The only female CEO of a major kiteboarding company that we are aware of, Malwina Shinn has a slightly different background to most of us. We focus on her many talents in our regular inspirational feature, looking at the women behind the scenes of the sport. Click here to read the full interview.

How long have you been working at Shinnworld? What are your responsibilities within the company?

I have done some small tasks for Shinnworld since 2011. This was rather as a help to my boyfriend than a full intention to be totally involved. I come from completely different background, so the kiteboarding business was almost “exotic” to me. However life wrote us different scenario and since 2014 I’m CEO of Shinnworld and I’m fully responsible for everything that is not kiteboard design. We have come a long way from 2 people in the Tenerife office to a company with financial investment as we are now.

When I started, the Shinn brand in terms of products was already pretty well known due to Mark’s name and achievement, but  from administration point of view it was almost a one man orchestra based on Mark Shinn. You would never believe, but it was Mark who personally was issuing invoices for customers.  I started by introducing Enterprise Resource Planning in the company and running a parallel accounting program to gather some data.

Six months later I was ready to first attempt the cash flow planning and it went from there… According to English terms I’m a Business Administrator, which always makes me laugh. This is such an unfair description. Every time when someone use this description I see myself in glasses next to file of papers sorting invoices.

Well, this is not what I do. As you know kiteboarding is based on passion and this is “the it” factor in our industry. For years I was on the mission to explain to passionate guys doing their kiteboarding business that it’s impossible it will work as it does not add up. It was stopping me sleeping at night as our KPI’s and cash flow indicators where not even in the scale of description.

I truly believed it does not matter what the product is or business is, knowing all the rules and methods I had learned would be enough. Well, I will say it only once: I was wrong! There is “the it” factor and there is no use to try to identify it, as once someone will it won’t be “the it” anymore and it won’t work the same.

The p4assion in our industry is incredible, I have never seen it anywhere else. It’s so strong; that I can honestly say it changed me as well. I still have my knowledge and no one ever will change my business ethics, but what I thought was stopping kiteboarding from growing into professionally managed industry, was actually something which made it happen.

Sport itself started from passion. It’s small compared to other industries, but despite that, passion drives innovation and we are still opening new doors. After so many years of making equipment safer and easier to use, kiteboarding is still an exiting and extreme sport. There is still so much to explore and what I value most is to see kiteboarders being really involved and wanting to do something instead of only take.

Together with Mark we are spending time listening to people with ideas and try to have them involved in any kind of the way. We have so many new ideas and possibilities, that during negotiations with Investors we have been told that there is material for more than 12 new start ups. To sum up my role in Shinnworld: Whatever Mark dreams of, I need to make it happen. Our industry is based on dreams!     

Is kiteboarding, as a sport, something you are passionate about or is it something you've grown to love?

For me it definitely wasn’t love at first sight. I come from the mountains. I learned to swim when I was 22. The lifeguards offered to pay for me to go to another pool if I will promise not to come to swim during their sessions. Anyway, it took me some time to overcome a bad first experience and finally I made it in Egypt.

I still remember with my friend how we were sitting on a beach with a beer and looking at Conny, our Instructor from Hamata Village, finishing a small session with some jumps – long blond hair (still dry), nice bikini and full smile on her face. While we were sitting fully covered in sand, battered, with red faces from Superman impressions and trying to take out algae from hair without shaving it off. There is something addictive in this sport, the tough learning curve at the beginning, when you think of it after it seems silly it was so hard. Since I cracked it I use all my free time to get in the water.

What's it like juggling family-life and being the CEO of Shinnworld? How do you manage to keep things running smoothly?

I don’t. They just don’t run smoothly and this is our way of living. “Family first” means that sometimes I have to work from 5am , but this is fine I’m up anyway. Mark is traveling a lot and I have full time job, actually two full time jobs as I’m also managing our composite production factory too. On top of that I just finished building a house here in Poland. We do use as much help as possible, and I can assure you I don’t bake cakes very often.

For a person with a management background in time management it is not the most difficult task, but sometimes you do it too efficiently and you forgot the most important task: to stay happy. It’s very easy to focus on things to do and plan 16h days… And then I look at my 6 years old boy and he does not want to do another hockey lesson, he just wants to cuddle on the sofa and watch Minions together with his Mommy. My policy at home, is to deal with things and to manage them as they come. I try not to pile things up.

Having a Business Consultation background, how have you been able to transfer and apply your previous experience within the kiteboarding industry?

My involvement in kiteboarding industry wasn’t actually planned as such. I moved to Tenerife in 2011. I planned to have small break from my career work in Krakow – I wanted to learn Spanish and take nice position in tourist business. Life had another plan for me. One day I woke up and there were some complications. Like it sometimes happens in business Shinnworld (managed by Mark and his partner Jan then) had some cashflow issues due to a not perfectly managed growth spurt. Additionally our personal situation changed from day to day and we needed to sort out some house issues. We were just married then and I was 3 months pregnant. We renegotiated the company structure and I bought out shares to re-structure company financially. 7 month into pregnancy I was proud owner of Shinn brand and new CEO! How about that for new beginning. We put everything on one card and here we are – successful company and happy family.    

Where did you study and what led you to choose this career path?

I studied in Poland and Sweden. My masters major is Designing Information Systems, but after that I decided that is not enough and did MBA on Cracow University of Economics joint venture with Stockholm University School of Business. I chose my Masters as I wanted to create something, I wanted to have influence on the world. I spent months building my business models to analyse data and extrapolate them to see what will happen.

I was working as Board Assistant then and my most important task was to make sure no one would enter my boss’s office without an appointment, but still that was something that really interested me and I wanted to do something more engaging. In the end I lost my assistant job as the boardroom ran out of coffee!

That was beginning of my carreer. A day later I was proposed a job as Manager of New Branch in China and this is how it all started. The company was going IPO and they needed every pair of hands. This was great opportunity and speeded up my career by many years. The job was extremely hard and challenging, but I loved every minute of it. I went from Board Assistant to managing a $5 million budget and an International Team. Then I realised that method is only part of the equation – people are more important and a fascinating subject. This is when I decided I need MBA and I did it.

What sort of changes have you noticed within the industry since the pandemic?

I was born in Poland, when it was still under martial law. I remember long queues to empty stores. I think I had my first orange juice when I was 9 and my father came back from working in Germany. I was following when capitalism was born in Poland and I knew since then that I want to be the boss of a company. When I was moving out form my parents, they were living in area where mines were just closed the unemployment rate was 40%.

I was 18 then and to study I had to work, but what kind of work will you get if even qualified workers are unemployed. All of this taught me to respect money and how it is to live without it. I took work as a bartender and funnily enough this was my first business experience. This was 2000, so just when capitalism was on the rise in Poland and I had possibility to watch the first entrepreneurs.

I remember that then it was: “whatever it takes” to make business. And then I could see people drinking in the bar. It’s not for me to judge, is it worth it or not, but I did decide then that I don’t want to make that kind of business. I don’t want to have in my history anything I’m ashamed of. If business is form of science, you can master it and do it right without harming anyone. The world is not a zero sum game. Moreover I believed that people are interested to make more money with you, rather than to one time make some money from you. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

In 2016 we decided to move to Poland to ensure the production side of our business. This was like hitting a train. I worked in international environment so long, that I forgot that Poland can still be Wild Wild West of Europe, this is how the experience was for me.

I do understand why despite low labour costs and low cost of land Foreign Investors are still reluctant to invest in Poland. I found it strange coming back to it after few years and how strange it has to be for someone seeing it for the first time.

Currently business owners in Poland are still people who made their money on first years of capitalism. The zero sum game is what they know. Additionally we have populist government, who treats entrepreneurs as great evil (entrepreneurs kill national companies with competition) and here you are. With best knowledge, best attitude to pay taxes and grow GDP you find yourself as the enemy in the war!

No matter how much you try to explain that unity, cooperation, coordinated long term strategy execution is the way… all you hear is only: charge. So one day you have to cut the losses and answer yourself a question: am I paying their game or do I create my own one with my rules? And here I am, slowly, but steady I build the foundation for long term growth of our brand and a full company behind it. There are lot’s of surprises still to come. Prepare for the snowball effect. And then BOOM! Pandemic.

We signed our investment deal two months before Pandemic and I have to say 3 months lockdown at the start of the project was real kick in the teeth. However we stayed calm and reorganised and I have to say in June this year we had highest sales per month in our history. The product we sell is luxury – from definition is not receptive to crisis, but our partners cashflow is.

At the beginning of the year when they were first signs of problem in China I made sure we have enough materials from Far East and alternative suppliers in Europe that there is no risk to start the season. I reorganised our cashflow and made sure our stock is full before it fully hit. Once lock down was done we are ready to ship from stock. I can proudly tell you that we did not have to let anyone go, more over we see what are our strong points and together with my partners we are planning to hit it harder to make sure we can be a flexible partner for our clients and distributors.

I don’t feel like the government’s in Europe did good job by transferring money to businesses. I could see around that especially in our industry some Managers treated this as additional holiday and as convenient answer to every failure. We didn’t – on first days of lockdown I had very inspiring conversation with one of my business partners. He is in business since more than 30 years and he said, this is not my first crisis… They are all the same.

While others are running around and crying, busy with making themselves important – you should quickly focus and at least try to win back the missing sales before you will make yourself busy complaining. Figuring out excuses takes as much time as thinking about solutions!

We've got to ask, when did you first learn to kiteboard and was it Mark that taught you?

Tenerife – La Tejita Beach – 35 knt, 1,5 m short break. And famous saying of Mark – “You will be fine”… Well I wasn’t. Depower was too long – I lost bar from my hands. Nobody is explaining first-time students what will happen when you will pull only one side of the bar, and this is all I could reach.  Did my first kite loop, smash kite on the water. Kite deflated and I was dragged into short break. I had to use both safety systems on my first lesson and was rescued by boat!

So my kiteboarding lessons were not going very smoothly. Mark refused even to watch. We almost divorce because Mark refused to teach me. I had this idea that it will be easier with someone I know and maybe he will show some compassion. Hahaha – Mark and compassion – his best cheer was: “You will be fine, what can go wrong”. And after it usually went wrong… His full comment was: “Which part of what I said didn’t you understand?” 

That’s all I got! We spend hours mountain biking in Tenerife. This is very challenging as well and I found it difficult to climb up rocky stairs (literally rock - of 20 cm stairs). Mark’s advice: “Just pedal harder”. When I had my bike crash and went into hyperventilation Mark was the first one to try to slap me…to help me get my breath back.

It might sound strange, but I have small advice to all Chicks wanting to learn kiteboard with their partner: Don’t. It might cost you your relationship. There is something in this sport that takes away the primary instinct from man. They want to protect you and yet at the same time they want you to make progress. This is just bad and ends up in fights. Get a cute instructor instead you might even enjoy view and you will learn a lot faster.

Where and how did you and Mark first meet?

We meet in 2008 in a mountain resort. I went snowboarding with the daughter of the previous owner of the Nobile brand and Mark happened to be on the trip as he was working there at the time. It was fun. I came over while Mark was standing there with my friend and asked her to introduce me, and Mark’s answer was: “you don’t know who I am…?”, well I didn’t and decided to ignore him. Mark put a lot of effort in to end the intrigue to make sure we can start again and have few minutes alone. It was love from first sight and it’s just stronger every day.

What is your quiver of choice?

I like the feeling of small boards. My favourite set is Monkette 131 and Airush Ultra 12. This is a very chilled set up. I like the lightness of small boards and feeling of freedom on the water. The choice of a narrower stance and flexible tips absorbing chop allows you to cruise and relax after a 10h a day week. However, we do not live near a perfect spot anymore so very often my only choice is the Superking 150 and Airush Ultra 17. This set up allows me to cruise between the foilers as the only TT rider and this makes them absolutely crazy.

Since this year – SHINN Slicer (split) is my answer for no space in the car. It’s just there in the boot, no need to fold seats and if there is anything I’m ready. Board choice is obvious for me, but kites really come from a choice. I love feeling of Airush Ultras. Indeed they are the kites you are not suppose to get wet, as 1 strut does not make them easiest to relaunch, but it’s so easy to get them in the air that normally I’m 1 size smaller then everyone else. And they pack really small – perfect set with Shinn Slicer (split). Board and 2 kites packed in a standard roller bag.

What is really impressive is my collection of useless (as Mark calls them) wetsuits. I have 12 shorties. They are of course different colours and cuts, but indeed pretty useless in Poland. However before every girls kite trip I have this need to make sure my equipment match in every detail and hence I go shopping. This keeps me excited even a few weeks before the trip and I guess this thrill is nice for everyone and fact people do that keeps our industry alive. Kiteboarding is about selling dreams, but the real challenge is not to stop the dream, but to make it real and ethical business behind the scenes to make it possible – and this is what I do every day.     

Shinnworld regularly heads to El Gouna, Egypt for their yearly photoshoot, what is it about the Red Sea that draws you there year after year?

Indeed we like this direction both business wise and also for private trips. El Gouna is very special place – it’s almost like a European city with guaranteed conditions for chill kiting. What attracts us there is that the wind is almost guaranteed and there are flights almost every day. This is also very nice set up for families with young children as there is plenty sand to dig. The city is run by Europeans, so with an Egyptian climate and entertainment you receive European standards for hotels and medical care if needed. I find that important. No wind – there is wake park in the city. What you can be 100% sure if is that there are no waves, which is a shame. Business wise it’s easy for riders to get to for the photoshoot and manage team there, plus the photos always look amazing with the crystal clear water.

What is your favourite kiteboarding event of the year?

I don’t go to many events as we are not such a  big team. I try to attend most important ones and I think Hood River is US, would be my choice. This is a nice combination of a sport event, product presentation and industry meeting at the same time. It shows we are together and working to make kiteboarding better. GKA did so much good for the sport, among other aspects: safety standardisation, competition regulations… Despite the fact that daily we are competitors – everyone understands that we need to work together to grow the sport and make it better. I find this very magical and so uncommon these days. This shows that people who are on the top of kiteboarding companies are passionate about the sport and everything else is set aside for one day when we all work towards better a kiteboarding tomorrow.    

What sort of challenge do you face being a female CEO in the kiteboarding industry?

I don’t think this has anything to do with being a woman. Attending industry meetings as well daily business, GKA and being among other brand’s CEO and Managers I never experienced any discomfort due to being woman. Even more I find it very open society and I love having doors open and chairs pulled. It’s more to a point that most of the executives in the industry come from sport and this is enormous challenge for me. I love kiteboarding now as a passion, but it wasn’t my career. I can’t compete on the water, but here we make perfect team with Mark and normally when discussion is about sport I listen and make sure we have enough resources to fulfil what he dreams off.

In 2016 I was close to give up. I just couldn’t understand it. I see business as a tool of maximising return on investment, not a something you do to make yourself look busy and important. I try to build negotiations strategies with our partners in a way to minimise potential conflict from the beginning and making sure that both sides have something good from this cooperation – well… not really working in kiteboarding industry. There is this need to look cool – t-shirt, flip-flops and make yourself visible in social media.

Business as itself is a combination of math, logic, statistics, economy and information systems. This makes you all the tools you need for perfect recipe, but, this works only in an environment when other participants are playing according to the same rules such as highly developed business models automotive or banking for example… This is were I come from, this is what I thought I will be doing whole my life. And here I am.

Before I took over I heard this 1000 times: “Kiteboarding is business driven by passion” – ok – lovely. How do you pay your bill with passion currency? Well I learned that in kiteboarding business you can. At the beginning my experience from managing business from before was almost useless, up to a point I could almost predict: what not going to happen using statistics…

Then I started to really doubt myself that I will never fit in as I just don’t understand and never will, how people can live on a dream. Well, they can and this is what fuels kiteboarding industry, but business knowledge and experience is the oil. And this is my sum up: without a passion kiteboarding industry will not have anything to run on, but without business management underneath it will for sure blow up.

If you could give yourself advice ten years ago, what would it be?

Giving someone a third chance is like giving him third bullet, as he didn’t manage to kill you with first two. Because of my education and also character I’m very analytical person. While other people find it ok to explain themselves – “…well I did not think about it”. I have to actively stop myself from analysing possible scenarios. It goes so far, that sometimes I can’t do something because I can see other person is making a mistake and I would at least like to tell them… This was thrown back in my face so many times, that now I know: “Let other do their mistakes, you can’t save everyone”.  

It took me years to accept that and I had to find something to fill up the empty space. From behavioural point of view it’s almost impossible to stop habit, you can only replace it with another one.  So my new policy is to push all additional energy into the result first, then I will always have possibility to take those who made a mistake on board. As I don’t believe in zero sum game in business, I do believe that mistakes always have consequences and it’s reflecting on us, what kind of people we are, are we working harder to correct them or are we just wiggling out to push outcomes to others. I know who I am now and I am proudly looking into mirror every morning.

Videos

Shinnworld Spring 2020 Collection
Slicer - Split board
Monkette Double Trouble
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By Jen Tyler
Italian/Egyptian Jen Tyler grew up on the sandy beaches of the Red Sea and has been on the IKSURFMAG & Tonic Mag team since 2017.

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