Let's Ride Guam, LLC.: Take a Tour of Adventure

By: Jane Ray

Certified Business Advisor/ Training Program CoordinatorGuam SBDC

A strong family support was the driving force for Joey Crisostomo Jr. and Justin Cruz, owners of Let's Ride Guam, LLC. to start their own business in 2017. They wanted to set a good example for others and always wanted to work for themselves, and most importantly, enjoy what they do. These are the reasons they wanted to start a business for off-roading. Some activities that Joey and Justin enjoyed most of the time away from work are mixed martial arts and off-roading in their buggies. Those activities fulfilled their love of thrill and adventure.

Joey and Justine worked for Cars Plus for years where they gained most of their businesses experience. Learning a great deal from the business and gaining extensive experience working with family and others, this is where their idea to start Let's Ride Guam was born! Let's Ride Guam aims to provide a once in a lifetime experience exploring the beautiful nature of Guam's unseen terrain that makes our island unique to local customers and customers from all over the world. They firmly believe that our island deserves to be appreciated and there is no better way to do that than to embark on an adventure in the beautiful village of Santa Rita.

With the close guidance from Guam SBDC business advisors, they were assisted in every step of the way from the business planning, to the loan approval and closing process, obtaining licenses, marketing strategies, creating the website, to launching the business. They were able to receive funding from Bank of Guam.

A few challenges were faced by Joey and Justin during the startup process. One of the biggest challenges was building the website with an off-island company which made it difficult to communicate due to the time difference and understanding their expectations. The product was eventually finished; however, it did not meet their expectations. Luckily, Justin's wife, Gabby, took the lead and built their own website from scratch through WIX.

The most memorable accomplishment for Joey and Justin was the signing of the Hafa Adai Pledge. Both Joey and Justin are Chamorro and committing to preserve and represent their language, culture, and traditions. They firmly believe that taking the pledge is important to them and their business. The values behind the pledge are easily integrated with the mission of Let's Ride Guam and a great start to their business.

Looking further into the future, they would like to be the most popular adventure tour on Guam. They are looking to give back to the island community through working with the University of Guam, Sea Grant, and the Center for Island Sustainability in promoting responsible off-roading. Joey and Justin hope to offer visitors an unforgettable experience while ensuring the sustainability of our island while educating the participants about the importance of building a strong ecotourism industry for the future of our island. Their entrepreneurial advice for others who wish to open their own business is to always do what is right and never give up.

If you wish to experience Guam in a way that you never had before and visit Mother Nature at its best, consider taking a ride with Let's Ride Guam!