Tony Smith

Meet Tony Smith

Jarvis Boards founder Tony Smith has built a business around his passion. The handmade wooden paddleboards he crafts in his Austin studio have found homes around the world. When he’s not making them, you can find him on top of one.

“I love being outdoors. There’s just something magical about spending time on the water. You’re surrounded in nature, and you can let your mind just roam.”

Tony grew up in Houston, where his family owned a construction company. He and his brothers learned the value of hard work from his parents, and the boys entertained themselves by building things, from model rockets to remote-control cars. They also spent a lot of time outdoors. Tony went off to college, got a degree in finance and did the corporate thing for more than ten years.

“During that time, I was looking for a hands-on project to reignite that part of my brain,” he said. “I found a how-to guide for building canoes and I built one after work as a hobby. I really fell in love with it and wanted to build something else. So, I started tinkering around with wooden paddleboards and people started to take notice and say they wanted one. And I built a company around it.”

Tony’s customers are from around the world, and many of them share their paddleboarding experiences with him.

“To know that a product we’re building is creating these lifelong outdoor memories for some of these families is very meaningful,” he said.

Tony is thrilled to join the ranks of TPWF’s ambassadors.

“Spending time outdoors has been such an integral part my childhood and defines who I am today,” he said. “If I can help give back and spread awareness and get more people outdoors and in nature, I’m all for it. The more that people are in nature, the more they will care about protecting it.”