fbpx

Worth A Look

By Brenda PottsMarch 14, 2013

LAST UPDATED: May 1st, 2015

One of my favorite quotes by an unknown author says, “Follow your dreams. Or you’ll spend the rest of your life working for someone who did.” Entrepreneurial spirit helped build America. Owning your own business is one of the most satisfying, rewarding and challenging endeavors.  Those who succeed usually put their heart and soul into a dream and work tirelessly to achieve their goals.  It has been my pleasure as a marketing consultant to help some really great companies grow and prosper. All were plagued by unforeseen stumbling blocks, some nearly insurmountable, which brings me to the point of this blog.

When Reed Exhibitions cancelled the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show, many companies planning to exhibit during the event took a big financial hit. Some scrambled to book additional shows to fill the void. Big companies moved inventory to compensate. A few will take the loss very hard. This unforeseen stumbling block may cause very serious problems for them. And I hope you will feel as I do, that at least one of these companies is worth a look.

look1

Every bowhunter should carry a good blade with them in order to make easy work of gutting and skinning work.

Duke Dudley, owner of Virginia Blades, was one of the earliest to take a stand and pull out of the show. He could not support or profit from an event that would ban the display of a class of legal guns currently under scrutiny throughout America. This former Marine said his decision was not really about business. “It’s a matter of right versus wrong. Our founding fathers paid in blood for the right we’re defending,” said Dudley. Although the show was ultimately cancelled anyway, it doesn’t diminish the point, that in spite of the huge financial hit he would undertake by not attending, Dudley’s decision came long before the shutdown.  The risk to a small company like Virginia Blades was palpable.

When Stan and I attended the Western Virginia Sport Show last month I had the honor of meeting Dudley and thanking him in person for his courageous decision.  It was our first time at this show, but one that Dudley had attended for many years. He had several knives on display and I was instantly impressed with their craftsmanship. Dudley is a former Marine with a talent for designing blades. He also designed a knife sharpener called the Wardog Blade Sharpener that mimics the look of his military dog tags. It sharpens everything from broad heads to hatchets and includes 2 broad head tip tighteners.

look2

Finding one tool that can do many tasks not only saves money but space as well. Small items such as this can easily fit in a fanny pack and be taken into the field.

If you own your own business or have ever dreamed of doing so, you can imagine how hard it would be to make a decision to put your company in jeopardy. By putting the defense of our second amendment rights ahead of his own livelihood, Duke Dudley did something few people would have the courage to do. This ex-Marine once again made a decision to protect our freedom in the best way he knew how, according to the situation he faced.  For no other reason than that, Virginia Blades are worth a look. www.vablade.com.

Brenda Potts
Post a Comment
Login To Account

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *