How These 2 Entrepreneurs Turned Their Minimum Wage Jobs Into a Multimillion-Dollar Brand A lack of "real" jobs turned into a big opportunity for these college friends.

By Gary Bredow

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Chris Lynch and Michael Samer were friends in college, graduating at the start of the greatest recession since the 1920s. They scored jobs doing ocean kayak tours near San Diego, and after a couple of years, they borrowed $50,000 from family and bought the kayaking license for what became Everyday California. They put every penny back into the business and have since started a retail clothing line, a juice bar and even their own beer. A few smart decisions turned their minimum wage jobs into a multimillion-dollar brand.

Click play to learn more.

Related: How Two High School Friends Started a Million-Dollar Lawn Mowing Business

Entrepreneur Network is a premium video network providing entertainment, education and inspiration from successful entrepreneurs and thought leaders. We provide expertise and opportunities to accelerate brand growth and effectively monetize video and audio content distributed across all digital platforms for the business genre.

EN is partnered with hundreds of top YouTube channels in the business vertical. Watch video from our network partners on demand on Amazon Fire, Roku, Apple TV and the Entrepreneur App available on iOS and Android devices.

Click here to become a part of this growing video network.

Join host Gary Bredow as he travels around the country interviewing over 26 small business owners to hear their personal stories and find out what it really takes to start a successful business from the ground up. Energetic, inspirational and educational, Start Up is a fast paced new series sure to capture the imagination and hearts of the nearly 50 percent of Americans who dream of starting their own business.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Leadership

7 Telltale Signs of a Weak Leader

Whether a bully or a people pleaser who can't tell hard truths, poor leadership takes many forms.

Side Hustle

She Spent Her Honeymoon Working on a Side Hustle. It Raised $35 Million and Counts Celebrities Among Its Investors.

Blake Geffen, founder of luxury accessory rental company Vivrelle, "skipped the bellinis" in the Maldives — and got to work on her company instead.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Franchise

30 Questions You Should Ask Before You Invest in a Franchise

Here are the five aspects of a great franchise.

Business News

Your Old Apple AirPods Can Soon Act as an Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid, According to the FDA

The new software is compatible with the Apple AirPods Pro and accessible through iOS — for free and now FDA-authorized.