We recently connected with Jason Hunt and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jason, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

You must be willing to count the cost of being an entrepreneur. My wife and I gave up everything to launch into a full-time ministry career. We lost our home, cars, and even our furniture. We made the ministry transition and never made enough money to properly support our family or have the impact on people’s lives that we thought we should. So, after a decade of effort in church ministry, I took the risk of starting my own survival company. It went against everything I knew then and was an uphill battle for the first few years. However, I garnered the attention of industry professionals that invited me to join them in their businesses which led to growth in my own business and opened the door to product development. After several years of exceeding our expectations and managing one of the largest outdoor schools in the country, I knew the time had again come to risk it all to become independent. Having learned so much in the previous five years, I knew we could withstand the transition of giving up a six-figure income and stability to make it on our own. However, I underestimated the stress it would take on my body, and I suffered a mini-stroke at 39 years old. Working twenty hours a day and stressing myself out caught up quickly- but the downtime in recovery allowed me to focus on what was most important, my faith and helping others. With this renewed focus, we have grown our business multiple times over, have put other people in business for themselves, and have been able to provide work for our children in the family business.

Faith, Family, and, Fellowship have been the keys to our success; if you don’t enjoy what you do and who you do it with, you’ll never overcome the fear surrounding becoming an entrepreneur.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I grew up camping, hunting, and fishing in Southern Indiana in the 80’s when Rambo, Ninjas, and He-Man were all the rage. This fueled my passion for martial arts, and I was an avid student of several disciplines, helping to support myself by teaching classes as a teenager. By my early twenties, I felt called to the gospel ministry, so I gave up my hopes of becoming the next martial arts superstar and focused on a life of service to others. I fully embraced my calling, immersing myself in studying the Bible and religious subjects. After a decade of service and the constant struggle to make ends meet, I felt compelled to transition into outdoor work by starting a survival school. Within a few years, I integrated my ministry work with my outdoor work. I succeeded in the industry by writing books, appearing regularly in magazines, radio, and television, and training thousands of students. We began manufacturing our line of outdoor gear, specializing in waxed canvas bags and handmade tools.

At our company, Campcraft Outdoors, we’re inspired by the golden age of camping and woodcraft. The 1840s through the 1970s represented a unique time in American history when warriors returned home from the various theatres of battle to reflect and heal in the wild spaces of their homeland. This recreation spurred innovation, creating the outdoor industry we enjoy today. As a family-owned small business, we’ve taken what we’ve learned from these outdoor innovators and applied it to the gear we manufacture. We use strong materials, keep things as light as possible, and are multifunctional. We also handcraft every piece of kit, be it a hand-waxed bag or hand-forged knife; someone has put a bit of themselves into each of our unique products.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Authenticity has helped us maintain a good reputation. I am the same to everyone; we do not put on an act, we are honest about the products we make and how they are made, and we prove them before we jump into selling them. People that work with our company know that we will not scalp their ideas and we will strive to make them as successful as we are.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

As I mentioned, I pivoted in my career at unique points. I went from a ministry career to opening a survival school on a whim, to two years later managing one of the largest outdoor schools in the United States. After five years, it was obvious that I had maxed out my position and that there would be no more growth potential. So, after months of salary negotiations, I decided to walk away with no other plan in place. I spent what would end up being three months (due to the stroke) in the development of my current company. Drowning in debt, we started our company with $50 in the bank, and within twelve months, we were not only debt-free but growing profitably. The path between life and death, your dreams, and your continued sadness is only a decision away. Commit to your decision and burn the bridge behind you that would enable your ability to back out of it- then you will succeed!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.campcraftoutdoors.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/campcraft_outdoors
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/campcraftjason
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/jason-hunt-83a409260
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/campcraftjason
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/CampcraftUS