College of Public Health Graduate Blends Business with Public Health

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky’s College of Public Health (CPH) recently saw the innovative path of one of its students, Golden Mashindi, take an unusual turn when healthcare met entrepreneurship. The first-generation American, whose roots stem from Zimbabwe, has successfully blended his passion for business with his course in Public Health degrees.

The Journey

Golden Mashindi graduated from UK’s CPH program in this May. Prior to graduation, he was already managing his own firm, Jet Ski Indy, demonstrating a spirited sense of entrepreneurship from his college days. His future aspirations include an MBA, which he believes would further sharpen his entrepreneurial skills, ultimately helping him establish healthcare organizations aimed at creating equitable health opportunities.

Golden’s dedication to blending business and health has seen him receive the College of Public Health’s Promising Practitioner Award, an award that recognizes students showing potential to influence public health practices within Kentucky communities.

The Entrepreneur’s Birth

Jet Ski Indy was born out of Golden’s struggle to access boat facilities on the Indiana lake near his house due to excessive costs and age restrictions. During his freshman year at UK, Golden saved enough money to purchase his first jet ski, a 1996 WaveRunner, which eventually laid the foundation for his business.

Golden noticed his peers’ interest in his jet ski, which led to the spark of renting jet skis to allow young people access to the water. He started renting out more jet skis to provide locals the opportunity to enjoy their first-time experience with the lake. Thus, Jet Ski Indy was born and operational in Indiana.

Overcoming Significant Challenges

The journey was not without hurdles. When their initial marina partnership fell through at the last minute, Golden and his friend were left with significant debt and no lake access to operate their newly formed business. Unfazed by this setback, they decided to pivot their business model and offer jet ski deliveries across Indiana, catering to all bodies of water, public and private. This inventive strategy helped them set the business on the path to success, laying foundation for expansion to other states including Kentucky, Ohio, and Illinois.

Healthcare Dreams

Parallel to running his jet ski business, Golden was building his career in healthcare, seeking a more conventional path at UK. However, his interests expanded through the course of his studies and he found himself gravitating towards the domain of public health, that offered a wider perspective on healthcare and community well-being.

As a Public Health major, Golden understands the importance of amalgamating passion with career aspirations, and encourages fellow students to venture out and explore different sectors that may seem irrelevant to their immediate career goals. He is of the opinion that embracing challenges and seeking the right opportunities for growth can lead to positive outcomes.

Click here for more information about Jet Ski Indy.