Today we’d like to introduce you to Ross Robertson.
Hi Ross, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Since a young age, I had a passion for fishing and quickly knew fishing is what I wanted to do, but there aren’t many books from your high school counselor on how to be a professional fisherman. During high school, I started working at a local tackle shop and got to meet many of the local players and things blossomed from there. I got into tournament fishing and had some early success which really helped. I met some people that really helped mentor me even though several didn’t even know they were. Regardless of the field you choose I think the moral of the story is work your butt off, surround yourself with the best people you can, and make sure those in your circle have the same passion and goals. Things tend to fall into place when you do that.
Twenty plus years later I have a very diverse fishing business that includes working with sponsors, a charter service, product designer, outdoor writer, producing videos, and even wrote a best-selling book to name a few things.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Easy…HELL NO! It was a sleep in the back of the truck and eat peanut butter sandwich deal for longer than I want to remember. The gear and cost of entry is expensive and it took a really long time to get any feeling that it was actually going to be something that would work long term. Unlike many professions there just isn’t a playbook for how you go about it like there is for a teacher or other more traditional careers. When you are trying to turn what is a hobby for a lot of people into a job you have to make niche for yourself and that takes a while to find and refine.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We are both a fishing guide service to take you out on the lake for a day as well as an outdoor media company that works with our sponsors to sell and design products. This has also included having a TV show, writing for magazines, a self-published book, seminar speaker, and all-around content producer.
Our guide service does everything from take a family for a fun day on the lake fishing to helping seasoned anglers on a trophy trip to get the biggest fish of their lives. Another thing we do that really no one else does is offer educational trips to shorten your learning curve so you can be more successful with your own boat.
Fishing is not my job it’s my passion and this path has taken me in many different directions with the common denominator just being fishing.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Funny question that me and friends often debate. I would tell you that I’m very conservative with most things and not a gambler. Whether it’s investments, money, or just about anything really, perhaps because the road to the now successful business was so uphill in the beginning.
On the other end of things, I’m a huge risk-taker because I choose a path that doesn’t have very good odds. I’ll never forget my mom asking me what my backup plan was if this didn’t work. I told her I’m going to go until I figure it out. I think work ethic, grit, and the mental side of being an entrepreneur is honestly the most important factor regardless of the field.
When I wrote and self-published a book about 10 years ago literally everyone I know begged me to not do it and said books don’t sell you have to go digital. In the end, it was the most self-fulfilling project I have done to date. The notoriety and fiscal things it brought me were better than I could have ever imagined and it took my career to a new level. Don’t listen to anybody if you believe and are willing to put in the work.
Contact Info:
- Email: hogwalleye@yahoo.com
- Website: bigwaterfishing.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/
bigwaterfishing/ - Facebook: http://www.facebook.
com/BigwaterFishing/ - Youtube: http://www.youtube.
com/user/Bigwaterfishing
