athlete sponsorships

Quick tip on how you can catch the attention of potential sponsors.

Renaissance Man is a term used to describe someone who is good at many things, and defines the notion that humans should embrace all knowledge and develop themselves as fully as possible. A Renaissance Man is usually multi-talented, well-rounded, self-taught, and a gentleman.

Ty Southerland is a modern Renaissance man.

He’s a successful visual artist, a working musical artist and a singular talent when it comes fishing. His Youtube channel “Thirty Miles Out” has 50,000 subscribers and his videos get literally 300,000 views.

Ty has a mindset of abundance and that’s one of our main topics we dive into today. This cat is not like everybody else, y’all.  He’s very unique and has a fresh point of view on so many things we all spend time thinking about.

Having a mindset of abundance means you focus on what you have and not what you don’t have.  The opposite is having a mindset of scarcity and honestly there is a lot of scarcity mindset in fishing and in the world.

A mindset of abundance also leads you to being generous and gracious. Generous is one description of Ty Southerland that came up whenever I talked to anyone who knew him. He’s generous with his knowledge, he shares his locations, he tells people his fishing techniques….he’s just generous.  He believes there is ore than enough for everyone.

And I agree with him.

CONNECT WITH TY
https://30milesout.com/

https://www.youtube.com/c/30milesOut/

https://www.instagram.com/30milesoutyaktv/

https://www.facebook.com/30milesOUT

Mentioned in this episode

The Lawless Tide
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqD-eS-qRKsGi9LfT-4jiJA

David Goggins
https://davidgoggins.com/

Tony Robbins
https://www.tonyrobbins.com/

Joel Olsteen
https://www.joelosteen.com/

It feels like  Fishing Entrepreneur Month  here on the Fishing Business Podcast.  Last week we talked about bringing a new product to market and focused on the patent process and marketing.  This week we meet Resee & Blake Phillips who started what is commonly called a Mom & Pop business in the garage of their south Alabama home.

The company is called Eye Hole Jig and the product is a jig that holds scent niblets in the jig head.  The couple are avid crappie anglers and the product has taken off in that sector but they have big goals for moving into developing tackle for other species as well.

It won't take you long to realize that Resee & Blake are just good folks - the kind of people you want to root for and who you want to see succeed.  They are on the right track and working hard to reach their goals.

I think listening to them will inspire you to keep reaching for your goals and to keep trying new things.  After all, you never know when your little idea might spark into a new business that changes your life.

CONNECT WITH EYE HOLE JIG

https://www.facebook.com/eyeholejig
https://www.instagram.com/eyeholejig/

Find me on social media.
Itunes:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fishing-business-podcast/id1507041192

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/fishingbusinesspodcast/
https://www.instagram.com/fishnchik/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/fishingbusinesspodcast
https://www.facebook.com/angie.l.thompson/

#crappiefishing #eyeholejig #momandpopbusiness #fishingtackle #crappiejigs
#fishingpodcast  #trainyourmind #bepositive #fishingbusiness #fishingsponsor #fishingsponsorship #fishingpodcast #bassfishing #bassfishingprostaff #prostaff 

Have you ever thought you had a fantastic idea for a new product in the fishing, hunting or outdoors world.....or anywhere else for that matter?

Today's guest had a great idea and he did more than think about it.  He patented it, figured out how to manufacture it, and brought it to market.

Jack Rutledge of Chill-N-Reel shares his story of the journey from concept to retail and it's a fascinating tale.

If you've ever thought you would like to try to create a new product, or even if you're just interested in how in the world other people do it, this is a compelling conversation with a guy who has done it.  And he is sharing all the nitty gritty details including the good, the bad, and the inspiring!

Shooting video from a boat is not as easy as you might think.  Jake Latendresse is a creator and videographer who shoots for the Bassmaster Elite Series as well as many other outdoor productions.  He gives us a quick tip today about how to get better at shooting from a boat. 

Hoo boy!  This one's going to be a real treat for y'all. 

My guest today might surprise you.  Rodney Clawson is a Nashville Songwriter and if you aren’t familiar with his name, I bet you are familiar with his songs.  He's written some of the great songs we all know every word to BY HEART.

And heart comes into this conversation alot.

Rodney wrote songs like Drunk on You by Luke Bryan and Take a Little Ride by Jason Aldean.  He wrote “Where I Come From” recorded by Montgomery Gentry and “Get Your Shine On” by Florida Georgia Line.  

In 2012, Rodney had THREE #1 SONGS on country radio, with Blake Shelton’s “Drink On It”, Luke Bryan’s “Drunk On You” and Jason Aldean’s “Take A Little Ride”. THREE NUMBER ONE SONGS!  

He co-wrote the groundbreaking Kenny Chesney & Tim McGraw duet, “Feel Like A Rockstar”, which won the 2012 CMA Vocal Event of the Year. 

He's had a song named Country Song of the Year and has been named Nashville Songwriters Association International’s  Songwriter of the Year and BMI Songwriter of the Year.

 Rodney has had TWENTY SIX number ones in his career so far.

 That's just super, over the top, hugely succcessful in an industry in which it is extremely hard to succeed.

 Now here’s where it gets good for us.  Rodney's a really good fisherman and he’s tournament fished a good bit. So  he gets us over here in the fishing world.  He gets what it takes to be successful in a field where it seems like you could shoot to the top if you only got the right opportunity.

But it’s like Thomas Edison said…” Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”

Rodney understands how to work hard and how to never give up on himself.  I want you to work hard and never give up on yourself.  So listen to this one with an open heart.  I bet you'll be inspired.

Shimano makes some of the finest fishing gear on the planet and has a reputation for excellent engineering, scrupulous innovation and uncompromising performance.  In other words, this is a brand known for excellence.

This week Dave Pfeiffer, President of Shimano North America Fishing, talks at length about why aspiring to excellence is so important if you want a career in the outdoors.  Whether you are looking for a job at a fishing brand, or you're passionate about becoming a pro angler, or you want to be the next YouTube star, you will find that those who are excellent at what they do rise to the top.

I hope you're inspired by this conversation and that it sparks you to keep working hard to get better and better at what you do so you can achieve excellence as well.

Follow Shimano here:
https://www.facebook.com/FishShimanoNorthAmerica
https://www.instagram.com/fish_shimano_north_america/

Subscribe to my channel here
https://www.youtube.com/angiethompson?sub_confirmation=1

If you're starting out, don't forget how important it is to build you brand.  I can help you get started.

Download my free resource "Developing Your Personal Brand" at https://www.fishingbusinessschool.com/brandworkbook

Website: https://www.fishingbusinessschool.com/

Find me on social media.

Itunes:        https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fishing-business-podcast/id1507041192

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fishingbusinesspodcast/

                         https://www.instagram.com/fishnchik/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/fishingbusinesspodcast

                         https://www.facebook.com/angie.l.thompson/

#fishingsponsors # fishingpodcast #fishingbusiness #bassfishing #largemouthbass #smallmouthbass #tournamentfishing

What a treat we have this week!  Bill and Tyler Jordan are guests on the podcast.  They are the father/son duo that host RealTree Outdoors on the Outdoor Channel and who are the catalysts for success behind the iconic RealTree brand.

Bill founded RealTree in 1986 and led the company to become a powerhouse in the outdoors space.  His camouflage patterns are a staple in the hunting world and the RealTree logo is an highly recognizable symbol of the outdoors lifestyle and passion. 

The folks at RealTree are masters at business and marketing and have anchored their brand in content  beginning with television programming and now with robust digital products in addition to many other smart marketing strategies. They understand at a very deep level how those of us who love the outdoors are usually more than just casual hobbyists.  

In 2017 RealTree  expanded into the fishing industry with the release of the RealTree fishing line of products.  The Jordans saw that the connection of the of their consumers to the brand extended to those with a rod and reel in their hand instead of a gun or a bow.  Every year they have grown the RealTree fishing presence in the sport.. They have title rights to the Kayak Bass Fishing Challenge Series, and sponsor pros like Jacob Wheeler, Mark Daniels, Jr, Casey Ashley, Mark Rose, Andy Morgan and Stetson Blaylock among others.

If I haven't made it clear....these two gents are about as big a deal in the outdoor world as there is.  Their story is inspiring and emblematic of American ingenuity and resourcefulness.

Listen to this with an open heart about how you can learn from Bill and Tyler Jordan.  You won't regret one minute of time you invest in this podcast!

Subscribe to my YouTube channel here

https://www.youtube.com/angiethompson?sub_confirmation=1

If you're starting out, don't forget how important it is to build you brand.  I can help you get started.

Download my free resource "Developing Your Personal Brand" at 

https://www.fishingbusinessschool.com/brandworkbook

Website: https://www.fishingbusinessschool.com/

Find me on social media.

Itunes:   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fishing-business-podcast/id1507041192

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fishingbusinesspodcast/

                        https://www.instagram.com/fishnchik/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/fishingbusinesspodcast

                       https://www.facebook.com/angie.l.thompson/

#fishingsponsors # fishingpodcast #fishingbusiness #bassfishing #largemouthbass #smallmouthbass #tournamentfishing

If you're on my email list, you know I encourage you to ASK ME ANYTHING and I will try to get an answer for you.

This week we answer and ASK ME ANYTHING question from a listener who wants to make the jump to becoming a pro angler but doesn't have a huge social media following. John Skrabo, President of Lure Lock, gives us his best advice. 

Subscribe to my channel here

https://www.youtube.com/angiethompson?sub_confirmation=1

If you're starting out, don't forget how important it is to build you brand.  I can help you get started.

Download my free resource "Developing Your Personal Brand" at 

https://www.fishingbusinessschool.com/brandworkbook

Website: https://www.fishingbusinessschool.com/

Find me on social media.

Itunes:   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fishing-business-podcast/id1507041192

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fishingbusinesspodcast/

                     https://www.instagram.com/fishnchik/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/fishingbusinesspodcast

                    https://www.facebook.com/angie.l.thompson/

#fishingsponsors # fishingpodcast #fishingbusiness #bassfishing #largemouthbass #smallmouthbass #tournamentfishing

Kay Donaldson is the guest on the Fishing Business Podcast this week and if you've never met Ms Kay....you're in for a treat!

Kay runs the Alabama Bass Trail and she has a big personality, a true heart and a brain that's on overdrive all the time.  The girl is smart and knows her way around the fishing world. 

The Alabama Bass Trail is something special.  It was created by the state to showcase the premier bass lakes in the state which in and of itself is unique - that the state would recognize how special it is to have such fine fishing and then actually fund such a big program to promote that fishing.  

Kay is an angler's friend.  She understands the challenges of the business side of fishing and she has great insight into how to come up from local level competition to a state or regional trail.  

Plus she just has good ole plain Alabama good sense.  If you listen to this carefully, I can almost guarantee you will find tidbits that you can use to take your career to the next level.  

We continue our conversation with Tammy Foshee, President of Big Bite Baits about High School fishing. This week we talk more about how brands can work with student anglers. 

Tammy was a coach and a pioneer of high school fishing in Alabama where she coached for 5 years and saw 18 of her student anglers go on to fish on college teams with many of those kids on scholarship.  One of her kids even won the College Championship in 2019.

We talk about how brands can activate around high school fishing and why this direct engagement with these young anglers is so important. 

She also tells us how she uses her pro staff to engage with high school clubs and offers us insight into what kind of pros she likes to work with.

This is valuable time Tammy has spent with us and she is generous with her knowledge and insight. 

Connect with Big Bite Baits

https://www.instagram.com/big_bite_baits/

https://www.youtube.com/user/tammyfoshee

https://www.facebook.com/BigBiteBaits

If you're starting out, don't forget how important it is to build you brand.  I can help you get started.

Download my free resource "Developing Your Personal Brand" at 

https://www.fishingbusinessschool.com/brandworkbook

Website: https://www.fishingbusinessschool.com/

***FIND ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA***

Itunes:         https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fishing-business-podcast/id1507041192

Instagram:   https://www.instagram.com/fishingbusinesspodcast/

                       https://www.instagram.com/fishnchik/

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/fishingbusinesspodcast

                    https://www.facebook.com/angie.l.thompson/

Youtube:     https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ8kGwfaUSdjND1act7kZjA

I think Luke Dunkin us the Donald Trump of bass fishing because he says things that everyone else is thinking....but might not have the nerve to say.

And he says a lot this week.  Luke tells us how the podcast evolved for him, and how he started out with one goal and ended up with something really different, which is something all of us can learn from. We don't want to be so narrowly focused on something that we miss another opportunity.

We also talk about how he got his first sponsor, why it's important to show your vulnerable side and how you have to KNOW who you're talking to when you're pitching yourself whether it's to a sponsor or a podcaster.

Listen to how Luke engages and tells stories.  This is how you can be a good podcast guest. He is teaching here by example.  He's real, he's authentic and he's interesting.

Connect with Luke Dunkin

https://www.instagram.com/lukedunkin/

https://www.instagram.com/low.budget.live/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCg-12Cq-TRYEFmNCzbwSULQ

Subscribe to my channel here

https://www.youtube.com/angiethompson?sub_confirmation=1

If you're starting out, don't forget how important it is to build you brand.  I can help you get started.

Download my free resource "Developing Your Personal Brand" at 

https://www.fishingbusinessschool.com/brandworkbook

Website: https://www.fishingbusinessschool.com/

***FIND ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA***

Itunes:         https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fishing-business-podcast/id1507041192

Instagram:   https://www.instagram.com/fishingbusinesspodcast/

                    https://www.instagram.com/fishnchik/

Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/fishingbusinesspodcast

                    https://www.facebook.com/angie.l.thompson/

Keeping up with your social media accounts can feel exhausting sometimes and it's easy to find yourself looking at your screen wondering what to post.

There's a saying in the television world - you have to feed the beast. Here's a quick tip for how you can plan your social media like a TV network plans their programming. 

listen to this conversation with an open mind and everywhere Ben talks about a brand or a business, insert your name instead.

Think of how you can really learn from what Ben did and put it into action in your own business or life and turn your passion into a profitable business. 

In the second part of the interview with LeAnn and Gerald Swindle, we continue our conversation about what makes up good storytelling, the importance of saying yes ma'am and no ma'am, how a pro angler takes his responsibility as an influencer seriously and so much more.  I had a list of questions I wanted to ask, but the conversation just ntaurally flowed and I don't think I ever even looked at my list. 

We even talk about their favorite social media accounts to follow and what music the Swindles are listening to these days.

Social media accounts mentioned in this episode:

Samantha Morgan:  https://www.instagram.com/samantha.jo.morgan/
Levi Morgan:  https://www.instagram.com/bowlife_levi

Haley Wiggins:  https://www.instagram.com/haleybbarnette/

Kay Donaldson:  https://www.instagram.com/kaydonaldson/

Rut Daniels:  https://www.instagram.com/rutdaniels/

LeAnn Swindle:  https://www.instagram.com/leannswindle/
Gerald Swindle:  https://www.instagram.com/geraldswindle/

The music the Swindles are listening to...
Cory Smith:     https://coreysmith.com/
Tyler Childers:  https://longviolenthistory.tylerchildersmusic.com/
Riley Green:  https://www.rileygreenmusic.com/

Gerald Swindle is one of the most successful guys in fishing - on AND off the water.  As a two time Bassmaster Angler of the Year, he clearly knows how to fish, but off the water he knows how to handle his business.  Gerald has some of the finest sponsors in the fishing world, and he rarely loses one.  If you're someone who is wondering about how to find fishing sponsorships, this is definitely a guy you should listen to. He knows what he's doing on the water and in a board room and has a lot of success wiwth landing and retaining fishing sponsors.

The reason for that could be his teammate and #1 supporter - his wife Leann.  LeAnn is more than Gerald's wife, she's also his manager. 

This week on the Fishing Business Podcast we talk bass fishing's power couple in the first of a two part series.  We start out talking about the ins and outs of a husband and wife business but as old friends inevitably do, we veer off the subject and cover a lot of ground about life.

If you're starting out, don't forget how important it is to build you brand.  I can help you get started.

Download my free resource "Developing Your Personal Brand" at

https://www.fishingbusinessschool.com...

https://www.fishingbusinessschool.com/

Find me on social media.
Itunes:   https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fishingbusi...
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/fishingbusin...

Dena Vick is a Public Relations and Media expert who has a deep background in the fishing and marine world and has worked for many diverse entities in the outdoor space. She has also helped many anglers get and keep fishing sponsorships and find new fishing sponsorship opportunities.

This week we open a conversation with Dena about how PR and Media fit in the fishing business, in terms of brands and companies, and also how a company's national prostaff fits within a public relations or marketing campaign.

As you grow into your career  and learn more about how to get fishing sponsorships you will eventually work with a Public Relations person and it's important to understand what they do and how they work.  A PR person can amplify YOUR brand image as they work with their brand clients and really amplify your fishing sponsorship opportunities so it's essential that you do everything you can to make their job as smooth and easy as possible.

And some of you listening may want to consider a career in Public Relations within the fishing industry. If you're a good communicator who loves the outdoors, this could be a perfect career path for you.

Something else that might help you is my free Guide to Working with the Media.
Download it here.
https://www.fishingbusinessschool.com/guide-to-working-with-the-media

And there's more good stuff at my website
https://www.fishingbusinessschool.com/

Quick conversation about 3 key qualities you need to attract good sponsors and begin solid relationships that can help you career. 

The annual fishing trade show known as ICAST usually has over 600 exhibitors. That's 600 brands trying to outshout each other to get a consumer's attention. 

How does a brand cut through the clutter and stand out? How does an individual cut through the clutter and stand out? 

This week's guest knows how to do that.  

Chris Russell is Marketing Manager at Plano Synergy which is a company with several brands you would recognize including Plano and Frabill.  Plano, of course, is the iconic tackle box maker and Frabill, which is a fishing accessories brand that makes bait management equipment, nets and ice fishing gear.  He's also worked for such powerhouse brands as Shimano and Eagle Claw, so he’s got marketing chops, deep experience and a creative mind. 

Listen closely in this episode for ideas that you can use in your own brand building...there are lots of nuggets here.

And if you haven't started building your brand yet, now's the time!  I have a free workbook that will help you get started.  Download it here.
https://www.fishingbusinessschool.com/brandworkbook

And there's more good stuff at my website
https://www.fishingbusinessschool.com/

As entrepreneurs, we can learn a lot from other small business owners. This week's podcast might get you fired up to pursue your dreams and it will definitely teach you something about sponsor relationships.

David King of Mossback Fish Habitat founded his business to create products that help anglers provide habitat for fish and fry, but his business is more like a family, which is not uncommon in small companies. 

Appealing to a business like his can be different than appealing to large enterprises in some ways, but no less critical to your success.  A small business owner may be more accessible to connect with especially if they are located in your area and you have a personal connection with them.  But their expectations of you will be no lower than others.  
Small business owners have invested their blood, sweat and tears into their companies so they partner with people who they can trust with their brand reputation. There's a lot at stake for them and understanding their mindset can help you appeal to them.  

You can also learn so much from a fellow entrepreneur.  David is emblematic of the entrepreneur's journey of having a passion for something and having the gumption to put your dreams into action.  

You can see David's product here.
https://www.mossbackfishhabitat.com/

More good fishing business can be found on my website
https://www.fishingbusinessschool.com/

David's social channels
https://www.facebook.com/MossBackHabitat
https://www.instagram.com/mossbackhabitat/

My channels
https://www.facebook.com/fishingbusinesspodcast
https://www.instagram.com/fishingbusinesspodcast/
#fishingpodcast #fishingsponsorships #howtogetsponsors