Like many in this world I sometimes find myself so focussed on reaching a goal that I occasionally overlook the basic ingredients required to achieve it (and yes that is a leading comment if ever there was one…). There were many moments at this year’s Toronto Sportsmen’s Show that stick out for various reasons but one in particular I would like to share.
This time of year is stressful in the fly fishing retail industry because of the crystal-balling and the financial 
balancing act required to bring in the right inventory at the right time and getting the bills paid while doing so. In addition, on a daily basis we are planning for shows, serving customers and gearing up for the coming season in whatever spare time we can find. On any given day we likely have more than the average number of balls in the air. This doesn’t make us special – just busy and what this means is that we sometimes lose sight of what is important…
Sunday was the fifth and final day of the Sportsmen’s Show and instead of being in the aisle at the front of our booth saying hello to people I was hunkered down on a seat behind the counter because I have foot pain 
that has been nagging me for a while. I have been limping a lot and didn’t realize how much it was affecting me mentally until the last hour of the show when I was walking past the kid’s free fly tying booth which was manned by volunteers from local fly fishing clubs. A friend of the store was behind their counter and as much as I didn’t want to get involved in a conversation because of the pain I was in, I stopped to say hello. As soon as we shook hands my friend’s demeanor changed and I wondered what was coming…
My friend Michael thanked me for stopping to say hello and, truthfully, his words caught me off guard. He reminded me that part of being in fly fishing retail – or any business for that matter – is to acknowledge people and encourage them as often as possible. He went on to say that he appreciated my taking the time to say hello and thanking him for volunteering and that more people in the business need to do what I had just done. Frankly, I was a bit embarrassed because I had spent the better part of the day all but hiding in our booth and his comments turned me on a dime. He was absolutely right and while my small gesture may have been meaningful to him it paled in comparison to the impact his words had on me.
I know that ‘I’ am not important but my position as the owner of a fly shop attracts attention in the community – and that attention comes with strings attached. I shy away from the so-called recognition that comes with owning a fly shop – mostly because I am not, by any measure, an expert nor do I wish to be. I will not intentionally do things to increase my own profile because the store is not about me and nor should it be but I will always be at the front of the line to wave a flag if it will help increase our business. Michael’s comments reminded me of something of which I had briefly lost site. Although I do not want the recognition that some others I have met in the industry might crave, it comes with the territory and one of my jobs is to put a smile on the face of the people I meet. In other words, even when I don’t feel well and want to complain, I need to put on my game face and try to help whenever possible.
We are all ambassadors at all times and those of us who work in the fly fishing industry have to hold ourselves to a higher standard because we represent the industry and the sport at large. Michael was right when he said that it is our job to acknowledge and encourage people – and his unwitting encouragement of me when I was feeling down was a testament to the force a small gesture can have. Thank you for the kind words and the gentle reminder Michael. I hope you enjoyed the show…
Loading ...