Find A Job You Would Do For Free On A Saturday…

…and you’ll never work a day in your life –  is a quote we may have all heard, but I wasn’t let in on until I was well into my 30’s.  My source for this quote was my sister-in-law, Erica, who’s inspirational story I may tell on this blog someday.  But for now, I’ll tell you, its amazing what you learn about yourself when you find the courage and inspiration to actually pursue that job and chase a dream.

I have never been a center-of-attention kind of guy.  I have always been very content being behind the scenes.  I made the mistake of thinking that was synonymous with being a non-people person.  So, enough with all the labels (well, maybe).

Through Erica, I became connected with a great group of people at Concept Archery.  They have a unique bow design with 99% let-off capability and they are high quality, high performance, all American made bows (cha-ching).  So what does this have to do with my personality?  Well, turns out I  LOVE meeting and talking with people about Concept Archery bows.  But not just the product.  The conversations usually lead to discussing outdoor philosophies, families, Christianity, etc.   It’s a blast!  Being that Concept is fairly new to my home state (Wisconsin), it’s a tough sell with such an established bowhunting culture and established brand loyalties.  Well, it turns out I am hugely motivated by that challenge.  I have never been one to put myself in front of people I don’t know and just start talking up a product.  Especially when you’re a self-taught hunter who doesn’t have the years of experience that many “hunters-from-birth” in my area have.  I guess that’s what happens when you really believe in something.  Not to mention, all of this makes for great stories.  But, it turns out I have been known to be a story teller.  Stories of the outdoors were made to be written down and shared.  They definitely have lended themselves well to me writing them down.

So, I am back from the annual Deer and Turkey Expo in Madison, Wisconsin.  It’s a massive gathering of people from all walks of hunting.  And I dropped into the middle of it with a bow on my back and a purpose.  I spoke with the people I intended to speak to.  But I also had some unexpected run-ins… and the results were the beginnings of new friendships and new business opportunities.  This is something, years ago, I never even knew I was capable of doing.  Bottom line is: I am doing business, but I am certainly not working.