MOMpreneur: n. defined as a female business owner who is actively balancing the role of mom and the role of entrepreneur.
Welcome to our latest installment of MOMpreneur Monday, highlighting businesses and brands that were founded by female entrepreneurs and fellow mommas!
Today’s featured Modern Boca MOMpreneur is Shelbey Kosova Montini, founder of Palm Beach Safety Swimming.
Tell us a little about your background and why you decided to open Palm Beach Safety Swimming…
Born and raised in Boca, I grew up in and around the water! I swam on the Boca Mantas, Boca Middle and Boca High Swim Teams, and was a part of the Fort Lauderdale Elite Junior & Senior Olympics Diving Programs. After graduating from Boca Raton Community High School, I received an athletic scholarship to North Carolina State University and was a Division I Diver from 2002-2006.
I then went on to teach Beginner and Intermediate Swimming as an Adjunct Professor and was the Head Coach of the Division II Diving Team at Wingate University. Most recently, I worked as a Private Swim Instructor at a swim school in North Carolina that was owned and operated by my college teammate and Olympic swimmer Rob Yeager.
Motherhood has been my greatest guiding force, propelling me to evolve into the swim instructor I am today. By nurturing my own children and leading others in the pool, I’ve discovered a profound source of inspiration. These roles are not just achievements. They are proof of what can happen when passion and purpose come together to shape young lives and create exceptional swimmers!
How did your business get started? Did you face any challenges?
The dream of owning my own swim business has been an ever present ripple my whole life, just waiting to become a reality. In 2022, when my family and I returned to my hometown, all of the pieces finally fell into place.
I dived back into the pool, creating a program that aims to provide top-quality training. My ultimate goal has always been to develop not just skilled swimmers, but also happy and successful ones.
To enhance my expertise, I earned certifications as a Water Safety Instructor and a Swim Coach Instructor from the American Red Cross. Safety and excellence are always my top priorities in this business. I renewed my CPR & AED certification to ensure that Palm Beach Safety Swimming meets the highest standards of safety. And in January 2023, I proudly opened my swim haven in east Boca.
Living in North Carolina for the past 20 years has presented networking hurdles here, but I realize that every challenge is a stroke closer to success. The strong foundation of my swim background (and my local police family) has helped spread the word about my swim business, but I hope to help make a bigger impact this year with more growth and recognition.
What’s unique about Palm Beach Safety Swimming?
- Want your kids to have a positive experience in the water?
- Want your kids to learn multiple safety skills?
- Want your kids to be strong swimmers capable of swimming in the ocean nearby?
- Want your kids to be swim team ready?
If any or all of these matter to you, Palm Beach Safety Swimming is the program for your family. It is an all in one package that produces safe and strong swimmers!
With years of teaching experience, and 3 kids of my own, I understand the importance of embracing each swimmer’s unique personality, and can tailor the approach to the learning experiences during each private swim lesson to ensure each swimmer is getting the most out of each and every lesson.
With my positive coaching style and extensive experience, swimmers of all ages will gain the confidence they need to excel in water safety and swimming. I constantly check, organize, lead and assess every swimmer’s ability.
I provide a holistic approach with a consistent, buildable routine, and take detailed notes to ensure every swimmer is getting the most out of each swim lesson. My teaching techniques are very hands-on and the swimmers can ensure they are learning the proper swimming techniques and muscle memory that creates strong swimmers!
Also, unlike other swim schools who hire teens or inexperienced staff, I am certified, licensed and insured.
Why should my readers become your clients?
Those who join Palm Beach Safety Swimming will not just learn how to back float; they will learn multiple lifesaving swimming skills, proper swimming techniques, swimming strokes and how to be safe in and around a pool, lake or ocean.
My pool is heated (or cooled) to a temperature that kids can thrive in. It is also salt water. I have several tools and swim equipment pieces that help teach kids proper techniques in the best way. I also have created a nice, relaxing environment with soothing and relaxing music in the background for my swimmers in mind.
What exciting things are coming up for you and Palm Beach Safety Swimming?
I plan to hire additional instructors and am in the beginning stages of opening a swimming studio. My swim studio will not just be a place or a pool; it will be an oasis of positivity and innovation, specially designed to make my swimmers’ aquatic journey a truly special one.
What do you love about working and living in South Florida?
I find pure joy in the embrace of water, whether it’s in the pool or by the ocean. And luckily we have plenty of both in South Florida!
As a swim instructor, witnessing my swimmers triumph in the water is more than a job – it’s a heartfelt connection and shared celebration of their achievements. It’s a beautiful journey of love, water, and the genuine happiness of seeing others succeed!
Connect with Palm Beach Safety Swimming:
