Welcome to the ramblings of the Elhard Family as they build a boutique style business in the greater Orlando, Florida, area.
Our story starts over ten years ago.
We are Jonathan and Denise Elhard. We were running a very successful portrait studio in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. We knew we always wanted to go traveling and when a health scare hit our family we didn't, and couldn't, wait any longer! We rented out our house, shut the business down, bought a half ton truck and 30 foot travel trailer and hit the road. We thought we were leaving for a once in a life-time, six month trip. Well, that was over ten years ago and we never settled down in Alberta again!
We fell in love with the RV Life, and the people and places we met and saw during our travels. As Canadian citizens we were bound by the travel visa laws that required us to return to Canada after 180 days each year, so we would spend half the year building relationships and memories on the road, and half the year working hard in Canada in order to fund our travel adventures. It didn't take very long for us to realize that Florida was where we would want to be full-time if we ever had the chance.
Then opportunity arose.
We made our way across the border in the Fall of 2021, with the World in chaos. We made the trip across the entire width of the USA, driving from Washington State all the way to Winter Garden, Florida, in order to meet up with some of "our people". When you live the RV Life the people you meet on the Road can quickly become like family, and most of our RV Family lived in Florida. It was here that an opportunity arose to expand a small business and earn the right to stay in America year round. There is a lot more to this part of the story, but for now, know that Creative Cartz was born right here in Florida!
We started the business in North Fort Myers, where we remodeled off-lease Club Cars and turned them into beautiful neighborhood entertainment vehicles. We opened a store front location in a busy flea market that allowed us to meet so many amazing people a.ka. Snowbirds, who made their winter home in the area. We were showcasing our upgraded carts, selling golf cart wheels and tires, lift kits for golf carts, windshields and extended roof tops and more.
We were just hitting our stride as a first-year business when Hurricane Ian changed everything.
The Storm caused incredible damage, both physically and emotionally, for so many people. Our business location was closed for almost two months, and our partners saw tremendous loss in their extended family. We had to analyze our future, and quickly. We always knew we wanted to be in the Winter Garden, Florida, area, so we made the decision to move our family and business here.
We have made a tremendous number of connections since arriving here. We have been able to change the focus of the business now, with a very professional on-line ordering system. Golf cart enthusiasts can now order the Navitas golf cart, with all their favorite features and accessories, right on the website. It will then be delivered right to their front door!
We have also expanded our on-line store to include products from the largest and most reputable golf cart parts and accessories businesses in the industry. This allows us to deliver products for all makes and models of golf carts with convenient, free shipping! This includes golf cart wheels and tires and lift kits from Steeleng Golf Cart Company, lithium battery bundles from the best in the industry, Eco Battery, and full-body kits, tops and light kits, windshields and brush guards from companies like DoubleTake and Rhox.
Have you ever heard of S.M.A.R.T goals? It stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. So according to the goal we set in this post title our goal is specific, we have no idea how to measure it, in no way does it appear achievable, it is totally relevant and we don't have a time table to achieve it in. So basically we are two for five. That percentage would get us into the Baseball Hall of Fame as the best hitters of all time!! So lets review this goal and make it local.
Our goal is to deliver the best custom designed Navitas golf carts to the people of Orlando, Winter Garden, Clermont, Windermere and the surrounding communities, while providing exceptional customer service.
Thank-you for taking the time to read this little story. Our life has many chapters, and we will likely expand on those in future posts, but know that we will be focusing primarily on the golf cart industry and what are role is in it within these communities. We also love to #shoplocal so look for stories that promote and show off other great, local small businesses. Please Subscribe to the blog, or follow along on Facebook and Instagram, we would love to have you as part of the Creative Cartz Family!
Until next time, keep all four wheels on the ground!