Every business has an origin story — but Bluet SUP wasn’t born from a business plan or a marketing strategy. It was born from loss, healing, and a deep, unexpected calling from the water.

Fifteen years ago, I was living a very different life. I was working full‑time in corporate America, raising a family, and caring for my mother across state lines. When she passed away, the ground beneath me shifted. I felt unanchored, unsure of who I was without her — she had been my mother, sister, and best friend all in one.

Two days after her funeral, I saw an ad for stand‑up paddleboarding. Something in me said go. I drove to Austin, stepped onto a board for the first time, and everything changed.

The Water Became My Therapy

Out on the water, my anxiety softened. My grief loosened its grip. For the first time in months, I could breathe. Paddleboarding became my sanctuary — a place where the world made sense again.

I started paddling four days a week. I invited friends to join me, and something magical happened: blue dragonflies — bluets — began landing on me and my board. Not on anyone else. Just me.

✨ The Meaning of Blue Dragonflies

At first, I didn’t understand why these tiny blue dragonflies kept finding me. But when I looked deeper, I learned that blue dragonflies symbolize good luck, good fortune, transformation, clarity, and emotional healing. They appear when you’re entering a new chapter — a moment when the universe is nudging you toward growth, truth, and purpose.

Their shimmering blue color represents peace, intuition, and spiritual protection. In many cultures, dragonflies are believed to be messengers from loved ones who have passed on — gentle reminders that they’re still near, still guiding, still loving.

When I realized this, everything clicked.
Those bluets weren’t random.
They were a sign.
A blessing.
A whisper from my mom saying, Keep going. I’m right here.

Those tiny wings carried the meaning that would eventually become the soul of my business — and the name of it too.

From Healing to Helping Others Heal

As I paddled more, I began racing — from Austin to Lake Tahoe to Michigan and beyond. But the real turning point came when friends told me they didn’t like paddleboarding because of bad experiences. I asked them to give me a chance to teach them.

And I discovered something:
I loved teaching.
I loved watching people step onto the water nervous and step off glowing.
I loved seeing them find the same peace I had found.

SUP wasn’t just a sport. It was a pathway to healing, confidence, and connection.

💙 My Specialty: Supporting Curvy Women

One of the most meaningful parts of my work is helping curvy women step onto a board with confidence. As a former curvy woman myself, I know exactly how intimidating it can feel to try something new — especially something active, outdoors, and often portrayed as a “fit‑only” sport.

But paddleboarding is for every body.

I’ve made it my mission to create a space where women can embrace themselves exactly as they are — no shrinking, no apologizing, no waiting until they “look the part.” I teach with compassion, patience, and lived experience, because I’ve been in their shoes. I know the courage it takes to show up, and I honor it every single time.

Helping curvy clients find freedom, joy, and pride on the water is one of the greatest gifts of this work.

A New Home, A New Beginning

When life brought me to Dallas, I worried I’d lose the sport that had become my lifeline. Instead, I found a home on Lake Lewisville — a place where I could teach, guide, and build a community of paddlers who craved the same magic the water had given me.

And like so many small businesses with big dreams, Bluet SUP began in the most humble way possible: out of my garage in Highland Village. I didn’t have a storefront, a marketing budget, or a team. What I had was passion, a paddleboard, and a belief that if I could help even one person feel what I felt on the water, it would be worth it.

I printed a simple flyer and hung it on the bulletin board at the Highland Village Starbucks — just one poster, one chance, one invitation. And people came.

My very first classes were held in Skiers Cove, a quiet little pocket of Lake Lewisville where the water was calm, the mornings were golden, and the community began to grow one paddler at a time.

As Bluet SUP grew, something beautiful happened: the City of Highland Village believed in me. With their support, Bluet SUP officially launched at Pilot Knoll Park, a stunning stretch of shoreline that became the heart of our early classes, sunrise paddles, and community gatherings. That partnership gave Bluet SUP its first true home — a place where the vision could expand, the community could flourish, and the magic of the water could reach more people.

Bluet SUP officially launched in 2015, and from day one, it has been about more than paddleboarding. It’s about:

• Healing through nature
• Building community
• Trying new things without fear
• Creating space for every body and every story
• Exploring the world, one paddle stroke at a time

Why I Still Paddle

I paddle because it saved me.
I paddle because it continues to teach me.
I paddle because I want others to feel the joy, peace, and transformation that the water gave me when I needed it most.

Bluet SUP is more than a business — it’s my story, my purpose, and my way of honoring my mom’s spirit every time I step onto the water.

Thank you for being part of this journey.
We’re just getting started.

~Juliet Urushima