Entry 297-4

The Business of Being a Strike King Pro with Denny Brauer

Part 4: Finding a Good Agent

Question: Denny, one person key to your success is your agent/business manager. How does a fisherman find an agent/business manager?

Brauer: Many other sports have highly-visible and recognizable agents/business managers, but in the world of fishing, rarely do you see or hear about these types of people.

Question: So, when a fisherman becomes a professional and fishing becomes his business as well as his recreation, how does he find an agent?

Brauer: I didn’t decide I needed an agent/business manager until I began doing TV shows because that’s when my schedule really got hectic. To have a successful TV show, you have to spend a lot of time traveling, fishing and filming. You also have to factor in weather days, as well as days when you can’t catch fish and when you can’t film. When you add a TV show to an already-crowded schedule, you quickly and easily see you need more help. So, I sought the advice of Jerry McGuiness, who’s been in television a long time and knew a number of agents. There were three-different agents who approached me. I chose Lowell Tom because he understood fishermen and the business of fishing, television and working with sponsors.

Since bass-fishing business is such a new phenomenon, finding the right type of agent/business manager is greatly dependent on that person’s knowledge and experience of the fishing business. I’ve worked with Lowell for 12 years, so we’re not only good business partners, but we’ve become really-good friends. In the business of fishing, being friends with your sponsors, writers and members of the press and TV producers is a really-important ingredient to having a successful fishing business.

Next: Plan for the Future

Contents:

• Part 1: Balancing Fishing and Business
• Part 2: Time Management
• Part 3: Choosing Your Partners
• Part 4: Finding a Good Agent
• Part 5: Plan for the Future