Downtime

I’m sitting on the couch, with my injured left leg up, listening to the wind howling outside, thinking: how did I get here? I founded Kite Coach about 4 years ago, making my debut as an entrepreneur. My main goal was to find a formula, that would incorporate all the perks of being a Kiteboarding instructor and eliminate all the downsides of working for a school. The biggest perk of being an instructor, to me, is the work rhythm. No matter what day of the week it is, wind = work, no wind = downtime. This is my third season as an independent and so far, it has been a rollercoaster ride, right from the start!

First, Covid-19 came and we were forced to close down and figure out a quarantine proof coaching method. When I was able to open my doors for Private Sessions, both the wind and the students seemed to have decided to pull out all the stops to make up for lost time. Some of the best conditions I could ever wish for and many (aspiring) riders looking for an outlet after being home bound for some time. In other words: Two months in Kite Coach Paradise! After that came a very turbulent, windless phase… This should’ve been my downtime, but it wasn’t, because of my inability to perceive it as such. Still caught up in the rush of that spectaculair season kick-off, the absence of wind and the unreliable forecast had become “problems that needed to be solved”. Instead of going with the flow, I tried to make my way upstream by force… Until I hit a rock. I didn’t listen and now my body forced me into taking downtime after all. That is how I got here. Lesson learned!!