Could sharing your interests with others be your breakthrough business venture? That’s exactly what Dominic May asked himself, which led to his creation of CoastXP. Dominic grew up in Coffs Harbour, Australia, and always loved being near the ocean and the beautiful coasts of Australia. Dom worked as a commercial boat master and scuba diver instructor before going to college. While at the University of Newcastle, Dom pursued a Bachelor’s in Business and Innovation/Entrepreneurships and majoring in Tourism and Management. During the end of his time a University, Dominic dove into starting his business, CoastXP, at 23 years old.
CoastXP combined Dominic’s interests of marine biology and tourism into a profitable business that benefits his community. Dom’s elevator pitch goes a little something like this: “Aboard a fast, custom-built boat, guests get the opportunity to learn about our coastline, history, Aboriginal heritage, local geology and interact with magnificent marine life – all while in a fun and safe environment.” The Newcastle area of Australia is a beautiful coastal metropolitan area with a rich history going back to 1797. It is also a top tourism destination, so Dominic was risking a lot going into the tourism industry, but he offered it from a new perspective. CoastXP is a unique opportunity for tourists to see a portion of the Australian coastline for themselves, learning about it while it is in front of their eyes. CoastXP has expanded to include five local marine and wildlife experts that give both land and boat tours in Newcastle and in Lake Macquarie.
CoastXP was named the 2023 Newcastle Young Citizen of the Year. This was given in recognition for Dom’s contribution to local tourism, especially his contribution to the city’s “post-pandemic economic recovery.” CoastXP has personally benefitted many in Dominic’s community.
Now, Dominic’s story was not without hardship. Like many of us, he struggled to know where to focus his time. Dom focused on many details that took up his time for very little return. But he has learned from that and advises that investing in your community network always pays off, especially when your product can grow and enrich that community.
The triumph of Dominic’s story is that he combined his interests into a business. He saw the potential in the community and landscape around him, and created a business that strengthened that community.
About CoastXP:
https://www.visitnewcastle.com.au/insider-guides/meet-dom-may-from-coastxp
https://www.newcastle.edu.au/hippocampus/story/2023/young-entrepreneurs
The two links about CoastXP were very interesting. I enjoyed reading them and wish I could visit! In one article, I thought it was neat how the locals that have lived in Newcastle for decades thoroughly enjoyed seeing their city from the water. I thought it was great that Dominic really was happy to do this for them. He did not forget about the locals in his focus on tourism and his business was strengthening the community.