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The Outdoor Biz Podcast


May 22, 2018

Bill has made a great career for himself in both the Outdoor and Fly Fishing Spaces. He tells us about his work with REI getting their Adventure Travel Program off the ground, his transition into fly fishing with Sage, how he parlayed his entrepreneurial spirit into a successful repping business on the East Coast.

Bill has made a great career for himself in both the Outdoor and Fly Fishing Spaces. He tells us about his work with REI getting their Adventure Travel Program off the ground, his transition into fly fishing with Sage, how he parlayed his entrepreneurial spirit into a successful repping business on the East Coast.

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Show Notes

First Exposure to the Outdoors

My Dad started us off early and so I grew up hunting and fishing and camping with him and actually went to the Orvis fly fishing school in 1969. And that's when you stayed in the motor coach in across the street from the bamboo factory and went out in the pond factory and learned how to cast and whatnot.

So we did that, got a little fishing in and interestingly enough I did that with a cast on my leg so I didn't get to wade in any of the streams and do that portion of the school.

But then I got into skiing. That was back in the early days in Pennsylvania and I can still remember to this day my dad coming back from a European business trip and handing me a brand new pair of leather buckle boots. And up to that point you had tie boots and you had a little tool that you could pull tight on the laces and get them tight enough.

Things we talked about

W Dawsons Inc

Orvis

REI

Mountain Travel

Sage

Rio

Reddington

Patagonia

Umpqua

Kamchatka

Highland High School Lacrosse

Project Healing Waters

Fishermans Conservation Association

National Wild Turkey Federation

Trout Unlimited

Advice, tips

I've certainly heard it on your podcast numerous times and, and I'm a product of that, but you know, following that passion. Like I mentioned, you know, trying to join your application with your vocation. I do believe that and it certainly came to fruition with me and I've heard it from many others on your podcast, so it is something to make sure and tuck in your pocket and understand that over the long haul, if you have a passion for it, you're probably going to be successful at it in some way, shape or form.

Some other things I would pass on, and these from my coaching days and I would be remiss in not mentioning. My son will laugh because I always told the kids that it's a game of inches. Every little inch counts. You miss a goal by an inch. You missed the ground ball by an inch. So it truly is a game of inches. I think that plays into the game of life and the game of career as well. You really do have to pay attention to the details there and make sure that you're not missing any of those inches along the way. And finally I always told them that we're not going to use the phrase practice makes perfect because I have no aspirations of being perfect. But practice does make permanent. So practice, practice, practice.

Other Outdoor Activities

Waterfowl Hunting

Deer Hunting

Favorite Books

Michael Connolly and the Bosh series

The Reacher series

James Patterson

Alex Cross

John Grisham

Best Gear Purchase under $100

Buff

Thermacell Hand Warmer

Connect with Bill 

bill@wdawsons.com