SHIRLEY MAO
CO-FOUNDER, MARINESOURCE. COM
Education: MIT, Bachelor’ s of Science, Mechanical Engineering Years in the marine industry: 3 years What first drew you to the marine industry? It was the gap our team saw. I ' ve spent my career building technology and AI products, mostly in healthcare, helping companies turn complex data or algorithms into something people could actually use. When my co-founders and I looked at the marine industry, we saw an enormous, passionate market that hadn ' t yet been touched by the tools transforming everything else. Buying a boat is one of the most exciting purchases a person can make, but the path from " what ' s that?" to " I bought that!" was full of friction. That combination of a huge opportunity and an industry ready for something better is what pulled us in. What are some of the biggest lessons you have learned working in the marine industry? The biggest one is that this industry runs on trust and relationships in a way that ' s becoming rare, and good technology should amplify those relationships, not replace them. The second lesson is how much further you go with the right people around you. MarineSource. com brought together product and engineering talent from companies like Amazon alongside advisors who ' ve spent their entire lives in boating, some from fourth-generation marine families. I came in with a technology background and pairing that with deep industry expertise is what made the whole thing work. None of this happens solo. The third lesson is humility; even three years in, I learn something every time I talk to a dealer, a broker or a lifelong boater.
If you had to choose one memorable achievement in the marine industry, what would it be and why? Building MarineSource. com with my co-founders and watching the industry embrace it. We set out to create an AI-native boating marketplace at a moment when consumers are fundamentally changing how they shop, and the response has been remarkable. Seeing an industry that ' s known for being slow to change actually rally around a new alternative is what makes it meaningful. It tells me we built something people genuinely needed, and we built it together. It was also great to keynote at WSIA’ s Summit earlier this year. Was it difficult to navigate a career in this industry? Why or why not? There was a real learning curve. I came in from the technology world rather than up through the marine industry, so I had to earn credibility by listening and learning rather than assuming I already understood the business. But I ' ve found the industry to be remarkably welcoming to people who show genuine curiosity and respect for how things work. Having co-founders and advisors with decades of marine experience made an enormous difference; they helped translate between the two worlds. How do you hope to inspire other women in the marine industry? I want other women, especially those from technical or non-traditional backgrounds, to see that this industry has room for them and needs what they bring. The future of boating will be shaped by people who can bridge tradition and innovation, and women belong right at the center of that work. What advice do you have for women starting their careers in the marine industry? Lead with curiosity, and don ' t be afraid of being the person who doesn ' t have all the answers yet. Ask questions, listen closely and build real relationships, because this industry values them deeply. Bring whatever unique expertise you have, even if it seems unrelated to boats, because the industry is being reshaped by people who think differently. And don ' t wait for permission to build something. If you see a gap, you ' re probably more capable of filling it than you think. What is your favorite place to go boating? Miami!!! What are some of your favorite non-boating hobbies? You can find me hanging out with my Shiba Inu, Pretzel, or exploring the latest food options in New York.
SOFIA MARRUFO
MARKETING MANAGER, BOATS GROUP
Education: BS, University of Miami / MA, Barcelona School of Management Years in the marine industry: 2 years What first drew you to the marine industry? Growing up on an island( Cozumel, Mexico), I spent much of my childhood around the water, so boats have always been a part of my life. What first drew me to the marine industry was the opportunity to combine something I ' ve loved since childhood with my passion for marketing. It ' s incredibly rewarding to work in an industry that feels personal to me, where I can connect my professional skills with experiences and memories that have shaped who I am.
28 june 2026 www. boatingindustry. com