Giles Cadman 
At the beginning of May, a dream I've had for some time now was made into a reality. After a lot of talk, and even more planning, I was able to launch the inaugural Mahi Mayhem, a fishing tournament in the British Virgin Islands.
I'm incredibly proud of all the hard work from the team and the numerous stakeholders involved that made Mahi Mayhem a success. Do you have a dream tournament or event of some sort that you'd like to launch?
I like to write about my real-life experiences so I'm able to share legitimate, knowledgeable insights in my blogs. In this blog, I'll be sharing how I conceptualized Mahi Mayhem, and hopefully it will spark an idea for you as well.
Coming up with the idea
Much like starting a business, it's all about finding a gap in the market and creating something interesting enough to fill it.
I'm often asked to sponsor other fishing tournaments in the Caribbean. I always do, because of the commitment I've made to the local fishing and tourism industry. Fishing tournaments support the Caribbean economy "“ plus, they’re a lot of fun! However, a tournament that I used to support and compete in shut down a few years ago, and it was very disappointing for the entire community.
I went to a tournament in the US Virgin Islands and got talking to a group of fishers. We came to the conclusion that there needed to be a new tournament in the BVI "“ so I set out to create one.
Finding the opportunity
There are many tournaments in the US Virgin Islands, but unfortunately there is a lack of them in the BVI. I would love to bring the two fishing communities together and support each other’s tournaments, building bonds and strong friendships.
It was the perfect opportunity. A marina in the BVI, Nanny Cay, recently started an expansion. This marina is stunning, and has the potential to become the sportfishing marina of the BVI and a top tourist destination. Nanny Cay Marina has become crucial in creating a stronger sportfishing presence on the island to support the local tourism economy.
Utilizing your passion
When your passionate about something, like I am about sportfishing and supporting local communities, coming up with the idea is usually simple. While for the most part, this is a positive, but it's important to try not to let passion cloud your judgement.
Utilize your passion and let it propel you, however, keep in mind that creating a tournament or event is a huge commitment.
If you're still thinking of starting a grand tournament or event, keep an eye out for my next blog in this series – all about the importance of planning.
Giles Cadman is Chairman of The Cadman Capital Group, a group of cohesive, complementary companies, operating in the international trade, retail, leisure, and investment markets. Learn more about Giles.
