We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alexis Jabbour a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alexis, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

The name of our company, Buddy, comes from one of the most fundamental principles of diving: always dive with a buddy. It’s the first rule every diver learns, and it’s a mantra that resonates with the diving community. So, when it came to naming our company, it felt like the perfect fit—simple, iconic, and meaningful.

Our logo, the ‘b’ symbol, ties directly to this ethos. It’s not just a letter—it also represents the “I’m okay” hand signal used in scuba diving, a universal gesture of reassurance and connection underwater. Just like how you’d check in with your dive buddy by asking, “Are you okay?” we want to be that source of connection and support, both above and below the surface.

We’re your buddy for dive travel, for finding connections, and for making every dive and adventure seamless. Plus, we’re always in your pocket, ready to go wherever you are. The name Buddy transcends—it’s a trusted companion and has become iconic in the dive and water world.

Alexis, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Growing up outside of Atlanta, Georgia, with parents who were recreational divers, I was always surrounded by stories and pictures of the underwater world. But it wasn’t until I took a summer job babysitting for a diving family that I truly fell in love with it myself. After college, I started diving more frequently, spending every bit of free time exploring Florida Keys’ waters.

Before Buddy, my background was in creative advertising and digital startups, working with major brands like Porsche and Volkswagen. I gained experience in app development, marketing, and crafting campaigns but I wanted to merge my love for diving with my passion for innovation.

The idea for Buddy came during a dive trip to Colombia, where I noticed how fragmented the tools and platforms for divers were. From finding dive buddies to tracking dive logs and booking trips, everything was disconnected and time-consuming. I realized there had to be a better way to make diving more accessible, efficient, and community-driven.

That’s where Buddy began—a community-first dive app designed to connect divers, manage digital dive logs, and discover new places to dive — which is what we’ll be launching this upcoming year — a way to streamline trip bookings, dive tours, and courses. Additionally, we’ve grown to include departments such as our advertising studio for dive businesses and our community of Buddy Explorers that help us promote Buddy and our partners.

What sets Buddy apart is our commitment to building something that resonates with the dive community on a personal level. Every feature, whether it’s the dive log or the upcoming booking platform, is created with the needs and challenges of divers and dive businesses in mind. We want to make the diving world feel smaller, more connected, and easier to navigate—whether you’re logging your 1,000th dive or planning your very first.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I met my co-founder, Tamas Szilagyi, while working at an advertising agency in Amsterdam. At the time, he was managing analytics and campaign execution for the Volkswagen account, while I was working on the creative side of the agency. We collaborated on several projects, and I was always impressed by his ability to dive deep into the data while keeping the bigger picture in focus.
After leaving the agency, he went on to work with some incredible companies like Transavia, ING, Miro, and Komoot, further honing his expertise in analytics and product management. When I started building Buddy, I knew he’d be the perfect partner to help bring the vision to life. His skill set perfectly complements mine, and together we’ve been able to turn Buddy into something truly special.

How did you build your audience on social media?

We’ve built our audience primarily through organic growth and by fostering genuine connections with our Buddy Explorer Team, which you can learn more about on our website (https://divewithbuddy.com/buddyexplorerteam). This incredible group of like-minded industry professionals has been instrumental in helping us promote the Buddy app and our booking platform.

Through social media content collaborations, the Buddy Explorer Team shares their diving experiences, insights, and adventures, which not only highlights what we offer but also helps us reach a broader audience through word of mouth. By tapping into their expertise and networks, we’ve been able to grow an engaged and enthusiastic community of divers and ocean lovers.

For anyone just starting to build their social media presence, I’d say focus on building genuine relationships with people who share your vision, and let the authenticity of your brand shine through. The key is consistency and collaboration—creating content that resonates while working with others who believe in what you’re doing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://divewithbuddy.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/divewithbuddy/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DivewithBuddy/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/divewithbuddy/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@divewithbuddy

Image Credits

Dive with Buddy, Inc