Our Beginnings

When I decided to start a marketing and communications agency, Propeller was the first and last name I thought of…

Our name was inspired by one of my most cherished childhood memories. When I was younger, my grandparents had a sailboat on the Chesapeake Bay. I first stepped aboard the 31-foot Silent Lady when I was just six years old and sailed the vessel with my family almost once a year through my teenage years. My grandfather was a Lieutenant in the Navy during World War II, so he took his craft seriously and taught us the ways of sailing. I tied knots (and promptly forgot most of them), hoisted sails, and learned the basics of boating using good old-fashioned wind power.

I enjoyed sailing so much that when I was in the 8th grade, I chose to spend my entire spring break trip on the boat with my grandparents. Of course, when I asked them if they’d take me on a week-long tour, their hearts melted, and they eagerly accepted. They took me all over the Bay, and we stayed at various marinas and even dropped anchor in a deserted inlet that we had all to ourselves.

There’s nothing like being on a boat for sunrises and sunsets in between exploring a body of water like the Chesapeake. And, absolutely nothing in life beats evening meals and backgammon with your grandparents while swaying gently with the current. On a trip like that, you’re also likely to encounter an Atlantic squall, and it’s quite an experience to suddenly go from calm, sunny skies to fierce winds, sideways rain, near-zero visibility and waves that make you think you’re in an episode of The Deadliest Catch. Of course, after the storm, Gramma had hot tea ready and Grampa and I played our harmonicas.

When my grandparents got a bit older, they decided to sell the boat and I was crushed. My grandfather sent me a package in the mail containing a short note and the actual brass propeller from the Silent Lady. I used it as decoration in my home for years. When I decided to start a marketing and communications agency, Propeller was the first and last name I thought of, because even the best sailor needs an engine to move him forward every now and then. And that’s just what we do for our clients.

Jesse Boudiette | President