Meet Craig Clark: Guidance counsellor, DJ and paddleboard instructor

Craig Clark ofStratford, P.E.I., works in many different places: in schools, in a DJ booth and at the beach — the last of which is where he's launched his new company.

"Welcome to my office. This is the beach where I spend quite a bit of my time in the summer where I run a paddleboard business," said Clark.  

Clark launched Island Paddleboard Adventures at Kinlock Beach this summer with his family.

From spinning records to counselling 

Clark started out as a DJ in the late '80s when he and his friends were interested in the emergence of hip hop. 

The group launched a business that toured schools, events and other venues, which eventually led to Clark being a turntable and video DJ. Now, he spins his craft at different clubs across the Island under the name DJ Hype. 

I like to be active, it energizes me, it makes me feel alive.— Craig Clark

After discovering his passion as a DJ, Clark discovered his second interest — school counselling. 

He studied in the field of psychology and now has a contract with the Public Schools Branch as a counselling consultant. 

Clark works directly with teachers, staff, parents and students to work through conflict resolution in difficult situations.

'Digging it and loving it'

"Working in the field of counselling it can be tough. There's a lot of trauma you're exposed to, there's very challenging situations and not always super super rewarding in the immediate," Clark said. 

Don't get him wrong — Clark finds a lot of satisfaction in counselling, he said. But his side-hustles are more about pure joy.  

"When you take out a group of people paddling and you get them in the water and fresh air, you know that they're digging it and loving it," he said. 

"The same way with DJ'ing — you know you drop a beat on the dance floor, and everyone is experiencing that organically together. That definitely feeds energy for me and it rejuvenates my soul."

Diving into the paddleboard business

Clark has sold paddleboards for a few years, but decided it was time this year to take the plunge and offers tours as well. 

It has meant spending long hours launching the company, and spending even more money.

"I've taken a lot of investment in the paddleboard business, so I really have some pressure to make it work out. But at the same time if it doesn't, it's not a big deal. I'm just stuck with a bunch more cool boards to ride."

But this business is definitely a joint venture with his family, Clark emphasizes — his wife and son help out and the family takes people out on tours together. 

The side jobs also allow Clark's family the economic freedom to do special things together, whether it be vacations or other hobbies.

"[I] check in with my family. They're really good indicators of whether I'm doing it well or not," said Clark. "There are definitely times where we know as a family that it's just going to be that busy, but other times we make sure that we schedule weekends off." 

"As a family we make sure that we're doing things together. The paddleboarding business is fantastic because my family likes to paddleboard as well."

Burning the candle at both ends

Still, 10 months a year as a counselling consultant, plus late nights as a DJ and giving paddleboarding tours takes its toll — Clark only needs five or six hours of sleep a night, he said, but he can still get run down. 

"It is kind of that paradox, you can hear it in my voice. There have been quite a few late nights and cold catches up to you, but I don't view it as work really — it's therapy for me," said Clark. 

"These others jobs are really things that I'm doing that I'm really passionate about, the same way I am around work in the field of counselling. It really balances it out, I find. And I like to be active, it energizes me, it makes me feel alive."

Clark doesn't see himself slowing down any time soon or giving up any of his jobs. 

He said he's simply following a family — and P.E.I. — tradition of working multiple jobs and hopes his work ethic is one he can pass down to his son.

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