The dynamic between brothers can be complicated. Most guys would take a bullet for their brother. Most guys can also relate at least one story of brotherly roughhousing that could legally be considered assault. A brother is someone who stands up to bullies on your behalf, but sometimes solely because they don’t like the competition. On the spectrum of fraternal harmony, the dynamic between any two brothers usually rests somewhere between The Property Brothers and Cain and Abel.
Michael and Taylor Withrow are photographed at one of the Island Head locations on 18 Simmons Rd.
But when two brothers can harness that energy and apply it toward a common goal, they can put the entire world on notice. Just look at what Taylor and Michael Withrow were able to do with their brotherly bond. As co-founders of Island Head, they took their company from a single seasonal parasail boat to a year-round experiential empire on the strength of their bond as brothers.
Expanding into the short-term rental business, they can now offer a turnkey vacation experience that encompasses kayak tours, paddleboard tours, pontoon boat rentals, tubing charters, waterski and wakeboard charters, year-round ferry service to Daufuskie Island, and sunset hibachi dinner cruises.
Shrimp and veggies are cooked in the salty outdoor air during a Hibachi Sunset Cruise.
So, what is their secret for keeping their brotherly dynamic on task?
“We just kind of figured it out as we went,” Michael said. “When it was a single boat, there was so much stress on every single booking and every single dollar. That put a lot of pressure on the dynamic, but the dynamic was just always, ‘We’re in this together, so let’s figure this out.’ And luckily, it’s built up and grown.”
The pair grew up with a four-and-a-half-year age difference, which can be a pretty wide gulf for brothers—especially on the basketball court. “He thought he ran the town, but it was just because he was playing me and my friends,” Taylor said. “He thought he was MJ out there on the court.”
The brothers both agree that Taylor’s height now gives him an advantage in a one-on-one situation, but they’re more focused on the larger game at hand: growing their business together. And that application of sibling rivalry, turning it toward their mutual goals, has made a massive difference in their success. Where some family members-turned-business partners have trouble balancing the family dynamic against the needs of a business, for the Withrows, it seems to be their greatest asset.
“It’s definitely matured over the years where we’re not really competing against each other,” Michael said. “It’s evolved to where we’re on the same team, and that competitive spirit is driving us to find out how we can grow the business and how we can make things better.”
Directing that competitive spirit outward lets the brothers move forward without ego, sharing responsibilities as the company has grown with seamless cooperation. To take things back to the basketball court, they take on the challenges of running their business together in more of a “zone” defense than man-on-man.
These dinner cruises have rapidly become an Island Head favorite, with guests booking weeks out to reserve their spot.
“In a weird way, we operate as one person in two people, if that makes sense,” Michael said. He points out how he’ll work on payroll with input from Taylor on audits, marketing expenditures, expenses, and staff gratuity. Or how Taylor will work with rental management companies, trusting that Michael is putting a second set of eyes on it and immediately tagging in during emergencies. “We’re both very involved in the day-to-day operations. And we’re constantly working together on things, but separately.”
It definitely helps that, along with a healthy sense of competition, the brothers share a die-hard work ethic. “We both have those expectations for a joint effort. We aren’t going to sit around in the busy season drinking piña coladas,” Taylor said. “We’re working hard together to achieve that goal and hold each other accountable.”
It isn’t just about the bottom line, however. As two guys who admit they would probably be traveling the world if they’d hadn’t stumbled into such immense success with Island Head, it’s important to remember they’re in the business of having a good time. And business is good.
“We expect that out of our staff, too. We want our staff to work hard to the best of their ability. But we also built this company around the expectation that you’re not going to work 30 days straight in the summer,” Michael said. “Take your days off; go traveling; go enjoy yourself. We tried to pass that down to anybody that’s working with us.”
The bond between brothers is among the most unbreakable. It’s also the one most likely to be used as a blunt instrument. With their success in co-founding Island Head and the seemingly effortless way they work together, Michael and Taylor Withrow are proving it can be something else. It can be a tremendous way for two brothers to pave their path forward together. Website: IslandHead
