How These 2 Entrepreneurs Turned Their Minimum Wage Jobs Into a Multimillion-Dollar Brand A lack of "real" jobs turned into a big opportunity for these college friends.

By Gary Bredow

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Chris Lynch and Michael Samer were friends in college, graduating at the start of the greatest recession since the 1920s. They scored jobs doing ocean kayak tours near San Diego, and after a couple of years, they borrowed $50,000 from family and bought the kayaking license for what became Everyday California. They put every penny back into the business and have since started a retail clothing line, a juice bar and even their own beer. A few smart decisions turned their minimum wage jobs into a multimillion-dollar brand.

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Related: How Two High School Friends Started a Million-Dollar Lawn Mowing Business

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