"Under-promise and Over-deliver"

  If you've read my following posts, then you know that I'm currently in the process of following my dream to become a major name in the outdoor industry; and although I haven't "made it" yet, I would like to share with you what I've learned so far, what I hope to accomplish, and I'd like to overall help others trying to accomplish the same goal in anyway I can.

  First and foremost is to "stay true to yourself, and always under-promise and over-deliver", many successful people in the industry stand by this phrase, and for me, it really hit as a driving force to help accomplish my goal. You can't accomplish what you don't have the means to see through. What I mean by that, is don't claim that your going to advertise a company on TV, on your website, etc., when you don't even have a video camera, let alone your own show and website. When you become fortunate to have a company claim you as one of their own, that company has put it's faith in you, so don't make them regret their decision by poor representation. Also, once you have become a part of a company, it's probably best to delete that video you took of that wet t-shirt contest down in Key West. Why? Because no respectable company wants to be associated with reckless immaturity, so delete the red solo cup pics you took in high school, and be cautious of what you post throughout social media, because in today's day and age, nothing is private anymore.
  You have to remain professional in every aspect, that doesn't mean not to have fun, but be aware that you are now perceived as a representative of that company, so how you act can have either a positive or negative impact on your relationship with that company. As the title states, under-promise and over-deliver.
  When I was first beginning to get picked up by companies, I didn't have this blog, any sort of private land, website, magazine, or any connections in the industry; all I had was a decent camera, a Facebook, an Instagram, and a passion for the outdoors, that's it. Luckily for me, all they wanted from me was to take some pictures for them to use, and spread the word about their website, so that's what I did, as payment, I got free merchandise and publicity which in my opinion was way more than I thought I deserved, not that I did a bad job, but it seemed like such a minuscule thing to me, but that kick-start from my photos helped launch that company into becoming one of the most recognized brands in Florida (The Local Brand). Another company (Down To Hunt Apparel) approached me and asked me to do the same thing for them, so I did, both companies were apparel companies, but they targeted different styles, so there was no competition between them. When I got picked up by Advanced Wildlife Solutions (4sWildlife), they gave me a list of guidelines to follow, and what they expected from me, on the list was exclusive use of their products, meaning I wasn't able to use competitors products or become a representative of a competing company. I was listed as a "Promotional Staff" member for Camoed Obsessions under the premise of representing their new scent line, as soon as I agreed, they launched a new product that would make them a competitor for 4sWildlife, so I dropped them. The reason behind my decision was simple, 4sWildlife was a major company that had shown me the most respect and believed in me before I became associated with other companies, they trusted me, and there was no way I was about to violate that trust. As I write this, I still don't think either company knows that I did what I did, Camoed Obsessions seemed to label anyone and everyone as "Pro-Staff" so I don't think they even noticed I left, but I made a promise to 4sWildlife, and I kept it, I stayed true to my word, and in this industry, that means more than anything.

  If you're truly wanting to get into this industry, I highly suggest getting yourself a copy of "Hunting Dream Jobs" by Brenda Potts and Allie Armstrong. It is a phenomenal book and an absolutely invaluable tool to help you better comprehend and understand what those who have already made it in the industry have accomplished to get them to where they are today.

This link below will take you to another article on this topic written by Stephanie Mallory and the folks over at Realtree, it gives you just a little insight on what it takes to get started and what a job in the industry entails.
http://www.realtree.com/deer-hunting/articles/how-to-get-a-job-in-the-outdoor-industry

I hope this helped, and I can promise that as I continue to grow in this industry, I will continue to share with y'all my experiences and any lessons I've learned. Thank you for reading, and God Bless!

-Chris Johnson