El Porto Shark

What El Porto Shark does

El Porto Shark is a personal brand and creator-economy business operated by Apryl Yvette (also referred to as Apryl Boyle), a marine biologist and surf coach based in Los Angeles, California. The brand was established on Linktree in October 2020 and monetizes through four primary channels: (1) one-time sales of the self-authored book 'How To Surf Like A California Girl: Finding Your Strength In The Waves And Beyond' distributed via IngramSpark's print-on-demand network; (2) recurring Patreon subscriptions offering surf coaching and shark education videos and blogs; (3) a Substack newsletter combining ocean content with analytics-themed writing; and (4) YouTube content monetization through an education-focused video channel. The target audience comprises surf enthusiasts and ocean lovers seeking skill development and shark safety knowledge, readers and book clubs drawn to empowerment narratives blended with marine science, and marine science enthusiasts interested in shark behavior and surfer-shark interaction research.

The underlying technology stack is entirely composed of third-party platforms — YouTube for video hosting and ad monetization, Patreon for membership management, Substack for newsletter distribution, Linktree as the link-in-bio aggregator, and IngramSpark for physical book distribution. There is no proprietary technology, application programming interface, or software-as-a-service product; the technical surface is the creator's ability to produce multimedia content and integrate these platforms. Distribution is fully direct-to-consumer and global by default for digital products, with the book reaching global retail through IngramSpark's wholesale network. The brand has earned third-party validation through Vanity Fair and SELF Magazine media features, a Featured.com subject-matter expert profile, and contributions to the academic volume 'Minorities in Shark Sciences: Diverse Voices in Shark Research' and the peer-reviewed paper 'Sharing the waves: An exploration of surfer and shark interactions.'

The business is not a formally incorporated entity; ownership and operations rest solely with the founder. There is no institutional funding, no employees disclosed, no parent company, and no formal governance structure. Revenue mechanics are best characterized as a diversified creator-income stack with low individual transaction value: book unit sales, low-to-mid-tier Patreon subscriptions, Substack free/paid newsletter, and YouTube ad revenue. The brand competes on the differentiation of the founder's combined marine biology credentials, surf coaching experience, and personal narrative around identity and resilience in ocean sports, rather than on technology, scale, or distribution infrastructure.

Name

El Porto Shark

Legal name

El Porto Shark

Website

https://williseeashark.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

El Porto Shark is a personal brand and creator-economy business owned by marine biologist and surf coach Apryl Yvette (Boyle), monetizing surf coaching, shark education, and memoir content through a self-published book, Patreon, Substack, and YouTube for individual surf enthusiasts, readers, and marine science followers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Creator Economy & Surf Education Content

NAICS

Book Publishers (513130)

SIC

Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAAAIAH

Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks)

Travel & Hospitality/Adventure, Amusement Parks & Ecotourism/Marine & Coastal Ecotourism (Diving, Snorkeling, Whale Watching)

Keywords

• Surf coaching content
• Shark education media
• Marine biology content
• Surf memoir publishing
• Ocean science communication

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: Selling the book 'How To Surf Like A California Girl: Finding Your Strength In The Waves And Beyond' through IngramSpark, a print-on-demand and distribution platform.
2. Patreon Membership: Exclusive content and community access through monthly Patreon subscription, providing surf coaching and shark education video content and blogs to paying members.
3. Substack Newsletter: Substack publication combining advanced analytics and ocean content, likely with free and paid subscription tiers for deeper content access.
4. YouTube Content Monetization: YouTube channel featuring shark education, surf content, and marine science videos, generating revenue through ad monetization and video content.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

El Porto Shark is a personal brand operated by marine biologist and surf coach Apryl Yvette (Boyle) that sells a self-published surf memoir and guide ('How To Surf Like A California Girl') through IngramSpark and offers subscription-based surf coaching and shark education content via Patreon, a Substack newsletter, and a YouTube channel. The portfolio functions as an integrated content creator business where the book serves as the primary product, with Patreon and Substack providing ongoing premium content access and YouTube delivering ad-supported educational video.

Product overview

El Porto Shark is a personal brand operated by Apryl Yvette (Boyle), a marine biologist and surf coach based in Los Angeles. The brand centers on the book 'How To Surf Like A California Girl' as its core product, supplemented by subscription-based video content and blogs on Patreon offering surf coaching and shark education. Additional offerings include a Substack newsletter publication that combines analytics with ocean content, and downloadable book club discussion guides. The portfolio functions as an integrated content business where the book serves as the primary product, with Patreon providing ongoing premium content access and Substack delivering regular written updates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• How To Surf Like A California Girl: Finding Your Strength In The Waves And Beyond A self-published memoir and surf guide that blends essential surf skills with themes of resilience and empowerment, written by marine biologist and surf coach Apryl Boyle. Distributed globally via IngramSpark's print-on-demand network to bookstores and online retailers.
• Surf Coaching & Shark Education Video and Blogs (Patreon) Exclusive video content and blog posts offering surf coaching and shark education, available to paying members through Apryl Yvette's Patreon page. Targeted at surfers and ocean enthusiasts seeking expert-level instruction and education.
• Apryl's Substack Newsletter A Substack newsletter publication combining advanced analytics with ocean-related content, featuring surf coaching and shark education topics. Provides free and paid subscription tiers for deeper content access.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• LinktreecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPrimary link-in-bio platform serving as the central hub for all digital presence, social media links, and shop integration. Platform provides analytics and monetization tools for content creators.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Cristina Mittermeier: Marine photographer and SeaLegacy co-founder producing ocean-conservation visual content at significantly larger scale across books, exhibitions, and branded campaigns — broader-incumbent peer in ocean content/media.
• Sea Shepherd Conservation Society: Marine conservation organization with large public brand, merchandise, and educational content on sharks and ocean wildlife — broader-incumbent peer in marine education and science communication.
• Sylvia Earle / Mission Blue: Established marine scientist and ocean-advocacy platform producing educational content, books, and expeditions at institutional scale — broadly comparable ocean-education and publishing presence.

Direct peers

• Madison Stewart: Filmmaker and shark conservation advocate producing content on marine protection and ocean stewardship — comparable creator platform model in the same niche.
• Ocean Ramsey: Shark advocate, marine biologist-adjacent, professional freediver/surfer who produces social-media content, apparel, and appearance-based income around shark conservation and ocean safety — directly comparable creator model.
• Jillian Morris: Shark biologist and education-focused content creator (Sharks4Kids) producing videos, curricula, and community programs — direct overlap on shark education content and digital distribution.
• Melissa Cristina Marquez: Marine biologist and content creator focused on sharks and ocean education, with a multi-platform presence including social media and book authorship — direct creator-economy peer in shark education.

Regional players

• Rob Machado: Professional surfer with a personal-brand content presence tied to surf culture, sustainability, and apparel — adjacent peer in the surf-creator economy model.

Emerging players

• Jasmin Graham: Early-career shark researcher and founder of Minorities in Shark Sciences with a developing content/education platform and personal brand around marine science — emerging-creator peer with overlapping shark-research and DEI positioning.

Others

• SeaLight Studios (Content Creators LLC): Adjacent YouTube-based content operation in ocean and marine-life education — thematically comparable as a creator-economy media producer rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/elportoshark
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@elportoshark
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/el-porto-shark

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about El Porto Shark