the passion.
In terms of what we are most proud of and what sets us apart from the competition, we are constantly striving to improve the customer experience with our dealership and with customer boating experiences. Our motto is “If you can’t make a sale, make a friend.” Our business is built upon relationships, so when it’s time to buy, these “friends” come to Miami Nautique.
We give our customers the VIP treatment at every opportunity. We provide them with a boat buyer discount in the pro shop, so that they can get affordable water sports equipment provided by an industry professional. We load them up with t-shirts, stickers, photos, and hand written notes. In the service department, we offer mobile service, and even a mobile concierge service for customers who travel frequently, or do not own a trailer for their boat.
Who else deserves credit – have you had mentors, supporters, cheerleaders, advocates, clients or teammates that have played a big role in your success or the success of the business?
At Miami Nautique we are only as good as the people we surround ourselves with each day. To that end, we begin by hiring the right people with the right attitude and value set. We know we can teach staff members about our products and processes, but we cannot teach great attitude. The passion that our employees have is evident in nearly every client interaction they have. The excitement our employees display is easily observed by clients and it transforms the situation from your typical purchase, into an entire shopping experience. Many of our customers travel great distances for the ‘Miami Nautique experience’, to spend time talking shop with our staff and catching up on the latest gear and tour rankings.
Further, we align ourselves with premier manufacturers we feel are the “best of the best.” By carrying only products that we are proud to sell, we can be assured that our clients will be able to depend upon not only us, but the boat and/or accessories they choose to purchase.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3828 NW 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33127
- Website: www.miamiskinautiques.com
- Phone: 305-438-9464
- Email: info@miaminautique.com
Written by VoyageMIA
Miami Ski Nautique Blog 