In 2016, Bob and Rose Bennett opened Bubbles or Not, a one-stop shop for all things diving-related that offers beginner classes, continuing education training for specialty certifications, and diving gear for purchase or rental. Since her husband passed away in 2021, Rose has drawn on her twenty-four years of experience working as a civilian with the Department of the Army to manage the shop, share a love of diving with others, and give back to the community.
“Opening a dive shop in 2016 with my late husband was a dream come true,” shares Rose. “I love being able to share the passion for diving and seeing clients’ reactions, especially children, when they first get to experience what it's like to breathe underwater. Once they become a diver, they get to discover all the beauty our ocean has to offer and I get to help them create memories, take them on adventures, and teach them to protect our environment.”
In addition to offering classes and certifications, Rose strives to utilize the shop to serve the community in a variety of ways. She does this by supporting local causes and is intentional about providing programs that benefit veterans and active service members, a group close to her heart as both her sons have served in the military, with one still in active service.
One such program is born from a partnership with local sponsors and Undersea Warriors, a nonprofit that provides opportunities for therapeutic scuba diving and marine conservation activities. Through these partnerships, Bubbles or Not offers special programs that benefit active service members, military, veterans, and first responders battling with PTSD, anxiety, and depression. These collaborations not only help finance classes and equipment for the qualified participants but also includes funding for a family member or friend to participate as well.
Other initiatives created by Rose include the Robert Bennett PADI Aware Foundation to support protecting earth’s underwater environment and the Bob Bennett Youth Scuba Scholarship. “The scholarship program is geared towards youth ages 10 to 18 years old who are currently enrolled in school,” says Rose. “It emphasizes providing the scuba experience for at-risk youth, low-income families, and youth who have a history of trauma.”
Rose also stays active in local outreach by helping to organize local Wreaths Across America efforts to place wreaths on the graves of veterans at Christmas and works to raise support for local Girl Scout troops.
As a female entrepreneur, Rose recently joined forces with several women to raise money for Safe Homes of Augusta through the Fake It to Make It campaign. She is also currently working with her team, The Fierce Flames, to raise $100,000 for the 2025 Visionaries of the Year campaign for the Augusta Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
“I think the best thing about being a female entrepreneur is that we all work together and support each other, and we all want to give something back to the community,” says Rose. “As a minority woman in the diving industry, which is predominantly male, I sometimes have to work twice as hard to prove that I am capable of doing the job. Which is why I tell other female entrepreneurs all the time to find your passion and surround yourself with like-minded people with the same vision.”
Bubbles or Not Diving, which is located at 211 N Louisville Street in Harlem, is Georgia’s XDeep dealer and the only dive shop that is a Garmin dealer in the CSRA. For more information on classes, diving gear, and the programs mentioned in this article, visit www.bubbles-or-not.com, call 706- 901-5045, or email info@bubbles-or-not.com. Also follow Bubbles or Not on Facebook and Instagram.
I think the best thing about being a female entrepreneur is that we all work together and support each other, and we all want to give something back to the community.