Rheanna Sinnett combined her love of nature and captaining experience when she launched Just Add Water Floating Camps in 2018, offering a unique eco-immersion vacation aboard beautifully restored boats moored on Pemaquid Pond in Bremen, ME. “I love the type of personality a houseboat vacation attracts,” she said. “It’s an incredibly diverse demographic, but there’s a common thread that connect us in fun, powerful ways.”

Rheanna turned to CEI’s Women’s Business Center (WBC) for help with marketing, financials and her overall business structure. She cites the ability to connect with other business owners in Maine and her WBC business mentor, who she can always reach out to for advice or support, as the most impactful aspects of the assistance she’s received.

During the summer of 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rheanna was able to maintain a high occupancy rate for both of her houseboats. The biggest challenge for her business was the time it took to confirm that her guests understood the constantly changing travel regulations for Maine and ensuring they were informed and comfortable about staying aboard. “Spending time on a Maine lake is such a relaxing, healing way to recharge and I wanted to create a floating oasis where my guests could truly rest,” she says.

Learn more: Just Add Water