We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Warren Page. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Warren below.
Hi Warren, thanks for joining us today. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?
So, I given this a lot of thought in the past and more recently the last couple of years. It’s funny, I invite clients down to South Florida from across the US to fish exotic fish (Peacock Bass and Clown Knife Fish). We get out on the water with the first captain I ever built rods for (Capt Bill Lepree/South Florida Bass Charters) and he always messes with me that my clients out fish me and that I’m not a good fisherman. The first time he said it I thought it was funny Then it hit me, and I hope this is one thing I’m remembered for, I told Capt Bill Lepree, “That God didn’t give me the gift to fish, He gave me the gift to make rods so the everyone else could catch fish” I enjoy seeing the videos and pictures of clients with the rods and the fish they catch. When I get a call from and Dad or Mom when their child catches a fish on the rod I made for them and the excitement brings me joy. I hope to be known for being the rod builder for the working man/woman. That I met the expectations the clients wanted in a rod and that I treated them fair and was honest with them. Final thing, That I presented myself with integrity and that I used my gift that was given to me that was pleasing to God, my family and my Grandad
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.
The question is how I got started in the rod building industry? If you ask just about anyone in the fish industry their first fishing experience was Pan Fishing (Brim, Crappie, Cooperhead Bluegill….etc). I can see it now light weight rod with a zebco a bobber, split shot weight, gold hook, bread or a red wiggler. Once that bobber goes down you are “Hooked” and so is the fish. My dad taught to fish and my Grandad gave me the love for fishing (saltwater). That said have been fishing for 46 years now but my rod building didn’t start until about 10 years ago. I was in St. Petersburg shopping for some new redfish rods and the owner of Dogfish tackle said we have our own. I bought their rod and it was very simple, one main color thread on the guides and a trim color. Absolutely nothing special but it was ready to fish and cheaper than the name brands. That next evening I saw on Facebook that a friend of mine was building rods and my first thought was if he was building rods I can too. The next 2 to 3 months I watched videos and believe me there are plenty of videos on Youtube to learn how to build rods. But I am an old school guy so I need some hands on instruction and had some questions that I personally wasn’t getting from the videos. Looking back now there were videos to answer my questions but I needed that hands on one time. So found Get Bit Outdoors and they were having a class. Took that class, bought extra stuff and when home and got started. Started Suwannee Valley Rods with a friend of mine and over a 10 month period we did about 90 rods. I built 85 of them and because of the way I work and the way my mind works, I left gave the company to my friend and started Powercore Custom Rods & Outfitters 2015 in Lake City, FL. I could go over everything I did from then until now but I want to jump to 2020. I was told multiple times I need to put myself out there in a real way, so during the Covid era I decided to change to Powercore Rods LLC. Made a website, Instagram and Facebook. The one thing I saw during Covid was people went fishing and my business picked up a little more. End of 21 and 22 I installed TikTok doing more and more videos. I still have know idea exactly how the everything works but it has definitely helped my business grow. One thing I did was get involved with Extreme Kayak Fishing Company and became a sponsor that helped me meet new anglers and get the word out. Not only do I do custom rods, I have started doing private label rods for companies that sell their own rods that they can say is Assemble In The USA. Still build rods for about 12 guides from Florida to Tennessee
But what makes me stand out as far as other rod builders and brands? The old saying “It’s not what you know, It’s who you know” This to me can definitely apply to the fishing industry. It’s marketing your rods and yourself. But to answer the question, I will go back to the first custom rod I bought from Dogfish Tackle, my rods are simple. Granted I started out doing fancy wraps and the time you put into to those, a lot of people don’t want to pay you for the actual price. I knew when I first started that I was going to build for the working man and woman. I have always keep my pricing low so people could go fishing with there own custom rod. I keep a thread color, a trim color and their name. The one thing I did is got hooked up with a boat wrap company that used the same material and would make stickers to fit my creativity (she makes my work look good) Company Logos, fish skins, neon colors….etc if you can think it she can put it on a sticker. I also team up with Backbone Custom Rods that does all my painting. He tells me I am one that keeps him on his toes because I come up with some crazy ideas for paint.
In 2021 I started another women’s fishing company GFB (GirlsFishBetter) said I wouldn’t start another one but had a lot of people ask me to. This has been a slow process but has been fun. We actually just came out with the first series for the company called the Obsession Series (Every video I saw a lady angler put out they always had something saying they were Obsessed with fishing) It is a 3 rod freshwater series a Mag Bass, Crankbait and a Spinning. The spinning is dual purpose freshwater/inshore fishing. So, Yes I now have dabbled in the manufacturing business. We have apparel and also teamed up with LineCutterz with our own GFB brand.
This year I decided to make a corporation called Powercore Unlimited Inc. I have now put, and change the name to Powercore Rods, and GFB is under the one umbrella. Also this year I am co-owner of Reel Women Magazine. We are hoping to launch the digital magazine in January 2024. I was an idea I had so reached out to a Guide that I build for and asked him to ask his girlfriend if she would be interested to owning and running the magazine. We met and she was on board. We have about 20 writers right now that is all women for women and some of the articles so far are great. And the Last thing I started this year because Joe Hector from Extreme Kayak Fishing Tournament Company ask me to start making trophies for the tournaments. It’s called IG @cabbageshack_art_works. I draw out, so far, fish on plywood, carve the parts I draw, burn the wood, paint, sand (to give it a rustic look) burn again, epoxy. Then I put them on drift wood. I haven’t really pushed it but have do some commissions.
All this and I have a regular job. My mind works better with chaos and creativity and that’s what keeps me going. And the best thing absolutely all of it is FUN! Also look for a couple of podcast coming so keep following all my pages. Thanks for letting me tell you just a little about myself
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
How built my reputation in the industry so far, I guess you can go back to What do I want my legacy to be? The one thing I have learned, and that a lot of people have forgotten, is you have to be GENUINE. What I mean, its an old school way, “Do what you say you are going to Do” goes a long way in the fishing industry. Even though it can be cutthroat you can still be honest. I try to accommodate the customer anyway I can but if I can’t do it I will be honest. If they say they want something a certain way and I know it won’t work, I tell them straight up I can’t and refer them to someone else. The other thing that helps is to be consistent. That means showing up when you said you were going to. That goes for being consistent on posting videos or pictures.
The best thing I have had to learn this year is “YOU CAN’T FIND YOU IN SOMEONE ELSE” and that’s a humble lesson and helps you learn with people you work with
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
Funny you ask. Being older and having to learn all the things coming out now from AI, new apps, social media….etc It’s been interesting. I have asked younger people to help and I get “I don’t have time” So the way my mind work, I said screw it I will teach myself. I have learned to do my own ads, logos and taught myself Adobe Illustrator and Canva. On top of that I use mainly Instagram. I told myself I never would do TikTok and now I have probably had more inquiries and met more people through TikTok. I have now fished with anglers from about 3 different states and now I have a few fishing trips lined up for 2024 with anglers and musicians from TikTok. Instagram has been bigger for the Guides I build for and for the Private label companies I do work for. Facebook is still there but not as big for me but have to keep it because a lot of my videos got to that page.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.powercorerods.com. www.girlsfishbetter.com
- Instagram: @powercorerods @girlsfishbetter_ @reelwomenmagazine @cabbageshack_art_works
- Facebook: powercorerods
- Linkedin: Warren T Page
- Twitter: @PowercoreR
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@powercorerods-chronicles2471
Image Credits
Denes Szakacs- IG @socash_media Jennifer Mues & Dustin Mues- IG @kayak4lifejenmues @kayak_dizz Joe Hector- IG @extremekayakfishing