What's the Worst That Could Happen?

I tried to come up with an interesting intro to this post, but it’s late on a Monday morning and I’m at a loss for creativity. That said, I’ll just come out with it. As of December 01, 2010, the Trout Lie will become my full time gig. It’s finally official.

For the past six years, I’ve had my arse securely planted in a 6x8 beige cubicle. It was nice while it lasted, and I’m sure I’ll miss the corporate life – feckless management, 7:00 AM Monday morning conference calls, and trading a finite amount of time for a finite amount of income – but the Trout Lie project has grown into an eight-headed monster and I simply can’t manage the juggling act at this point in the game.

To be honest, I wasn’t prepared for 2010. I planned the year based on 2009 numbers and quickly came to the realization I was way off base. Trust me, I paid for the mistake and I’m just now getting out from underneath the pile.

It’s been an interesting year to say the least. Growth and experience have been abundant. However, planning and execution have been blind-sided by an obvious reality. The reality is, there aren’t enough hours in the day to accommodate two full time jobs and I’m not giving 100% effort to the people who deserve it.

In 2009, the Trout Lie was a goofy side project; in 2010 it became a serious full time endeavor. I’m not sure exactly how or when it happened, but it’s a reality now and I’ve decided to give it my full attention.

It was a tough decision but at the end of the day, it really came down to two options. I could continue to plan off the cuff, be entirely reactionary, sacrifice sleep, fishing time and any hint of a social life, or I could cut the excess (my cubicle) and free up more time to dedicate to the Trout Lie.

I don’t know if leaving the ‘security’ of employment is the smartest right decision, but at the very least I have to recognize the growth of the Trout Lie and give it the level of attention and dedication it deserves. My customers demand 100% effort and unfortunately I wasn’t able to provide that level of service in 2010.

So what does this mean to Trout Lie supporters? For starters, I’m dedicating the entire month of December to 2011 planning. Now that I have a little breathing room, experience, and analytics data to review, I’ll actually be able to forecast, plan and execute instead of stick my finger in the air and guess which direction the wind’s blowing.  I’m looking forward to having an actual plan to work from!

Here is the Trout Lie focus for 2011:

• Operate more like a business and less like a side project.

• Increase responsiveness – process orders in a timelier manner (next day for locals). Now that nine hours of my day aren’t eaten up in a cubicle, I’ll be able to decrease the lag time and get orders out the door as they’re received.

• Get back on a more routine schedule with reports and newsletters.

• Provide a greater range of online classes and resources, e.g., area specific seasonal clinics, nymphing classes, casting tune-ups, matching the hatch clinics, and so on.  We’ve got an archive of ‘half finished’ classes that just need to be posted. Those are at the top of the priority list and WILL be posted for Trout Lie members.

• Optimize the site. The Trout Lie turns two years old in 2011; it’s time to dust out the cobwebs and defrag. We’ll be adding new features to the site and removing some of the excess.

Overall the goal is to operate more efficiently, dedicate more time and resources to educational classes, anticipate and exceed member expectations, be more responsive, and dedicate 100% effort to a successful and more productive 2011.

What can you do to help in this endeavor? It’s really simple; provide feedback and get the word out. If you’ve had great experiences, let me know. If your experiences have been less than stellar, let me know. I want to hear it – the good, the bad, and the ugly.

If you really want to contribute, spread the word. I know you’ve already been doing this but please continue. I really do appreciate your support and know for a fact the word is getting around the valley.

Nothing motivates me more than happy customers, continued support, and positive feedback. I appreciate each and every one of you and I’m very excited to have the ability to dedicate 100% of myself in this upcoming year.

Thanks for an outstanding 2010.