Tue 9 Jan 2024 • Mantas Zvinas
A Message From the Caveman Founder - January 2024
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A reflection at 10 years, our new lux & chill category, and getting older (almost 40)
Greetings, everyone!
I just got back to my home in Mexico City a few days ago from an incredible New Years trip to Nicaragua with 85 others, our biggest SYB trip ever! And since my return I’ve been spending a lot of time reflecting on the past, present and future. I’ve been thinking about how the heck SYB got to this wonderful moment, and also just as importantly, my own personal journey as well.
For those that don’t know (and most already do), 2024 marks the 10th Anniversary of SurfYogaBeer. I’m not one to spend a lot of time harping about milestones and such, but honestly, I'm beyond stoked and proud of what this company has become… all the laughs and memories gained over the years, and most especially, the incredible community of global travelers it has fostered.
So as I reflect on the past 10 years, it’s crazy how fast time has flown since I first started the company at the age of 26. The world was different then, and I certainly saw life differently then too. However, in both celebrating a milestone for the company and just having my own birthday a few months back, I’ve started to look ahead to the next 10 years, envisioning how SYB could look and operate well into the future.
And like many have felt before, I’ve been sitting with my feelings about turning 40 soon. It’s not really a fear about aging, just an unsettling feeling of how fast time passes and how change is inevitable, regardless of how much we all love to fight that constant. I’m a different owner and person than the guy that started the company back then, though I still have the same fire 💪💪💪, just now I sometimes have a different outlook for what I’m aiming to achieve on some trips than I did a decade ago.
So with that in mind, in 2024 we want to try a new kind of SYB adventure on top of all the regular trips. The best part: they’re essentially the same experience as always, just with a slightly different structure and perhaps a bit slower of a pace. A bit more luxury and chill, if you will, and will be starting with two locations - Kenya and Turkey - hopefully with more to follow. No fancy name, no age restrictions, just lux and chill vibes (hence a bit different price point and amenities).
In full transparency, when we tried to soft launch these two sexy pace trips previously, the idea got lost in a simple aspect: we focused more about “age” than the meaning behind the trips. We lost sight of our brand ethos, the “Don’t Think, Just Do” spirit that will always be present in every SYB trip; the previously launched trips came across as age-gated for only an older crowd. That honestly was never the intention, and we heard a lot of confusion, so I’ll take that one on the nose as a loss.
Yet as the both the brand and I grow, as we all grow together, moving forward we simply want to offer an SYB adventure that will be equal parts wild and mild…a trip that Steph and I would want to lead on top of all the other incredible SYB adventures throughout the year, but perhaps lights out at 11pm some nights. Maybe my parents join this adventure too, perhaps alongside yours as well, as many have told us there was shared interest. Who knows how it will all unfold, only time will tell, but I already know they’re going to be fantastic.
But that’s not all SYB! Aside from the new sexy pace format, we’re going to continue to optimize all the current adventure offerings as always, we might just offer a few other trips toward the end of year, and most definitely be on the lookout for some special anniversary swag to grace your wardrobes soon. Oh yeah, and keep your eyes and ears open for information on a new SYB loyalty program that we’ll be rolling out shortly as well, which will feature some awesome perks for all your incredible patronage over the years and into the future.
So here we go, 2024, I hope you’re ready for us, because we’re recharged and coming for you with all that we have in the tank. And I look forward to seeing a bunch of you out there with me and Steph on the more sexy pace adventures as well - first round of Spritzs’ on me!
Mantas Zvinas
CEO & Founder
