I never intended to create this company, it just happened and it's the greatest thing that ever happened to me...

In 2013, my business partner and I started a brand called Lucky Tackle Box. When we created the company, our goal was to introduce anglers to the best new baits to hit the market and to teach them how to use each one. We launched with the bass box and then quickly added multiple sizes and multiple species. We had a box for virtually every angler that wanted one. It was easy. Just pack a box full of random baits and send them to anglers across the country. Things were good.

Fast forward to 2018. Competition is heating up and my business partner and the lead investor in Lucky Tackle Box asked me to create the 2019 growth plan for the company. I thought that we need to make a big move - focus our offering, be different and more importantly, be better. Better as in, make the quality of the baits we put into our boxes more relevant and create a tighter bond with our subscribers.

So I started to write the plan and while doing so, I watched as our main competitor, Mystery Tackle Box, began to introduce their own brand of baits into their monthly subscription boxes. I kept seeing their own new brands being released. I began to wonder if that was really what consumers wanted. Do people really want a bunch of house brands, or do they want brands that they know and trust - brands that have thousands of hours of product research and development behind them? My gut told me that real anglers wanted tournament winning baits from brands they know and trust.

So why go create a bunch of new brands in China and put them in the boxes?

One reason. Money.

So I finished the plan for 2019 but before I could present it, the owner and CEO, Richard Marks decides It's time to part ways. No big deal. This stuff happens all the time in business and my sincere hope is that Lucky Tackle Box continues to thrive.

Over the course of the next 6 months I sat back and thought about all the good things we did at Lucky Tackle Box. More importantly, I had the opportunity to think about everything I would do differently.

I watched as Lucky Tackle Box followed suit and completed their lineup of house brands. Approximately 10 brands in total were created, with seemingly no product development effort. They're just off the rack baits that you can get for 70 cents from any factory in China. In doing so it seemed that LTB was shifting their business from introducing anglers to the newest baits to hit the market, to introducing anglers to their brands of baits. They were competing with the established brands that they once relied upon to fill their boxes. In my opinion you don't bite the hand that feeds.

I realized that the Lucky Tackle Box I had created was being transformed into something very different than what I had envisioned. I knew what I needed to to do.

I HAD TO CREATE MONSTERBASS.

Step 1: Get money and lots of it.

So I wrote a plan and raised a lot of money. Raising money is an interesting process, and if you’re thinking about doing it and want some advice, hit me up. I’m happy to share my experience with you.

Step 2: Surround myself with people smarter than me.

I wanted the smartest people I could find to guide me and give me advice. So I hand picked the CEO’s and the smartest minds from some of the most well known brands in the fishing industry, the biggest retailers, tv networks, and big marketing agencies in the country. I literally covered my bases so that I could bounce ideas off someone way more experienced than me.

Step 3: Build a team.

I went out and found a team of like-minded people that not only love bass fishing, but would wake up every day excited to give our subscribers the best possible experience. I got really, really lucky. The team we've hired is amazing and am I'm grateful for each person on our team.

Having done these 3 things, and launched the company, here's why I believe that

MONSTERBASS is... #thebetterbox

Reason 1: 100% Bass.

We are the only fishing subscription box company that is 100% focused on bass fishing. That's all we care about and so we're going to do it better than our competitors.

Reason 2: Regional Boxes.

We’re the only fishing subscription box that has split the United States into regions. This is important because it allows us to send our subscribers baits, based on where they live and fish. The guy in Michigan is throwing different baits, than what the guy in Florida is throwing. They're both dealing with different stages of the season, so the baits we send will be specific to the conditions that they're facing right now.

Reason 3: The baits are better.

We assembled a team of experienced tournament anglers to help suggest shapes, colors and sizes based on the region and the season of where you live and fish. We literally have a Bassmaster Classic Champion & an FLW Forrest Wood Cup Champion recommending the baits we send you each month.

Reason 4: The brands are better.

99% of the baits we send you will be trusted & well-known tournament-tested brands. And we’re going to partner with those brands to bring you the newest baits, many times before you can even find them at your local tackle shop. We will create one line of our own baits, MONSTERBASS, and we're working with one of the most well-known and respected bait designers to do so.

Here's a list of some of the brands that you'll see in the first 3-4 months... Strike King, LIVETARGET, Duo, SPRO, Booyah, Savage Gear, War Eagle Customs, Z-Man, Rat-L-Trap, Daiichi, Smartbaits, Bagley Baits, V&M, Norman Lures, Keitech, Westin, YUM and more...

Reason 5: Your feedback makes your next box even better.

Approximately 2 weeks after you receive your box, we'll send you a survey to complete. You'll tell us what you liked, what you didn't like, where we nailed it and where we might have missed the mark. We will analyze that data and use it to make your next box even better.

I honestly believe that MONSTERBASS is going to change the way that bass fisherman learn about the newest baits to hit the market. I'm thankful I never got to present my plan because I know that region, season and color matter, and so I promise you that our approach to helping you catch more fish will be to send you what we believe to be the highest producing baits for where you live and fish. Not a random box of baits.

I invite you to give MONSTERBASS a try. Use code SAVE10 at checkout to save $10 when you sign up. Put our box side by side with our competitors and judge for yourself. I really think you'll agree with me when I tell you that it's the #thebetterbox

Thank you for letting me share this story.