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Tom Scott
Tom is featured in Lemonade
Stories on
CNNfn Friday 05/07/04 9pm ET
 Leadership Position: Co-founder, Nantucket Nectars
NOLS Graduate: 1988 Spring Semester in the Rockies
On a NOLS course, "you get so much confidence in yourself
that you think anything is possible," says Tom Scott
of his spring semester in the Rockies in 1988. Scott obviously
proved that statement because the day after he got back
from his course, he started a business that today has sales
that
speak of confidence, initiative and drive; $50 million
in 1997 and counting.
As co-founder of Nantucket Nectars, Scott attributes a
lot of his success to those 90 days he spent climbing,
hiking,
rafting, skiing and caving. "I loved it right from the
get go, but it was tough and I took one day at a time," remembers
Scott. "I felt like I was unstoppable, I've never
had more energy than I had after it was over. That form
of education
is unbelievable."
After the semester ended, Scott and partner Tom First started
a boat business that catered to yacht owners in Nantucket.
That business changed and grew until the pair were selling
homemade, natural juices that became Nantucket Nectars.
Today, Nantucket is co-owned by the juice giant Ocean Spray
and
Scott and First serve as co-presidents. And he hasn't forgotten
NOLS. Indeed, his sister went to NOLS at his urging and
he says of anyone considering a semester of outdoor education: "I
really do credit NOLS for my experience in life. If you
want to change your life, just go to NOLS, that's what
I told
my sister and she is such a different person today."
Scott likes the semester concept. "I believe you need
to do the longer courses. I know what I felt after two
weeks and I know what I felt after three months and it
was really
different. Go for the long ones, the long ones are where
you are really going to learn a lot."
And Nantucket Nectars? It's in most of the major cities
in the country. It continues to expand. "Our goals
are to have the best product, the happiest employees and
the
best distribution. The reason we made it is not because
we were smart, it's because we cared."
Expedition Leadership | Leadership
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