Ocean Family Games, Inc.
What happens when a personal passion turns into a professional success story? Just ask Katharine Baumgartner!
From a young age, Baumgartner held a fascination and appreciation for nature and wildlife. Connecting with nature was her way of escaping from academia. By the time she reached college, her appreciation for nature became an academic interest. She graduated Michigan State University with a degree in fisheries and wildlife management and, later, an internship at the Newfound Harbor Marine Institute at Seacamp in the Florida Keys.
With her degree and internship, Baumgartner began teaching marine science for several years while living in Florida.
“I realized I wanted to make a bigger impact on this world and make it a better place,” Baumgartner says. “This was when my husband and I had the initial idea of starting our own business.”
Since both Baumgartner and her husband had experience in education and a shared interest in marine biology, it felt natural to launch a company to further their passions for education and sea life.
With the SBDC and OCEARCH, a shark research organization, the Baumgartner’s were able to get the support, partnership, and funding they needed to launch Ocean Family Games, Inc. so that they could continue their dream of educating others.
The first product the Baumgartner’s launched for Ocean Family Games, Inc., OCEARCH Playing Cards, teaches players about sharks and how to protect them in their natural habitat in a fun and engaging way.
Their playing cards launched in September 2019, and by December of that same year, they had established Ocean Family Games, Inc. in over 20 retail locations in Southwest Florida, including children’s stores, wildlife preserves, bait and tackle shops, and outdoor outfitters.
“I would not be where I am today without the SBDC!” Baumgartner says. “I could not have pulled this off by myself, and for all of the help I received, from financial assistance and business logistics to marketing and social media, I am so grateful.”
The Baumgartner’s continue to follow their passion for marine science and ocean life, thanks to the nudge from the SBDC.
“At the end of the day, I can honestly say that I am making the world a better place. We are educating others on the importance of the ocean and how they can help protect ocean life while also giving back to marine science education and research. There is no better feeling.”
For more information about Ocean Family Games, Inc., please visit https://oceanfamilygames.com.
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