As part of its undergraduate business administration program, Stetson University in DeLand, Fla., which also happens to be the home of Mystic Powerboats, offers a major or minor in Family Enterprise Management. Not so coincidentally, Rachel Cosker, the 22-year-old daughter of Mystic founder John Cosker, studied exactly that—as well as finance—at Stetson before graduating in May and going to work on the business side of the luxury center console and high-performance catamaran company.

For John and Robin Cosker and their daughters Rachel and Kendall, Mystic Powerboats is evolving into a family affair. Photo by Pete Boden copyright Shoot 2 Thrill Pix.

“I always thought, ‘My dad’s job is pretty cool and I like going out on boats, so maybe I could be involved in the business,’” she said. “I started the Family Enterprise Management program in my sophomore year and started working at Mystic full time almost immediately after graduating. My dad and I like to joke—he calls me ‘CFO’ sometimes, which seems like a such big title. But, we are a small company so I guess it’s OK.

“In the Family Enterprise Management program, you study family structures you can utilize, such as the family bond and teamwork, to your advantage in business,” she continued. “My dad and I think and work similarly. I am learning a ton from him. His office is right next to mine so he must get tired of me bugging him all the time with questions.”

But for the 52-year-old Cosker, nothing could be further from the truth.

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