Inspiring Conversations with Sonia Sharma of Ship Shape MDR

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sonia Sharma.

Hi Sonia, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My whole life has been steeped in service and hospitality. My first jobs were grocery store checkout clerk and working in restaurants, followed by a long career in the spa industry and resort hospitality. In 2011, I moved overseas where I worked as a teacher in the international school system in Vietnam and taught 2nd grade until I was invited by a family to join as a household manager in Thailand.

Household management was really where I was able to put all my skills to use. From staff management to choreographing activities and tutors for the children. Managing the finances for the household- where it pertained to the children and staff and delegating tasks and responsibilities. Working with large, multicultural families with a full staff allowed me to understand the unique needs of each individual (staff included), spot gaps and points of intervention, and support them along their journey and make the process as comfortable as I could.

Household management in the US doesn’t really look like it does in other parts of the world, so when I returned Stateside, I had to pivot a bit. The pandemic kind of imposed time and space to really do some inner reflection and shape the next chapter of my life. I’ve always wanted to live by the water, so as soon as travel restrictions started easing, I sold everything, packed the dog and the car and moved specifically to Marina Del Rey. I knew one person here and I had nowhere to live, but I was just really driven to make things happen. I set up my website beforehand and had cards printed so that I could hit the ground running.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Pounding the pavement, catching boaters off guard and chatting with them about who I was and what I could offer took a lot of courage. Not everyone appreciated my energy and confidence, and I even experienced bullying and discrimination at points. But at the end of the day, the choice was mine. I could let those outside circumstances derail me or stay focused and committed to my passion and mission to be the best concierge on the water.

A major takeaway there has been that “stay in your lane” is a capping comment. I would never be who I am or where I am if I had listened to the myriad of people who tried to cap me with that logic. People will talk and try to break your spirit so you just have to learn to shake it off and power through. What you do will ultimately drown out and outlast anyone’s critical chatter.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Ship Shape MDR?
Service jobs are the backbone and foundation of any industry. My aim is to remind the boating community of the value all maritime workers bring to life on the water, build relationships that showcase that, and help restore camaraderie. I want to leverage my background to innovate the way marina life is serviced and raise the bar – not just from a competitive angle, but to deepen community and people’s experience of marina life broadly.

I want ShipShape to serve as a one-stop “marina rolodex”. When someone has a project or event, I want ShipShape to be the trusted, go-to solution – the right people, the right resources, and the right energy.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I chose to move to Los Angeles because of its proximity to water, mainly, but in addition the diversity of the city and the creative nature. But I have to say the most amazing aspect to our city is the abundance of bougainvillea flowers and jacaranda trees that decorate streets and homes, bursting with color. It is a constant source of happiness for me.

Things I dislike about our city? The homelessness.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.shipshapemdr.com
• Instagram: @shipshapemdr

Image Credits
Joshua Stephens