Born and raised on the Isle of Palms, rising College of Charleston junior and budding entrepreneur Brycen DePass has fond memories of growing up here. DePass, who started IOP Surf Lessons last May, relished being able to walk to the beach from his house and the freedom to roam, which he was afforded by his parents as long as he was hanging out on the island.
He would walk and bike to friends’ houses. “It’s so safe,” he said. “It’s like everyone knows each other.” The IOP Recreation Center was a staple in his life in this tight-knit community, where he played basketball and other activities. Then, of course, there was surfing.
His older brother Hartley and his dad — the latter of whom has surfed his entire life — taught him to surf when he was five years old, and DePass has been riding waves ever since. His motivation to launch IOP Surf Lessons stemmed from the fact that he had already been teaching friends and family how to surf, passing his joy for the sport on to others just as his brother and father did for him. He had even taught random people on the beach.
“I got paid one time to do it,” recalled DePass. “I felt pretty qualified. And I loved doing it. I worked at restaurant jobs, and I always hated it.”
IOP Surf Lessons allows him to earn money doing something he’s truly passionate about. DePass said the fact that he enjoys being a surf instructor comes out in the lessons and reveals his genuine enthusiasm because the time flies.
Two summers in, business is booming. DePass plans to use the money he makes from teaching surfing lessons to help pay for his college tuition. He is currently studying meteorology and oceanography.
His major selling point for IOP Surf Lessons is that all of the lessons are private. With private lessons, he can cater to each individual and ensure everyone receives personalized attention. In the 60- or 90-minute sessions, DePass teaches people of all skill levels, from beginner to advanced, and has worked with children as young as 4 years old and adults up to almost 70 years old.
Although he provides lessons to surfers of varying abilities, his favorite thing is teaching beginners. “It’s a clean slate. There are no bad habits,” explained DePass.
DePass has the added benefit of giving surfing lessons at 26th Avenue near his house. This allows him to eat breakfast with his parents every morning and go home when he’s on break.
DePass said what sets his business apart – aside from the private lessons – is that he is the only local born and bred on the Isle of Palms teaching surfing lessons on the island. He further noted that growing up here has given him intimate knowledge of this stretch of beach and its waves and conditions.
DePass has several sponsors, including two area companies. His main sponsorships are through local businesses Parrot Surf Shop and Tres Palmas Acai, which he said have helped him considerably along the way. He is also sponsored by a surf and skate lifestyle brand called IPD.
Always looking to hone his craft, DePass has some surfing trips in the pipeline that he hopes will make him a better instructor. He’s planning treks to such far flung destinations as Australia, Indonesia, Nicaragua and Hawaii, as well as surfing hot spots much closer to home like North Carolina’s Outer Banks. DePass reflected on what it’s been like to teach the sport he loves in the place where he grew up and still calls home, “It definitely means the world. It’s unreal.”
“My business is really not about the money, it’s more about spreading the gift of surfing. It’s given so much to me and it’s so cool to see other people learn and enjoy it. It just clicks for people sometimes and then they are hooked. Some people aren’t even sure they will like it and then they catch a couple waves and absolutely love it and end up surfing for a lifetime. So sick to be able to teach what I love to do, right where I learned to love it.”
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