New Smyrna Beach | Flagler Beach | Ormond Beach
Meet Emily
Emily Jones is a visionary leader who empowers women through outdoor adventures and paddle boarding excursions that build community and create life-changing friendships.
As the founder of Women Making Waves, Emily has brought over 2000 women together for paddle tours, community events and charity fundraisers. She is also the owner of Paddle Florida Now in Ormond Beach, Fl., a company that provides kayak and board rentals, lessons and tours for groups and individuals throughout Central Florida.
A self-starter who worked her way up to the position of vice president of Operations of a Security Firm at the age of 23, Emily launched her own paddle boarding company after relocating to Florida in 2014. The idea to start a paddle boarding company began with Emily’s curiosity to get out on the water and make new friends.
She single handedly grew and scaled the company to include weekly tours, private events and rentals. By forgoing a brick and mortar location, Paddle Florida Now and Women Making Waves offers competitive rates and personalized experiences to customers.
As she grew her business, Emily craved connection with like-minded women who weren’t afraid to share their struggles and support each other. She began organizing women’s-only paddle boarding excursions that featured a “board meeting” where the women paddle to an island, drink wine and share stories while sitting in a circle. By the end of the event, women leave inspired and empowered with a new circle of friends. This transformative experience is what drives Emily to grow Women Making Waves into a year-round community for women to form friendships and gain confidence. In 2018 Emily launched “Women in the Woods,” a weekend camping trip for women to immerse themselves in nature where they form deep bonds with one another and recharge from their daily schedules and routines. Women Making Waves also supports local businesses through strategic partnerships.
In addition to outdoor adventures, Women Making Waves has raised thousands of dollars for local charities such as Surfers for Autism and collected toiletries for Legacy House, a nonprofit that provides housing for teenagers and young women who are at-risk for homelessness and sex trafficking.
Emily’s passion and curiosity are in full force on and off the board. When she isn’t leading tours you’ll find her traveling to new cities to visit craft breweries, volunteering for a cause in the community or camping with her friends & family.