As part of the process of writing my upcoming book, I had the pleasure of interviewing Toxey Haas, the founder of Mossy Oak. From minute one of a conversation with Toxey, it is clear that he is deep, super deep, and very connected to our “source” in life–meaning God, earth, and everything metaphysical.

Toxey is deep into the meaning and the fabric of what the Mossy Oak brand is all about. He generally avoids putting absolute labels on things and tends to see things at a very high level–a very pure level.

“Mossy Oak in its essence truly is a lifestyle,” he told me. “And we as a family here believe it’s much more than just a ‘brand.’ I think sometimes things lose their most meaningful identity by getting too hung up on the words we use. I don’t like to put labels on things. It is so limiting. I believe that it is the people whom we affect, the lives we touch and deeply bond with, that can best describe Mossy Oak.

“Labels are just labels and that’s fine and totally common in the world we live in, but what we stand for and offer is just much more, much bigger. We just believe that people can only live their best life in and around the outdoors–hunting and fishing and caring for all of it. Above all I can thank my dad, ‘Mr Fox,’ as he is known, for setting the standard for myself and all of us here. He may be my dad but he is truly the most special spirit myself and countless other have known.”

I have not come across many people who remind me of Toxey. He lives a lifestyle extremely connected to nature and surrounded by a very close family in a manner most only dream about. His truest passion is land and everything that can be done to make it better.

“Where I am most at home is on the land,” he said. “On a tractor or bulldozer, planting trees, planting crops, restoring habitat, building lakes or ponds, just everything and anything to make it better.

“I love to look at a piece of property and visualize what it can be. What does it want to become, and what are all the possibilities? Every piece of dirt is unique and special. When I look at a piece of land I look at things like what’s the soil situation, what native plants and trees are most suited for it, what can that ground grow, what can it be?

“Every piece of land is a miracle no matter how big or small. It doesn’t matter if it’s four acres or 4,000 acres, it’s the personal connection and taking responsibility for that piece of dirt that matters.

“Look at it this way, you get the very best possible place to hunt and fish but even more importantly the best and fullest life in the deal. I think a lot of people miss that. All of our conservation brands like Biologic, Nativ Habitats, Mossy Oak Properties, Mossy Oak Land Enhancement, and especially GameKeepers encompass the entirety of enabling people to make the most out of both their our special dirt and even more the time they have in life. We always say that the open season on being a GameKeeper lasts 12 months a year!”

In order to fully appreciate Toxey you need to open up your mind and you need to rid yourself of prejudices and preconceived thoughts. This is easier said than done, as most of us are far too caught up in our own egos to open up in that way. Whether or not you relate to everything Toxey talks about, you will never walk away and call this guy anything other than connected. He is in flow and possesses an energy connection to nature and God that’s beyond normal. His beliefs are founded within love and not fear.

“I’ve just learned to avoid the fear thing, it will never serve me well nor will it serve Mossy Oak or our team and family,” Toxey also said to me. “Yeah, it’s true I may be tasked with the vision side of what we undertake, but it has been my team, my dedicated awesome team, that has truly made Mossy Oak what it is. My ‘vision’ is just the sum total of everyone I work and live with side-by-side each day.

“When we started this thing I told everyone my primary mission was to keep the team together. All the key people who founded this are still here except for Bob Dixon–a MOST special soul who we lost to cancer about ten years ago. And we still celebrate his life with all we do here, especially in the springtime. He would be especially proud of the corporate culture we have evolved to now, and it has evolved light years in just the past couple. We are a VERY close bunch!”

When I asked him whether he ever saw this business becoming the massive company and influential brand it has become, he didn’t give me some canned answer.

“You know, I just never think about it,” he replied. “Our philosophy is about the more you have and the bigger you get, then the MORE you need to give and the MORE you need to work at being a humble, serving spirit. In the back of my head I always knew that if it starts and ends with authenticity and deep connection to the core, it could become something powerful. Please just know that’s its all of us and not just me.”

That’s the understatement of the year, Toxey, it has become massively powerful and has made its way into so many crossover markets it’s crazy!

I told Toxey that I thought of him as one of the icons of the industry.

“David, I never wanted to be an icon and I don’t look at myself that way,” he told me. “It actually makes me uncomfortable to even talk like that. It has always been about Mossy Oak at its deepest meaning and how it affects people. Since the beginning, this has been about an outdoor lifestyle and that means what it means to the people who attach to the brand. We just honestly want to help shine the light on helping people live their best life outdoors.”

One thing is for certain about Toxey Haas and the impression he left with me after the interview: I want to know this guy better. He and I share many beliefs at a deeper spiritual level. Whenever I find people who appreciate nature in a bigger than words, bigger than sensory way, it is refreshing. I have little doubt that Toxey will continue to build huge things and improve a whole heck of a lot land along the way. I hope to spend some time in nature with him and if not, I am still amazed by this man and his accomplishments, depth of belief, and love for earth. I hate to put a label on this but I now know that Mossy Oak means it when they say “it’s not a passion, it’s an obsession.”

Last week I had the pleasure of interviewing the intriguing big buck-chasing and female hunter-recruiting couple so many love–the Lakoskys, better known as Lee and Tiffany or for their hit show The Crush. I interviewed them for my upcoming book as I wanted their success story to be a part of it. The Crush is a big deal and has boasted some of outdoor television’s best tune in numbers and also has upped female interest in archery and bowhunting. With the craze of The Hunger Games and a spike in interest from female adolescents it won’t be surprising to see their popularity grow.

Despite the fame and success that has come from The Crush,  this couple seems unaffected. Lee and Tiffany are very much their own people with completely different strengths and personalities, yet they share a deep bond. Opposite as these two may be, they can finish each other’s sentences, they can sit together for hours on end in a tree stand without killing each other, and even spend a day hanging stands together getting their hands dirty. Lee and Tiffany are the definition of “opposites attract,” but it makes sense–the chemistry works. And just ask Lee–it’s all about the chemistry in everything, engineered to the point of perfection. This dude’s intensity and the attention to detail put forth into his work are truly admirable.

From word one of our conversation, it is obvious that Lee Lakosky is all business. With an impressive chemical engineering mind, he has broken down the pursuit of whitetail into an art and a science. Lee analyzes things down to the core in order to decide on the optimal plan to be implemented. Lee has no qualms with who he is.

“I don’t care about the fame. I just want to hunt everyday of season and be with the deer, watch the deer, put the pieces together,” he told me. “Year round it is my job and my privilege to protect the deer herd from disease, and to ensure a healthy herd by being in the field almost daily. I am a perfectionist about everything I do. I am who I am, it’s just how it is. I like to continue to find better ways to approach things, ways to know deer better and to put the perfect set ups In place. I just love to hunt, I could do it everyday of my life and never get enough of it.”

“And then there’s me, totally laid back,” Tiffany jumped in. “I just go with the flow. I always smile and have a carefree attitude in life. I never pretend to be anyone that I am not. I’m fun, easygoing, and I love to spend time with Lee–he’s my best friend and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I don’t need to hunt everyday like Lee, and I just assume Lee shoots the big buck when he comes in and when we are together on-stand, I just like being there with him and I am so happy for him when he gets the deer he’s after.”

I asked Tiffany how it feels to know that she has become a star in the outdoor world that has real influence, especially amongst a growing younger audience that includes a nice female following.

“What I think is really neat is that I am helping to open up hunting for young girls that might otherwise never consider the sport,” she replied.

“I think it’s really cool when we hear from fans that their daughter has picked up hunting because of Tiff,” Lee added. “Knowing that we are helping to recruit hunters is pretty powerful”.

There is something about that Tiffany. Something intriguing, something lovable, relatable, and relevant. She rocks camo and pink as well as anyone can–except for my wife of course. Tiffany, who started out as a flight attendant before becoming a leading outdoor TV star, brings that energy and smile she developed flying around the world comforting passengers to how she hosts The Crush. You have to love that easygoing way, she is just so likable.

When looking at how and why they have been so successful, this is where there are clear similarities. Both Lee and Tiffany have leveraged who they are as their authentic selves and leveraged their past experience and skills and applied them into The Crush and promoting hunting. When we leverage our authenticity, regardless of whether it is a chemical engineering mind or a free-spirited lovable energy, the authentic self creates passion and trust, and with those comes an impressive following of loyal fans that is growing by the day.

I don’t know Lee and Tiffany that well, however now that I know so much more I am certain we will become good friends. I possess the ability to spot quality people and Lee and Tiffany definitely measure up. The question that I have is how much bigger might they may become?

With The Hunger Games having raised attention to archery, the rest of the trilogy should only keep growing archery and bowhunting. From my vantage point this bodes well for the industry and it should only boost Tiffany’s popularity as more teenage girls become interested in the sport.

The Crush has already achieved terrific success and they are living the dream, but I can’t help to wonder if Tiffany might not be able to make some serious moves as the sport of archery takes off and more “girl power” ensues. In the event it is something they want for Tiff as they would say in “the reaping” in The Hunger Games, ”may the odds be ever in your favor.”

Laser vision, eyes wide open and aware, and truly awake is the state of mind that Travis “T-bone” Turner operates in. Travis is soft-spoken, funny, warm, and truly one of the good guys in this world helping to make it a better place. Travis also has the ultimate personality, the type of guy that can talk a dog off the chuck wagon. However, make no mistake about it–his success comes from having taken calculated risks, being opportunistic, and highly visual.

Today T-bone puts the same precision into each hunt, each show, each relationship, and each life situation that he did while running his archery shop and becoming a world champion archer. He even gives back to the industry, the sport, and conservation as the spokesperson for Whitetails Unlimited. At a young age Travis visualized greatness for himself as long as he maintained his intense attention to detail, and stayed loyal to himself, his family, his partners, his fans, and those that he encountered.

“I love to make people feel good,” he told me. “To sit and hang out with a kid that loves Bone Collector or heck just hunting. To put a smile on that kid’s face by taking a picture with them or to talk about stories in the field and to hear their passion about the sport is something that never gets old, man. I love this sport, I love the people around it, and I value every fan I have and each I hope to make in the future.”

When asked about how he deals with the stardom and the accolades that come with it, T-bone responds in a serious but thoughtful manner.

“I have always believed in staying humble, never forgetting where I came from–starting out as a part of Realtree’s Pro Staff after working on several of their bows–or those who helped me get to where I am today,” he said. “While I like building my platform, it is really all about the team, the whole sum of Bone Collector as the three of us, heck, man, actually the whole brotherhood–all of our fans around the world, it’s about something bigger and more meaningful than just me. It’s true this has gotten huge, but we are still the same passionate bowhunting nuts we have always been.”

Some say that nothing in life happens by chance and that everything works out exactly as it should and the world is in perfect order. While I subscribe to this theory, I also believe that if you approach life with the type of commitment that this lovable hunter from rural Georgia has demonstrated throughout his life, the chance for greatness increases significantly. I am proud to call Travis “T-bone” Turner one of my brothers from the South, and I hope he considers me to be a part of the Yankee contingency of the brotherhood.

I am perched up high in a big Aspen tree alongside a small lake in Antrim County, Michigan and the beautiful nine-point is standing beneath me thrashing on a tree. He looks up the base of the tree and his eyes come all the way up to meet mine. The shot angle is poor and a fatal hit does not seem likely, so I stand there with my bow drawn staring this animal down. My heart is exploding out of my chest and the old buck can feel something is not right. My muscles feel like someone is holding a blow torch to my shoulders and back. There I am, stuck in an uncomfortable moment of silence, and I need to hold my position.

How many times have you been in a meeting or in a confrontation with a partner, and just as you are closing on a big moment, a silent stare down ensues? You know the feeling, where the other person is staring you down to look for any sign of weakness or uncertainty. In your mind you know that if you can hold the stare and not crack, you win–but few can do this effectively and most start nervously talking too soon and lose the opportunity for closure.

Countless times throughout my career, in relationships, and in a tree stand I have faced this moment. Too often I have blown it and I begin to nervously start talking and as I am doing it–I know I am turning myself into prey instead of the predator, pulling my “blue steel” and at the right time releasing my arrow! You remember the movie Zoolander and the “blue steel,” or Derrick Zoolander’s signature modeling pose. In life, those who can get through the uncomfortable moment of silence and make it a moment where you pull the blue steel get through it and win! You need to learn to love this moment and once the uncomfortable becomes comfortable you have turned the corner towards more achievement in life!

The old buck finally appears to be comfortable and moves forward. Although I am shaking like a leaf from muscle exhaustion combined with adrenaline, I am able to place my 20-yard pin behind his shoulder. As I release the arrow I know I have survived the moment and pulled off my blue steel. I watch my arrow hit hard, as if it is moving in slow motion and by the reaction of the animal I know he is mine.

If you find yourself botching great opportunities for closure in life whether in the field or in the boardroom, you should ask yourself how you are doing with the uncomfortable moment of silence. When you learn to hold your position and not release the arrow too soon, you may be surprised how often your trophy moves into the kill zone.

Whether managing a piece of property and its timber, cutting in trails, or doing big business deals, it is best to think of tomorrow. In a society that is obsessed with instant gratification and an “I need to have it all today” mentality, true long-term thinkers who care about preservation have become rare commodities. At SHOT Show I had the privilege to sit with and interview the hunting industry icon and my friend, Bill Jordan, a man who lives for preservation and for a better tomorrow. Since my younger days in Betamax and VCR format, I have watched Jordan and his Realtree Monster Buck videos. I have donned Realtree camo in the woods for as long as I can remember. In case it isn’t obvious, I am a pretty big Bill Jordan and Realtree fan.

I interviewed Bill for my upcoming book and he was generous enough with his time to meet in between some major deals Realtree was negotiating at the show, but that is the kind of guy Jordan is. The interview inspired me enough to blog about it as well as feature a chapter around his story in my upcoming book. Above being a brilliant, powerful visionary, and a true industry leader, the coolest thing about Jordan and what he himself is most proud of is what has spawned from his Realtree empire for others that got their start with him. He glows when talking about how proud he is of all of the people that today have become industry leaders and have succeeded in their own right. I asked Jordan if he ever takes time to drive his Chevy pickup truck out to a quiet spot on his hunting property to sit and think about the empire he has created.

“What I am most proud of is all of the great talent that has come from Realtree and that today enjoys great individual success. Seeing people like Michael Waddell, Nick Mundt, Travis T Bone Turner, Lee and Tiffany Lakosky, and so many others that started with Realtree succeed and help grow the industry is what makes me proudest. I guess I don’t think so much about my success; I really think about all of the great talent that Realtree helped to cultivate. That is my proudest accomplishment I suppose. Well, that and building a business that my son Tyler can step into and follow in my footsteps, if that is what he chooses to do long-term,” Jordan explained.

What really strikes me as I type away on my Delta flight home is the genuine Southern tone in Bill’s voice, the softer humble side of Bill Jordan. It occurs to me that Bill does not really know just how great he is or just how powerful he has become. When you get deep with Jordan, it is clear that he is basically the same humble, energy-infused kid loaded with a deep passion for the sport of hunting and for creating a product that is second to none. Nearly three decades ago he was at his first SHOT Show, where he got his breakthrough moment in business when he cracked the code on how to enter the licensing market and changed the landscape of the camouflage industry.

What I find most special about Bill Jordan beyond his incredible vision, intense focus, competitive spirit, and inspirational personality, is his focus and care about what he is doing today: creating a better tomorrow and what his personal success has spawned for others.