Willie Robertson likes to call himself a redneck just having fun. But don't be fooled by his ZZ Top beard, good ol' boy smile, and his head-to-toe camouflage. Because behind the surface is a very intelligent businessman. Robertson is the CEO of Duck Commander, a company that makes top-of-the-line duck calls. duck dynastyOne of the highest rated programs in America.
Willie spoke with Dave about his family's multi-million dollar company, his hit TV show on the A&E network, and business in general, in what turned out to be one of Dave's most popular interviews. ramsay show.
The beginnings of Willie Robertson
It seemed unlikely to anyone that the Robertson family would make it big. But the family from the bayou of West Monroe, Louisiana, had his two secret weapons. None of them were afraid of hard labor. And will you give up? It's not in their vocabulary.
Duck Commander is the brainchild of Willie's father, Phil, who realized he could carve out a duck voice better than anything you'd find in any store. Even though his first year's sales were disastrous and he could barely support his family, he never considered quitting. His children, including Willie and his brothers Alan, Jace, and Jep, worked with him.
“My dad always said, 'Hey, one day I'm going to sell this duck voice for a million dollars,'” Willie says. “It seemed like a great idea to us because we really didn’t have any other options at the time. I did.”
Slowly, business began to flourish. The duck calls led to a hunting video that was later aired on the Outdoor Channel. “We've had significant grassroots support from hunters, duck hunters and waterfowl enthusiasts across the country,” Willey says. “We started making T-shirts and hats for him and continued to grow.”
About 10 years ago, Willie became CEO. It was the perfect choice, his father says, since Willie was the only one with a business degree and was also a natural salesman. When Willie was young, he earned about $300 a week selling candy at school. It was a lucrative business for him until the principal shut him out.
Willie Robertson takes Duck Commander to the next level
Willie is credited with taking the business to the next level. Today, Duck Commander is a multi-million dollar company with a wide range of products stocked in major retailers across the country. The company remains family-run, with 80% of the team made up of relatives. duck dynasty further contributed to its success.
“We set up shop because business was good. What we didn't take into account was that a normal old cat would also buy a duck voice,” Willie said with a laugh. “Boy, I was wrong.”
Despite their massive success, Willie says the family stays true to their roots and remains humble. Their secret weapon? The kitchen table, where nearly every episode takes place. duck dynasty The evening concludes with a big family dinner and prayers. “Faith, common sense, wisdom and values are all passed at that table.” Willie says. “This is a lost art and it doesn't need to be.”
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Willie's wife, Cory, agrees. “I think that's the most important thing about this show,” she told CBN.com. “Because at the end of the day, it's all about sitting back and thanking God for our blessings. And if we can't do that, then what do we really have?”
