A Lake, A Dream, and a Portable Shed in Tennessee – An incredible shed story
Discover the Cherokee Boating Club’s Incredible Story!
What do a portable shed in Tennessee and the lake have in common? Not much, right? However, in Chad Matthew’s case, the two are indispensable. In fact, a lake and a shed were the keys to Chad’s life-long dream coming true. Discover all the details by uncovering the Cherokee Boating Club’s story!
From splashing in the water as a toddler to creating a dream lake experience as an adult, Chad makes a splash for water lovers that goes much deeper than just the shoreline.
From Diapers to College Competitions
Chad Matthews was practically born in the water. As far back as he can remember he was splashing in the sparkling waves of Lake Wylie, South Carolina, just outside of Charlotte, North Carolina. “I was out in the water in diapers and have loved it ever since!” Chad Matthews shares, “I spent summers with family and friends enjoying everything being on the lake had to offer.”
Chad’s enjoyment of the lake went beyond just exhilarating and fun summer vacations. In high school, he started working at a local boat club and marina and fell in love with the job. “I realized from a very young age that being in the boating industry is what I wanted to do with my life”, says Chad revealing his life-long passion. Those high school years Chad spent immersing himself in the boat club business confirmed some important realities. “ I learned the ins and outs of the boat club business, and saw the success of how easy and streamlined of a service we provided to those who wanted to spend time on the water without the headaches and hassles of boat ownership.”
Some Ideas Never Collect Dust!
A couple of years later in college at Auburn University, Chad’s water passion continued to be fed as the idea of starting and running his own boat club became more and more apparent. This idea was further fueled when Chad decided to enter an entrepreneurship competition held by the university for its students. Chad excitedly participated,” I spent several months with some friends and the help of a couple of mentors creating the foundation for what would be the Cherokee Boat Club.”
Their hard work paid off… “Our little team ended up finishing fourth in the competition, providing confirmation that this was a viable business idea and that it was not something to be left to collect dust.”
The New Business’s Dream Location Discovered!
The only thing left in the dust was hesitation. After a couple of months of searching, Chad secured the ideal location, Old Hickory Lake, Tennessee.
“On March 15, 2020, we opened Cherokee Boat Club to provide the wonderful people of the Nashville Metro area with an affordable and easy way to get out on the water and start making memories with friends and family!”
With all the details coming together with a wave of success, there was yet one more important key to the smooth sailing of Chad’s new boating business. Although the new location was the ideal spot, it lacked a vital key to the business’s success, a sound, and well-constructed office workspace. A fish out of water is a business without a home base.
Chad’s Journey from an Old, Outdated Structure to His New Shed
Chad shared what was waiting for him when he first arrived at his new location. “The original structure that was on location, was old, rotting, and outdated. We knew we needed something new and something that would ultimately match the color scheme the marina owner was transitioning his marina to.”
You may know the saying, “whatever floats your boat”, well, in this case, Chad and his team knew how important a new space was for doing just that! Thus, began their search of looking for different office space options.
“The thought of having a shed built to our exact specs would be ideal, especially with the little room we had to work with. After some internet searches, the Portable Shed in Tennessee that Overholt & Sons constructed was exactly what we were looking for. I even visited the manufacturing facility to look over the manufacturing process. Wayne Overholt was more than willing to work with us to ensure we got exactly what we needed for our office.”
Chad was delighted by the turnaround time for his new Portable Shed in Tennessee delivery!
Chad’s Portable Shed Experience with Overholt & Sons
“In only a couple of weeks, our building was ready for delivery! Sam was a pleasure working with setting up and delivering the building. He spent the time needed to ensure the building was set correctly for what we needed and provided the proper blocks to make sure the building was level. Sam even came out a second time to help lower the building after we installed the floatation to set the building on its final resting blocks.”
Time to Put the Icing on the Cake!
The final crucial piece was at last put in its place! Yet, a few more details needed completion until the Cherokee Boating Business was in full swing!
Chad elaborated on the final details, “Once the building was set, it was time for us to finish out the inside as well and construct a balcony and stairs to complete the new office. Since the building was built exactly to our specs, it was a breeze finishing out the inside with insulation, paneling, flooring, and drop-in ceiling.”
“With everything finished out, it’s a joy coming into work and having an actual workspace to work out of and have plenty of room to store our tools and gear.”
The Portable Shed in Tennessee Was Not Even the Best Part!
The new shed office was the cherry atop his new dream business. Yet the favorite part of their new portable shed in Tennessee was not even the shed itself, Chad reveals, “Out of everything I think my favorite part about our Portable Shed in Tennessee was working with the Overholt & Sons team. They were extremely helpful throughout the entire process allowing me to focus on the other aspects of my business without having to worry about my office space. I could not be more pleased with the end results.
Check out Chad’s new boating business’ online website, The Cherokee Boating Club!
As well as their Facebook Page, https://www.facebook.com/CherokeeBoatClub.
