We were lucky to catch up with Bob Fanok recently and have shared our conversation below.

Bob, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

When I decided to name my new freediving coaching venture “Blue Water Freedivers”, as opposed to what would have been the more conventional “Blue Water FreedivING” moniker (according to popular convention and friends’ suggestions), I had a very clear goal in mind.
I wanted to introduce as many people that were interested – in the safest and most engaging and entertaining way possible – to what I consider to be the literal life-changing sport of freediving. As far as it relates to the naming of my company, I was set on using the word “Freedivers”. I wanted to encapsulate, and represent, the concept of a community being built around the sport I felt so fortunate to be able to contribute my coaching efforts to.

As freediving involves a non-negotiable “one up-one-down / never-dive-alone” requirement, it’s a very organic way to network, connect, and meet new people with the same passion for this incredible water sport, and for many – lifestyle. While I like to think I’ve contributed a bit to the growth of freediving and the safety-centric practice of the sport in my geographic area, this incredibly convenient built-in “never-dive-alone” element has certainly served to grow the sport at a very fast rate.

So, I would summarize my mission as this: bringing people together to enjoy this incredible sport and provide fertile ground where a growing network of students, alumni and friends can connect and develop healthy, fulfilling, and fun relationships around similar interest(s).

Do I feel this mission has been fulfilled?

Yes, and continually so – by the community that has grown around the self-perpetuating relationships created within it.

The freediving community has benefited tremendously from formalized training, coaching, freedive courses and the sharing of knowledge among safe and responsible freedivers. As the community continues to grow at such a fast rate, we definitely need more of all of that.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Florida-based Blue Water Freedivers provides safe and insured freediving courses, private training sessions, and PADI Freediver certifications.  Blue Water is dedicated to safely guiding you into – or further along in – your freediving journey.

With easy-to-follow personal instruction, expert instructors, fun class sessions, relaxed pool sessions, and open water training in our beautiful crystal-clear Florida springs and the crystal clear Atlantic waters of Palm Beach, you’ll be given the knowledge and skills necessary to safely and confidently embark on your own exciting freediving adventures!

As a Blue Water Freedivers student, you’ll have access to the BWFD private student group. You’ll also have the opportunity to be connected to Orlando-area and Central Florida freedivers as well as freedivers from all over the state of Florida and the other 20+ states students have traveled from to take a Blue Water Freedivers course.

Blue Water Freedivers provides Freediver, Advanced Freediver, and Master Freediver training courses in a relaxed, comfortable, and fun environment. For more information, visit www.BlueWaterFreedivers.com or @BobFanok.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

My approach to “growing my clientele” (i.e. building my student base) it’s simple: I do my best at marketing and advertising (with the continued struggle of feeling the need to be more active on social media 😅), pour all of my efforts and energies into providing the best possible experience for students in my courses, make myself as accessible as possible to students I’ve trained for continued coaching and guidance, continually enhance and find new ways to add value to my courses and training processes, … and, repeat.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

By far, the best (and my fav) source of new students has been the referrals I receive from students who have completed the course, learned a lot, had a great time, and then want to introduce their friends into the experience. ;-)

Contact Info:

• Website: www.BlueWaterFreedivers.com
• Instagram: @BobFanok
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bobfanok
• Other: TikTok: bluewaterfreedivers