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Bridger Watch: From Idea to Innovation – Cody Rich
167 Plays4 days ago
Drew Miles sits down with close friend and entrepreneur Cody Rich for an inside look at Bridger’s first hunting-specific smartwatch, the “Reckon,” and the story behind how it was built. They talk about Cody’s rough upbringing, the mentors who shaped him, and how those experiences forged his drive to create instead of becoming a statistic. The conversation dives into entrepreneurship—spotting opportunity like a hunter, failing forward, and being motivated more by freedom, impact, and innovation than by money. Cody explains how frustration with relying on his phone and current smartwatches in the field sparked the idea for a watch designed specifically for hunters, leading to a purpose-built device with long battery life, intuitive hotkeys, redshift night mode, offline maps, and quick-access dope cards. He also shares his long-term vision of building a legacy tech brand for hunters, firefighters, and warfighters—not just another gear company. They wrap by encouraging listeners to join the limited release email list at BridgerWatch.com and teasing a Bridger watch giveaway in an upcoming Tricer hunt giveaway.
CODY RICH – BRIDGER WATCH
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bridgerwatch/
Website - https://www.bridgerwatch.com
TRICER USA
Website – https://tricerusa.com/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tricerusa/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/tricerusa/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@tricer6985
#tricer #tricergear #tricerpodcast #bridgerwatch #bridgerreckon #backcountryhunting #westernhunting #gearinnovation #hunttech #huntinggear #mountainhunting #elkseason #deerseason #backpackhunting #publiclandhunter #huntbetter #onxhunt #hunterlife #outdoorinnovation #builtbyhunters
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Transcript
Bigger Than the Hunt Giveaway Announcement
00:00:00
Speaker
What's up guys, Drew from Tracer here. i want to tell you about our biggest giveaway of the year, the Bigger Than the Hunt giveaway, where all the proceeds go directly to help foster children in need. The Than the Hunt giveaway runs December first through 31st with over prizes. Every you donate is and gets you a chance to win one of these excellent prizes. We have gun packages, bow packages, glassing packages, whitetail packages, Western McGame packages, over $50,000 in gears up for grabs, and every penny you put in goes directly to help children and is 100% tax write-off. Go to tricer.com today and enter the Bigger Than Hunt giveaway December 1st 31st.
Meet Cody Rich: A Year in Reflection
00:00:42
Speaker
Dude, I am excited you guys to have, who would I consider probably my best friend in the hunting industry, Cody Rich on the podcast, my brother from another mother, the only guy with a mustache that can rival mine in the industry. was going say matching stashes.
00:00:55
Speaker
Now she stashes. We're actually the same age, essentially. I think we're couple days off of each other. Yeah. um But ah man, Cody, how you doing, dude? I'm living the dream, dude. Living it. ah It's been a good year. It's been chaos.
00:01:09
Speaker
I'm excited to like, i don't know, there's so much. As you know, like you know so much of the backstory, but it's like this is the year all the things I've been building ah get to come out. And it's been it's been a good, cool year. So a part of that is like you're the busiest you've ever been in your life. Uh, like just family stuff, like a lot of cool milestones, like all of that. So like, just like all these things culminating into one year and had a pretty epic year of hunting too. So it's like, don't
Glacier Jump: The Story Behind the Photo
00:01:36
Speaker
know, it's going good, man. feeling good did You are on the cover. You jumping over a glacier is on the cover of our new brand book. Just so you know.
00:01:42
Speaker
So we posted a bunch of pictures out of that. Like you look way hardcore. Like in my mind, I'm kind of wondering if it was kind of like Bear Grylls-ish, but like it looks freaking hardcore. Dude, that photo is funny. It's it like, it does look, it looks way more dangerous in the photo. Like a shout out to Sam for like whatever. That, I don't know if I could fall in that crater if I had to. Like, mean, it was like, it looks sick.
00:02:05
Speaker
So like for context, I guess we walked over, we had to cover a mile over this glacier and glaciers are pretty dangerous. And like, uh, it's funny cause Sam was, I mean, Sam probably has more experience even like than any of us on like this kind of stuff. And he was pretty sketched out about the glacier. So I'm like, I, I'm trying to read the room. Like, man, Sam is really sketched out about this glacier. This is probably a bad idea. And then like you slowly like step over a crack and you're like stepping over these cracks and the cracks keep getting bigger. And it's like, i mean, yeah, there's some really dangerous spots where you could definitely fall into this crater and you would never be seen again. ah
00:02:38
Speaker
But yeah, there's like this photo of me jumping over this crater. For the record, pretty sure the crater, like the the crack was like maybe 12 to 18 inches, you know, big. But like for whatever reason, this photo, it looks like I'm jumping over crater.
00:02:52
Speaker
a gap, you know, it's a giant it looks like it looks epic, dude. It looks epic, which reminds me off to give you a me and Cody kind of book club too. I have a new ice survival book. I'm about to start reading.
Survival Stories and Hunting Inspirations
00:03:02
Speaker
It's like guy from 1914. He like went to the Antarctic and like survived down there. And like, it's the called the greatest survival story of all time. So I can't remember the name of it. I bought it at bookstore bookstore the other day. So do you know in I love survival books, man. Yeah. we Me and Cody got into like a shipwreck like theme a couple of years ago and shipwreck books and like, yeah.
00:03:19
Speaker
So I love shipwreck books when you're on ah really hard hunts because nothing makes you feel like a pussy more than reading about these dudes who are like surviving in Antarctica. And you're like, you know, like reading Shackleton while you're like, I'm kind of cold out in Alaska. You're like, no, I am such a baby.
00:03:36
Speaker
Well, yeah, because those guys are... This is totally off where we're going, but it's fine. So so our relationship works. um tibra I have to always slosh out like an hour. I'm going to call Cody. But like those guys didn't have a choice to survive, right? like It was like they had to just kill penguins and... They'd kill seagull and they'd just be like... Yes, we've got a seagull to eat. You know what I mean? Like so gnarly. Gnarly. Imagine their gear. You know, we talk about good gear whatever. And like ah reading those like where their sleeping bags are just like literal seal bags that are like stuffed with some down feathers. And like just get – they're soaking wet and mold. Like they're so wet they're rotting.
00:04:14
Speaker
like Literally rotting. Yeah, they're literally like cutting their limbs off and just – gnarly stuff. and I think they're even in that book, I think they're even eating some of the leather from their sleeping bags and stuff too. Like it's hardcore, hardcore. did Did you read that Sahara book? Yeah. That book is hard, but they make him drink like the camel piss. Yeah. Did you survive on nothing but camel piss for like, Oh dude, that book is like, so context on this one, these guys are like Christian sailors from like Europe and these Muslims pick them up in the, in Africa And basically like make them walk naked through like 150 degrees sand. Just in their bodies are blistered and like, they're just like praying they could drink some of the camel piss when the camels piss. Yeah. And dude, it's so hard. That i think it's like that was a hard book to read.
00:04:57
Speaker
It was. I mean, I remember i read that book, uh, elk hunting in Eastern Montana and it was like, ah you know, 90 degrees or whatever. And that was another one where like, I am, I am nothing. I am weak. And these dudes are just like, you know, surviving. I think I read, I don't know it was in the book or after when I looked it up. I think that guy, so the guy, the main dude that survived, uh, was 212 or pounds when he yeah shipwrecked and was 98 pounds.
00:05:22
Speaker
Yeah. It was up in way under a hundred. Yeah. It was under a hundred. That was in the book for sure. Yeah. i It might've been seven. It was crazy. Anyway, tangent over. Yeah, dude. Tangent over. there's i'm reading a bunch of
Overcoming Adversity: Cody's Early Life
00:05:33
Speaker
good books right now. But um I'm going to start you with this. So when I was a kid, like, you know, my backstory, we kind of a little bit similar back story is just a little different, but a little similar. um Very rough childhood, right? Like my dad was alcoholic. My mom's drug addict. Like it's just, I remember my aunt who was basically my mom growing up telling me like when I was in high school, like you have every reason to be a screw up.
00:05:56
Speaker
Like you, like if anyone's allowed to do it, it's you. And i didn't do it. Like I became a successful dude. And like very similar to you, like you are just a dude whose dad passed away at young age. Right. Who like didn't, you kind of got like raised by some other dudes sort of like, I'm just, I'm kind of telling you a little bit mentors and stuff. And like,
00:06:22
Speaker
you're about to be like, i always say like the richest dude I know. That's my, I think you are like, I think going to be like my, and my, like, I'm so stoked for you. Like, so what's different about you? Like, how do you go from like, cause you have every right to go and be a screw up and you didn't, you chose not to be, you chose to be a good dad, a good husband and an incredible businessman.
00:06:46
Speaker
Dude, that's a yeah, that's a, that's an interesting, it's an interesting one. It's pretty deep. Well, I've thought about this quite a bit. um Gosh, there's a lot of story too. There's a piece of this story that I can't tell, but I don't think you know it, but I would say by and large, if we take it and say, i think I was always different, right? I always assumed I was different. i used to think I was adopted because I was like, oh, I'm just a different character.
00:07:08
Speaker
And I remember... a Shout out to this neighbor farmer. So I grew up on a farm and the neighbor farm, you know, a good friend, like in small towns, did everyone kind of helps whatever. And I was, I was helping Bryce and I forget what I was doing. And this must've been when i was a little bit older. Cause I had my truck, I'm assuming I was 16. I might not have been. um And like, it was just the way I parked my truck under the shakes. I had to go, forget what I was doing to say i was bailing all day. And I parked my truck and,
00:07:36
Speaker
at an angle to where it was like going to be in the shade at the heat of the day. And, uh, Bryce, it was like three hours later, we're driving tractor and Bryce goes, he goes, you know, I was, I was wondering why you parked your truck right there. And as the sun hit it, I realized he, and he goes, he goes, man, you're going be way bigger than a farmer someday. And I was like, I didn't know what that meant at the time, you know? And I was like, that's weird. It's weird statement. And, you know, think you kind of always know, but I i do think,
00:08:03
Speaker
There's one of the greatest things that ever happened to me was that my dad died. um And Jordan Peterson has this line where he's like, you never really become a man until you're you're your father dies, right? And that could be literal or figurative.
00:08:18
Speaker
And I do think there's a lot of truth to that.
Keys to Success: Mindset and Mentorship
00:08:20
Speaker
Like I was forced to face every ah decision on my own from a very, very young age. Right. And like nothing to my mom, but mama was like going through a hard time after that. And so like, I just, I didn't really have a support network. So a couple of things happens. Like I'm 14, my dad dies.
00:08:37
Speaker
I now become the man in the house. Right. And like, You grow up really quickly. I think I, I think I probably had some of the traits that would make, not every kid could just, if their dad died at 14, they turn out right.
00:08:49
Speaker
um You know, it's the classic, the villain and the hero have the the exact same story. It's just like what you make of it. And and I do think there's a little bit of that as like, I was like, okay, time for me to step up. i I step up. Right. And so you start to step up into those shoes, but then I would think, ah you know, that was just step one and that can go nowhere. Right. But I was really, really fortunate to have mentors that were almost worldly. Like they were much bigger than my little circle. So you you look at your world and like there's a classic saying, which is like, you're the average of the seven people you hang around.
00:09:25
Speaker
And i think a lot of us who grew up in small towns, like that's a very real thing. Like we don't know anyone who's ever done anything, right? Like success looks very different when you're from nowhere and everyone you know has never been successful. And so I i was a little bit fortunate in that – it it was like this stair step of mentors of people that serendipitously fell into my life and took me to the next step. So it was like, I meet this person and it was like, Oh, world opens up. You meet this person, world opens up, meet this person. And like, eventually you learn like, Oh man, the world is kind of your oyster in a way. And I think I figured that out pretty early when I was, lucky and I was lucky from that.
00:10:05
Speaker
So mostly luck. um But then I think you just kind of, Once you start meeting new people, expanding your worldview, expanding your worldview, like that becomes the norm. And I think like if I could, you know, when someone ever writes a book, like that sounds, yeah i won't say that aloud, but it's like if someone ever wrote a book on your story, you'd be like, oh, that that actually was probably a huge piece of it if I had to guess.
00:10:27
Speaker
Yeah, dude, that's really good. And we're not even getting into what you're doing yet. because we're going to keep going before we even get what you're doing. Cause I'm kind of backstorying this, right? Cause I said so much respect for you and, and we do get to, we do have peeled the onion back on each other a lot over the past five years.
00:10:41
Speaker
Um, So you said like you you finally are so excited to launch right now, right? And so people are going to look at what you did and be like, I can't believe you were able to do this this thing. We're going to talk about it. Like you just you just did it and look at look at you. You're so rich now. You did these things, right? are You're making all this money. you'res I can't believe you did this.
00:10:59
Speaker
But you didn't, even though you came to me with this idea, we had, you called me probably three years ago now, maybe 2022, 2023. Like, what do you think about this? And we started going back and forth. Right. yeah But you didn't start the idea then you started the idea 16 on that tractor. Talk about that.
00:11:15
Speaker
what it takes to actually get to the level
Entrepreneurial Journey: Recognizing Opportunities
00:11:17
Speaker
you're at. Right. Cause you took a lot of failures, a lot of mistakes and a lot of learning. For sure. And I think it's like, you know, it's a path. um You started on this path and I think you're very much on this path, right? Like you open this door to, and you and I have talked about this, like it's problem solution. Right. And so, you know, it goes back to like us wanting dirt bikes as kids or whatever. And it's like, Oh, how do I get dirt bike? ah You know, I'll build this thing. I'll solve this problem.
00:11:40
Speaker
And you know, I do just had this conversation with, Dude who had sales job, you know, working his job, but he's like, I don't know, how do i how do I go out on my own? And like, for me, it just, it's become so second nature to like, just look around me and see opportunity. Right. That's what poor kids do. Like, we're just like, oh, I can make money if I flip that. dude i remember like. flipping pressure washers because I needed a pressure washer for my bike and like I didn't have the money to buy a $350 pressure washer. So I got the money to buy like four or five pressure washers, sold them all for an extra hundred bucks a piece so I could get one. You know, like that was like how, that's what poor kids do. And I think it, you, you learn a lot. It's, it's a journey, right? Like going to be 40 this year, next year. I'll be 40 next year. And it's like, it was an overnight success. No, it's like, dude, it's just,
00:12:29
Speaker
40 years at least 30 of flipping things and being like, oh that idea is good. Oh, that idea is bad. Or like, uh, there's an opportunity. And so I think if I'm really good at anything, it's just seeing where the puck is going and skating towards it. Right. And it's like seeing the opportunities in the world, mainly because I've succeeded or failed and like, just noticed all of these things. So it's like, it was, you know, it's If we get into the thing I'm thinking about, a thing I'm building, it's like, oh, like here's ah here's a big opportunity, right? And it's kind of always been that way. And for a lot of years, my goal, you know, it starts as how do I buy dirt bike? You build, you you make money to buy dirt bike or a pressure washer, whatever. And then it's like, oh, how do I, how do I just make money to live? Right. And then you figure out how to do that. And then you're like, oh man, there's, I met these dudes. They opened my worldview and they don't have to work. Their company just makes money on the internet, bro. And like, they just sit on the beach and do nothing. i was like, that's cool. I could just build a company that makes money while I sleep and I could go hunting. You know, and like, it's like, it's baby steps. Right. And you try that and you fail and you just like grow and you expand your, like you look for new opportunities. And like, to me, it was just like, it's just been one step after the other. And then you like, you build relationships like all the aspects that it takes to do the thing I'm doing right now. Like I couldn't just do this when I was 20, 25, 30.
00:13:52
Speaker
twenty ah twenty five thirty Like it just doesn't work like that. You have to like level up your skills. And it's like this growth mindset, right? Like, even what you're doing, dude, like, I mean, your company's doing awesome. And like, you're like, I laugh. Cause like I watch you change, right? Like it went from like, I could build this really cool thing. You're like, Oh dude, i have a real company now. And like all these things weird and like, you're no longer wearing all the hats. You're you're like trying to figure out like, I just want to wear this hat. Right. And like all these conversations. So like, I guess the long, the short version is like, I think it's just stair steps. I think it's like having an open worldview, um, becoming really good at
00:14:32
Speaker
understanding why things work, what's working for, like looking at the world. Like I didn't, I'm not inventing anything. It's just like, oh, that could work. This could work. And, you know, to to simplify it, to do its like smallest pieces, like if I was to go shop for a truck on Facebook marketplace right now, I was like, I want to go find 78 I don't know what they're going for, but like, if you're the dude that's looking at Facebook all the time, you're going be like, oh, that's a good deal. I'm going to like scratch up that deal. Right. And so in a lot of ways, like life and business is kind of like that, right? You're like, you're just looking at all the deals and it's much bigger, right? it's much bigger, it way more complex, but like, it's the same concept is like, once you get into the world,
00:15:14
Speaker
it's hard to turn your entrepreneur brain off. Like now you were like, man, I see this opportunity. I could build this really cool tripod. But now like you see it all over and it's like, you almost have to like tone that down. you' like, dude, there's a huge opportunity here. There's a huge opportunity here, but you only see good deals when you're shopping on Facebook marketplace, man. Oh, I give away so many good opportunities to people. that's where I'm going to take you to next before I get into the product. where i' I'm just have everyone on the hook right now. Cause you're about to hear like on the treasure podcast, the coolest thing. this is interesting in a long time.
00:15:43
Speaker
Um, Someone, people come to me a lot. People want me to work with them and do business with them and stuff. And like, one of the first things told me is have a team if you make a lot of money and that doesn't excite me. Right. It doesn't excite me. And, and I'll tell them like, and it doesn't excite me. Like I don't, like money doesn't motivate me. Like I, like literally like I was to say just more my partner on the phone. And I was just like, all I really need is a truck, a tent and a rifle. Right. Like that's it. Like it's really like, ah that's what makes me happy. Right. What motivates me is freedom. What motivates me is being, um an industry changer, an industry disruptor, what motivates me is winning. I love kicking ass. I love like just like putting my competitors on their heels and just like beating the crap out of them. Right. Like I love winning. Like I love that side. Like I don't, I'm not out trying to put people into business, but I love like just being like, Holy crap, this guy doesn't stop. Like that motivates me. It gets me excited. And like, and if i if I wasn't motivated like that and try to start, I probably wouldn't do it anymore. Like I just, I love my job passionately.
00:16:38
Speaker
yeah, How does that play into what you're doing here? Because you guys are having fun and you have a cool team together and like everyone's excited. Totally. And I think it's Naval Ravikant, someone I look up to a lot. And it makes me think of that where it's like, find the thing that you will do 20 hours a day for free and no one will ever beat you.
00:16:59
Speaker
this is like, you're never going drew literally and be later working this 20 hours he ships me Like you Like beat The that's going to find thing money thing I need, that money. Like a truck, truck, truck, truck, a truck, truck, truck, truck, truck, a truck, truck, a truck, truck, truck, a truck, a a truck, truck, truck, a truck, truck, truck, a truck, a truck, truck, truck, a you know, like grand stretch that dream. It's like maybe a cabin in Montana.
00:17:30
Speaker
I don't need a lot, but what I have found about, you know, going through this exercise or living this life long enough is that like, I love building things. I love building cool things just like you. Right. It's like, I like building companies. I like, I want to, I want to put great teams together. Like, you know, it's not that we need all these dollars, but it's like, it, it does take resources to build cool things and do cool things. And like, a part of me, i don't want to say saves the industry, but it's like a part of me loves the hunting industry. And like, I want to like be a contributor in a way that I can, which is like building cool businesses. Right. And you know, so that for me, it's like,
Building Teams and Companies with Passion
00:18:08
Speaker
that's the driver. It's not like I'm going to build the absolute best product. Right. Just like you're like, i want to build the best product. And if I'm wrong, I'm going to rebuild it. I'm going to rebuild it. And it's like, that's fun. Right.
00:18:18
Speaker
I don't want to say like money is a bad motivator, It's just that I don't know if it's it's lasting, right? Like, cause you'll catch the money and then, or like you'll plateau, right? Like a lot of people who chase building a business for only money or freedom, even like they get to a certain point and then they're just like, they rest on their laurels and then like it fades, dude. Like it just like, they're not innovators, right? And I think if you want to be a great entrepreneur, you have to constantly be coming up with creative ideas. You have to constantly be reinventing, right? Because that's, someone else is doing that to take you off your throne. And so like, that's where Drew succeeds. Like he can innovate faster than anyone, right? And like, that's what makes a great business. And then you surround that with like the other people, the technical side, right? And so for me, that's fun. That's what's like exciting. um
00:19:05
Speaker
And you know, the backstory there is, I told you a little bit about entrepreneurship, how I got into it. And it was more, i didn't care about money then. I was more like the four hour work week. I was like, how do you, how do I go hunting a hundred days a year? Right. And for me, i was like, i was happy dude. If I can make 120 grand a year and be able to hunt as much as I wanted and all my hunting was paid for, that was great. Like that was, I was good. Like I didn't need much. And, uh, You know, and so then like you do that long enough. And then, you know, for me, like I once, you know, once Backcountry Fuel sold and it was like, all right, what's the next thing? And I thought I thought i was going to get coaching. I thought i was going to do like, you know, just work with entrepreneurs. I thought I was going to invest more. Like that's what other people did. And I thought that was my path. But the, when I went down that rabbit hole, it was like, no, I like building. I like being, i like building things. Like that's what I like doing. It's a decade building good is addicting.
00:20:03
Speaker
It's so addicting. And I think when you can build it in a space you love, you get to build it the way you want, which is like to couple like all the things that we like, you know, you and I always text each other like greatest job in the world, but it's true. Like, like if you can build a company that allows you to go do the fun parts, like that's,
00:20:20
Speaker
That's the win, man. Like you get to keep building. It's a great job. Right. A hundred percent, dude. And actually, you know, and we're going to get into the part right now. I actually was hunting yesterday my buddy and he asked me, cause I was just, he, he's, I spent the whole day in the mountain from dark to dark, not killing deer, but spent like probably four hours on meetings on the, on the glassing knob. And he was like, he was getting inside of something like, this is really good place. He gets to hear some of the stuff that most people don't get hear. And he was like, man, like,
00:20:44
Speaker
what percentage of businesses do you think fail? i'm like, why? And I told him, I was like, honestly, it's the same as hunting. Like 95% of the deer get killed by 5% of the people. 95% of the businesses are done by 5% of the people. And like, I feel like this, this recipe, I just love, like, I feel bad for my wife. Cause I always tell her like someday this way over and it won't come i'm just to keep building businesses. I love building businesses. It's just, it's the best, it's the funnest thing in the world. I enjoy it.
00:21:08
Speaker
And, um, And once you kind of get the secret recipe, you kind of going to, you know, everything's going everything changes. Every company a little bit different. Right. Yeah. But, um, man, I love it and that's why I love, that's why I mean, you get along so well, like me and Cody will like, we'll be like hiking and be like, Hey, if you had to make $10,000 this month, what would you do? Right. Or what if you don't, and we do this, like these are kind of things that you, you push each other with, but it's fun. yeah It's enjoyable. Totally.
00:21:31
Speaker
Totally. Uh, yeah, that's like, I mean, that's the fun part of it. And then getting to go do all the other stuff. Um, yeah, Yep. All right. So anyways,
Introducing the Bridger Watch: Innovation for Hunters
00:21:40
Speaker
I i don't know. what What year did you call me? am beach camping and Cody called me and he's like, I got this idea. it's It's crazy. What do you think?
00:21:51
Speaker
And the idea was a hunting watch that would run on X on it. And instantly I was like, dude, that is genius. I love it. Can it do this, this, this? And he's like, yes.
00:22:04
Speaker
Now keep in mind, he's telling me, yes, this guy is a farm kid from Oregon who's never built a watch in his life.
00:22:15
Speaker
But here we are three years later, December, December 5th, I believe is the launch date for Bridger watches. And there is a hunting specific watch coming out that is going to change backpack hunting and backcountry hunting forever. Yeah. Regular, ever any hunting.
00:22:31
Speaker
and Yeah, I think more. Well, yeah, i think it's more than that. But yeah, I mean, dude, it was 2022. I was turkey hunting and Onyx had CarPlay. They just launched and I was actually, I was driving my truck at the time. i didn't have CarPlay. So I was actually driving our air a Turo car. And so I was driving the Subaru and like playing with CarPlay, right? So I was like, oh, this is cool. And so like CarPlay basically puts Onyx on the car screen, right? And had a new smartwatch and I was like playing with all of those things too. um And I got the smartwatch for the fitness side. Like i was like, oh yeah, I want to track my runs. This was like kind of the hot thing. And now it's like, I look back, it's funny. But I was like heading out to a glassing knob.
00:23:12
Speaker
And I remember pulling my phone out. It's like Cooley country. So I'm like pulling my phone out all the time. Like, oh, is this the right Ridge or Cooley whatever? And I was like, man, this would be really convenient if I like could just car play it to Onyx to my watch. It's like, is that a thing?
00:23:29
Speaker
And I was like, the more I was hiking and just like thinking about it, I was like, man, i i pull my phone out so many times a day. Like this is stupid. And I was like, man, this really would be cool if like your maps were on your watch or whatever.
00:23:40
Speaker
and i ended up it wasn't even a it wasn't like the newest garment or anything so i ended up getting the newest garment because i'm like oh they have maps like maybe that's better i was like these are a joke like this is comically bad i was like this is not something a hunter would use like clearly like just not even in the same realm so that was kind of like the the impetus right it's like cool how do we put on x on a watch so i guess we could dive into like how a dumb farm kid from oregon builds a tech company to rival all tech companies. It's a bold statement. We're around with it. ah so
00:24:14
Speaker
Like any ah getting a good redneck, you're going to call the smartest nerd nerd friend you have in your phone. And you're going to say like, hey, how how do we put Onyx on a watch? Is that a thing? Like, do you think you could do that?
00:24:27
Speaker
And so this is David who ended being the co-founder. And I met David ah through one of my old companies. He was like an IoT dude. He had a lot of experience and... in in like smart products, right? Like he had built a ton of these things. He worked overseas in manufacturing and like, he just, he like that. So back when we were like doing the education thing, he was like our go-to like, hey, how do you, how do you manufacture this? How do you like whatever?
00:24:53
Speaker
And so he had all these answers. So the first thing I do is like call him like, hey, how how would this work? He's like, ryan I don't know. Like I'd have to look into it, but like, I don't see why. It's not like, it's not impossible. Like we just got to figure out like what the details are, right?
00:25:08
Speaker
And so actually called a buddy at Onyx and I was like, man, can you like, do you know if we could put Onyx on a watch? Is that a thing? He's like, you know, it's funny because it always comes up, but there's really not an option. Like it's Apple or Garmin and, you know, the Garmin hates us and Apple sucks, right? Like it's not really a great product.
00:25:27
Speaker
And so they they, it just kind of got tabled all the time. i was like, interesting. Wasn't more nothing more than that. Like, didn't think it was going to go anywhere. It was just like, interesting. The more like I played with it then Travis and I went on a hunt and it was like, man, I just realized how much I look at my phone and the more you look at it. And it still wasn't like, oh, this is a huge opportunity.
00:25:47
Speaker
It was when i really started playing with Garmin, researching Garmin and doing like all the back research to figure out, you know, like how big is this like whole smartwatch thing? Do people even like them? And you're like, oh, oh, this is big. Like smartwatches are huge.
00:26:03
Speaker
And it was like more just looking at the opportunity. Like you could say like the specific, you know, USP of like, if we put maps on a watch, is that a thing? Sure. But that's a whole other conversation.
00:26:14
Speaker
It's like how, for you, how big is the tripod industry? How much of that market share do we think we can get? Like all of those things. It was like, oh, kind of similar to you. It's like, oh this isn't just, you know, uh, like I could build a $10,000 a month job. This is like a big opportunity. This is a pretty big market. And I see, here's the gap I see. Right. And this is the same thing I did with the watch market was like,
00:26:37
Speaker
You have a couple different players that are all multi-billion dollar companies and no one really in the middle, right? And there's a bunch of small players. So it's like, all right, could could could there be a potential to steal a punch on this market? So it's kind of just how I looked at it and like slowly started diving into it. It was not really fast. It was like, actually posted this in my community. it was like, hey, someone should do this.
00:27:00
Speaker
I gave this idea to people. No one really want to do it. The more I thought about it, i was like, maybe I should just do this. like And this was about the time where i was like, I don't know if i want to be education or I want to be an operator. like i I was like, I think I could just want to be an operator.
00:27:13
Speaker
So then it was like, kind of went back to, i think I'm just going to do this. Like I i want to play with it.
Why Not Me? Embracing Success
00:27:18
Speaker
So yeah, I mean, we could dive more into it, but that's that's how it started. I've told you this quote before, if it wasn't for your illusion, nothing would get done.
00:27:25
Speaker
Right. you doing like Oh yeah. I can, I can talk about that. Cause like it's, it's really interesting. And I think that this has become so true in my life where it's like, because I'm a dumb redneck, I think about things. I don't, I don't have this, like I'm not supposed to, right. I've never had like, I'm not allowed to, or I'm not supposed to. i think that plagues this country. I think people, and I, I would blame public schools. I would blame sports. I would blame all these things where it's like, these are the lanes you're allowed to walk in. Okay. for whatever reason, maybe it's because I didn't have much guidance. I just never have felt like that. Like I can, I, you know, there's nothing in this world. I'm like, Oh, I'm not allowed to do that. Like, I think I just realized everything is pretty small and you should just go do what you want. And there's a benefit.
00:28:11
Speaker
I think what we did was, well, on multiple levels, interesting and worked only because I didn't, I wasn't from the tech industry. I wasn't from the smartwatch because we had so many like, dude, high level people. Like I remember the first Google executive I met, And basically told me it wasn't going to happen.
00:28:32
Speaker
And I'm like, huh, interesting. You know, like this goes back to like, remember the stories around people telling me, oh you're never going to walk again. Interesting. Like I just call it stupidity, but like, I just never listened to anyone. And that's a good thing, right? Like I was, I wasn't, I didn't come from this industry. And so I would just boil it down to first principle thinking of like, okay, interesting. Tell me why, like this won't work. Cool. Tell me why.
00:28:56
Speaker
And then like you, it's like the, you know, the three-year-old asking why ask that 10 times. And you like, you get to the basis of the question, which is like, usually they don't have an answer. And I did this so many times in this space. And it was like, I'm just an idiot. Tell me why that won't work.
00:29:11
Speaker
Okay. What if we did it this way? Like, and I was like, it's interesting because I do think that people too tight to an industry can have, you know, their norms or they're like, uh, what they believe to be true that is not necessarily true and i think because i was just a dumb redneck you know i did things very differently Yeah, I think you made a good point there with like, I think you said it plagued America. i told i say all the time, why not me? right like You look around and like you see like all the ranches in Montana are owned by someone. I never could own that ranch.
00:29:41
Speaker
Dude, at some point, some dude bought that ranch. Somehow I'm going buy that ranch, right? like I walked on the beach in San Diego and these houses on the beach and they're $3 million. dollars I'm like, why not me? Why can't I do that? This kid who grew up freaking basically poor, like... why why not meet and like It's the American dream. Why not me?
00:29:59
Speaker
And when I say, if it wasn't for illusion, nothing get done is because like, you just have this idea of like, Oh my God, Garmin's a, you know, this many billion dollar company. If I could just take 1% of that, it's going to be so easy. Let's do it. Right. yeah And then you get so far down that road that you just don't turning back. And that's the best beautiful thing. um And that's, and that's where a businesses fail, but where you don't, you're not like, you've just done it so many times now, like from ammo companies to backcountry fuel box to, you tech mogul, right? At some point, right? Like, I hope, like, I mean, I think so. i think it's going happen. You guys, this watch is that sick. Like, I would just imagine, I'm listening. um I don't want to keep stealing from this this thunder, but like, until you, until you know about this product, you don't, you think, why would I need that? And you go out in the field and you realize how much you're on your phone. i Imagine you really hit your tracker on your watch when you leave the truck. Yeah.
00:30:46
Speaker
And you get to the glass and you turn it off. How often do we freaking leave our tracker on? And then we have this, this line that goes across me. We drove home with it. Right. Or like, imagine it was on your wrist right there. Or imagine your blood trailing and you're dropping pins on your watch. Cause there's a hot key for that. There's hot keys in this watch. There's three hot keys and one dial. Right. I can't remember all of them. can set a bunch. You actually do more than three now, but well, the interesting thing to me is like, you know, so I'm building this and there's a funny story about Arizona. And so I had an Arizona late tag. went down there Well, straight short, it was gong show. Everything that can go wrong in a
The Importance of Redundant Navigation
00:31:20
Speaker
hunt does. And I was like hiking out of this one spot and it's it's not super like remote or back country at all. Like I had the side by side was probably, yeah i probably went in a mile and a half.
00:31:31
Speaker
And to this glassing knob, but I'm hiking back out in the dark and it's like just that rolling country, right? Where, you know, I have my phone in my vinyl harness, which is like, you know, stupid move, but it's just how we do it. Cause you're like, you're checking it all the time.
00:31:45
Speaker
And I literally crossed the fence. I went to grab my phone and it was like, Oh, Oh no. Like it's just not there. And I was like, Oh God. And i I was like, okay, I had it at the fence because I remember looking at it at the fence. So I'm like, it's like, I'm right on this ridge. Anyway, long story short, I'm i'm like, I'm looking all over. I'm texting Kelsey on my in-reach, like, call me. And she's like, why call you? And I'm like, oh God, like just trying to answer it. I'm like, just i'm trying to get the phone to light up, you know? and like And so I'm like looking for my phone. I was like, ah, like, I guess I'll have to find it tomorrow. I actually had an iPad in my truck and I was like, oh, if I can get the iPad, i can just look at the old track and I should be able to find my phone.
00:32:23
Speaker
So I'm like, I'll just bomb out to the side by side. So I like head out. I'm like trying to keep a straight line of roughly where I was at, you know, but it's a mile and a half through, know, PJ country. And, uh, I hit a Creek bottom and I was like, oh no, like I didn't cross a Creek bottom when I came here. I was like, okay, am I left or right of, you know, where my line.
00:32:44
Speaker
And long story short, was like, if I take the creek, I think it'll hit the road. Right. Well, dude, I'd like take this creek and ended up, I mean, this is hours later and I'm like a little bit panicked and a little bit like, this is so dumb. Like I built the solution to this. I am literally like, I have a meeting tomorrow at 10 AM about like this solution, ah you know, having a secondary map. So if I lose my phone, i have it on my watch. Right. And ended up doing like six miles trying to find my side by side that night. Like, i don't think my life was ever in risk, but like sure inconvenient as hell. ah and I ended up having to like get my iPad, go back the next morning, ruin my morning on it. And like basically track up and down until I ended up finding my phone.
00:33:26
Speaker
But it was like, man, if I could just have a redundancy to the most important piece of gear we carry, which is our map. And like, i don't know, I use my maps a lot. So my phone dies every, at least every day, every other day, you know, it's like, man, it became, became clear. It wasn't just a convenience thing. It was like, oh, this is a redundancy to the most important piece of gear, but also like it runs my fitness. It runs like my everyday things. Like it does all the tracking I need. Like that was like the big piece. Like it had to compete. with the best product out there, right? Like yeah I wasn't going to build something unless it was the best out there.
00:34:02
Speaker
Yeah. And that was my first question was, ah what problem did you see in the hunting space that made you say, going be able to watch company?
Essential Features of the Bridger Watch
00:34:10
Speaker
ah It was the maps, 100%. To me, it's like – I don't want to blame Onyx, but like Onyx became so good that we became pretty reliant on those maps. And they're like they're great. I'm like, it's not like I'm going to use paper maps. That would suck. like I can do it, but I i wouldn't be the greatest experience. So like to me, it was like I was solving this problem of like pulling my phone out.
00:34:31
Speaker
That's really the problem I was solving. But the opportunity I wanted to capture on was like, I think we could build a better – fitness watch, sports watch, whatever want to call it, for the things we need. And it was like, and I do i just had this conversation. I think the real opportunity is around how user-friendly that is. Like, so when I think about other competitors in this space that are built not for us, they're built for runners or whatever, like it's just a very clunky, complex system.
00:35:04
Speaker
And I really saw an opportunity when I was like, oh, this thing's not that great for... being as dominant in the market as they are, like it's not, it could be improved a lot. You know, it would be, gosh, it's equivalent to like the only tripod made in the world is made out of maybe aluminum, but like maybe closer to steel and it creaks. And like, there's just not, no one, like no, they never had to build a better tripod and no one's ever like built a better tripod. It just like, it doesn't work very well. Like the bar is very low. And someone's like, dude, what about carbon?
00:35:37
Speaker
Have you thought about car? like Like, it would just be like, if the there was one, imagine there was one tripod company in the whole world and they were worth 40 to $50 billion dollars and they were selling 9.4 million, uh, tripods a year.
00:35:53
Speaker
And that was the only company that existed. That's essentially what it is. And they're all steel. They're not, they're not. Yeah. They're steel. I'll tell you what, I bet there's some guy in Montana, my force model innovating here pretty quick.
00:36:04
Speaker
Um, it's like, I will say too, like on the watch, like this for user, like I spend so much time in the field now and most of like, Most of time when I'm using my tracker is when I'm coming, like going back in the next day. Like lot of times I'll turn my tracker on when it's daylight and I go in in the dark and I'm constantly on my phone trying to figure out which way to go on my tracker, right? Like yeah all the way just training that thing, just sucking it dry, you know, two miles and you're trying to stay on your track. Cause like, especially like you you're hunting PJ country, you can get turned around so fast in PJ country, right? Or or scrub out country. Like, so you're on your phone. Like imagine guys listening to this If you could look down your wrist and you're just following your track.
00:36:39
Speaker
And you're not having like people on your phone all day long. Dude, imagine like haptic feedback too. Like if you're ever like more than 100 yards off your That's what was going to going to have that? So like, can it tell me if I'm like moving too fast on my, like this is something add to the tech later. Like if I'm on my tracker and all of sudden I truck, can it be like, hey, dumbass. Like you're driving fast now. Turn Oh yeah, just haptic feedback. Like you can program all that stuff. And the other thing, it won't do this in January, but like one of the things, and like the cool thing about our product is like, it's like a Tesla. I'll be updating this thing.
00:37:08
Speaker
date like Just say weekly, um but it could be daily. so yeah hypothetically you're like, Oh, here's a glass. Here's the glassing knob. Right. We're like, Oh, what time do you want to, Oh, let's be there. Let's see. Daylight's at six 20. Like, all right What time you want to leave the truck? You know, like, i don't know. Let's say five 45. That's what time I got to leave. A the watch should tell you the watch could tell you exactly what time you need to leave because it's going to have your speed dialed into that. And these are like really cool things we could do as you like progress. Right. But then it's like,
00:37:39
Speaker
imagine you're hiking to your glassing knob and your track is green cause you're on time, but it's like red and blinking. If you're like, you're going to be late, right? Or it's like red. And then if you're going to be more than 10 minutes past daylight, it's like, it's blinking. It's like, dude, fat ass. You to hurry up. Uh, like, cause how many times we've done that? You're like hiking to your glassing knob, you know, like, Oh, whatever. And then you're like, wait a minute, like doing the math. You're like Oh, we got to hustle. Like we got to go. and like we're going to be late. Uh, like those are things that like something like a purpose built watch could do very easily.
00:38:09
Speaker
That's awesome. And that is coming out. The Bridger watch is coming very, very, very soon. Dude, and anyone wants, like jump on the email list. ah Yeah, because we're i that's going to be the first place. We're doing a bunch of updates. Is there a webpage? Is there webpage up right now? Yeah, webpage is up. Bridgerwatch.com. By the time this comes out, we'll have done the ah the reveal. So the new watch is called the Reckon. The first watch is called the Reckon. ah And the Reckon is kind of...
00:38:38
Speaker
It sits between a Garmin Phoenix and a Garmin Tactics. So a lot of people have asked me this question. So it's you know we took we wanted to be kind of in that Phoenix price range, but we took a lot of the really cool features from the Garmin Tactics that we liked.
00:38:50
Speaker
To your point about hiking in, I really love redshift. So the ability for the Tactics watch, it can shift to red, which doesn't affect your night vision. So like that way, when I'm looking at my map,
00:39:01
Speaker
You know how it is. You're, you're hiking out. You look at your map. If you're not using a headlamp, you look at your on ax and it's like, I'm half blind, uh, with the wreck and you'll be able to just have red shift. So you could, the operating system could just all be red. So only uses red light at night, which, uh, doesn't affect your night vision. So like, as you're looking at your on ax, it's not going to affect your night vision.
00:39:21
Speaker
Is that ballistics? Yes. Uh, That's a, I can't answer that question entirely today, ah but I can say,
00:39:33
Speaker
MVP for me was always, i don't really care about calculating my ballistics on the watch. I think that's a silly version to build. But to me, it was always like, I wanted my dope chart. So the ability to import your dope chart from whatever ballistic calculator you want. Having said that, there are some really, really interesting things in the works. So yeah, more on that later. But at a minimum, yes, you'll have your dope you'll have your like dope card essentially. And, you know, the other thing to that is like, we made it. So I wanted like one swipe to my dope card. So it's not like I have to find it. The problem with the, you know, my, I actually have my dope cards on my phone right now. um
00:40:14
Speaker
But like you're, you know, it goes blacks out or whatever, unless you have it as your back screen. So it's like, I wanted it one swipe away. So it's like, same with the maps. a lot of other smartwatches in the world are very hard to get to the maps. So for me, it was like, it's gotta be the first thing and it's gotta stay there. Like it's just, it's called app priority technically, but it's like, you know, you you open an app, you don't want that app to close every time you use it. like, this is the thing I'm using for a while. Like, unless I say otherwise, this is the, you know, this is the screen I want. And so things like that. So cool things we could do when we say like built by hunters for hunters, I know so like that gets used a lot, but like no one else was building the things we wanted.
00:40:52
Speaker
And so i was like, yeah, we'll just build it ourselves. I love all the technology words you're using. Like you said, what do you call it? Haptic vibrations, what do call Haptic feedback is like, yeah. You didn't know that word three years ago. There's no way you knew that word, dude. That's big word for you. Funny story. I remember like going into my first engineering meeting and I'm with David and this very high-end engineering firm. And I can, I was like, real quick, real quick, real quick.
00:41:19
Speaker
Cody is working with Apple, Google, like like legitimate watch engineers, you guys. is listening essence like The best in the world yeah are working for That sounds code strange. The best in the But it's the truth though. it's It's just what's so cool about it. is and it's like It's the American dream, but keep going. You're in this meeting. Yeah. And so, yeah, and it is crazy that these people, and like, it's funny because like the world gets really small and I think people, there's a a number of people at the top that are very interested in like, ah I would say me, right? Like I'm going from their perspective, like if you work at Google, there are a certain number of people are like, dude, you live a fascinating life.
00:41:58
Speaker
ah But back to the engineering. So I go to this first engineering meeting and I felt like a a man in a foreign land, like listening to people who don't speak the same language. She's like, I can tell that this team over here is testing David and I could tell that David's doing well. And I was like, I'm pretty sure they're speaking English, but I'm not entirely positive. It was like such a foreign language. Like they're just rattling things off. And I was like, I am so out of my element right now. And it's funny how like, you know, six months, for six months, I was at least six months, like probably years. Every Monday I was in these meetings. And like slowly it's like you start to learn the language. Right. And like, I would just pick things up and I'm like, oh, I know what they're talking about. But it's so funny to look back on the first meetings and being like, I have no idea. Like I'm literally could not form a sentence with the words they're using. And now it comes out like, now you talk and I'm, you're like talking like, I understand what a haptic screening is. Haptic, what is it called? Haptic feedback. Haptic feedback. like i Like, oh yeah. Haptic feedback. Yeah. The vibration thing, you know, it gets you, you know, like. Like I know what that means, but that's, that's sensors. And like, dude, the whole sensor, the sensors are crazy. It's your heart being able to Strava on this watch. Right. You do all that stuff.
00:43:11
Speaker
Yeah. Integrations. a Yeah. A lot of integrations. Yeah. Dude. Some of the, some of the, yeah, I've got to, it's got to be careful. Like what I say and what I don't say, but like, but yeah, it's, it's top of the line, dude. And like, we were, you know, it's like a funny joke that we, I shouldn't, I shouldn't even say this yet, but I will. ah Like from the beginning, I was always like,
00:43:32
Speaker
10 days of GPA. Like I want 10 days in the mountains. Like if you're running your GPS pretty hard, like it's gotta do that. Right. And, um, and that was just, there was a couple like hard, a single charge.
00:43:43
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. On a single charge. There was a couple like hard things I wanted. Like there was like no budging. And one of the, like, That was one of them was like, it's got to work 10 days in the mountains. And another one was like, if we could just beat Garmin by one day, i sure don't know if I could say Garmin or whatever. I don't care. I was like, if we just beat Garmin by one day on the battery life, I'd be like, that would be sick. Right. That'd be cool. And let's just say it's all, it's still math. Nothing has been like verified a lot. Cause like there's so much like, uh,
00:44:12
Speaker
So much ah that has to be done in the end to like bring it all together. and But I would say it looks looks promising. So it looks very promising.
00:44:23
Speaker
Yeah, that's epic. Which is cool. So battery life was huge. um That was like one of the most important things. um Map capabilities, you know, offline mapping. Like we just built this thing for offline mapping. And, you know, the interesting thing is like no one has built a No one's really built a new a wearable operating system since 2014, since like Whoop did it.
00:44:47
Speaker
And so that was a really big feat. We built our own operating system. That was the only way to do what we did. was like And it was funny because I think when people told me that in the beginning, they were like they thought that would push us away. They were like, oh, well, ah you'd have to build your own operating system. i was like, cool. I don't even know what that means. So it doesn't scare me at all. like Yeah. What does that like a yeah it was i mean? So it was like, you know, it was interesting. And like in retrospect, that's a big thing. Yeah. And even funny, I mean, like even the design thing, gosh, that's a whole long journey too. But it was like, you know, we designed this. I was never trying to win any awards by any stretch of the imagination. It was more like it has to it has to look like a $1,000 watch. That was like in my mind is that it has to be something I would wear
00:45:32
Speaker
to the banquet at sheep show. Like, like it has to be something I would wear every day. Right. Like it has to have that look and gosh, that was a journey. Oh yeah. Um, that was ah an incredible journey.
00:45:43
Speaker
Long story short is we fought people. I fired a lot of people. a lot of, lot of start all overs. And, uh, in the end, you know, I got my way and everyone told me I was wrong and they filed, uh, it's called the IF design, uh, award. Right. And it's like this big international design award generally won by someone like Apple. Um, like I think there were 66,000 entries. I could be wrong on that number, but it's, it's some massive, like multiple countries. Right. And you know, uh, Bridger, why it was just still called the Bridger watch. It wasn't even the reckon yet, but, um, at the time it won one of these like new design awards. And I i didn't even know what that meant. like Everyone is very stoked and they're like but blah, blah, blah, blah. And was like, oh, cool. Congrats, guys. Anyway, here we are. like Here's this problem we have. And they're like, no, this is like a big deal. And I was like, oh okay, cool. like I'm very proud of you. I don't know what that means, but like good job. And it is like someone like sat me down and like was like, hey, this is like something like people dream of winning. And was like,
00:46:45
Speaker
Oh, cool. Like, it's funny to me that all these LA designer people would tell me how wrong I was. yeah And then we end up winning this big award and it's like, ha, I told you so.
00:46:58
Speaker
Yeah, dude. Like I got to be a little bit, like I wasn't involved in the design process at all other than like, which one do you like more? And I'm like, what's the difference? And he's like, ah this one's 23 millimeters. This one's 24. You can't tell difference in 23, 24 mil. No, dude. Like the amount of the, you guys like, and and the reason I tell you that is like the amount of like blood, sweat, and tears that went into this watch. It's coming out in the next month amazing.
00:47:21
Speaker
I am so impressed you, dude. so stoked for you. I'm so happy for you. And like, when you guys get this watch, cause everyone's going to wear this watch. Just everyone hunting industry is have this watch. It's going be tripod or backpack. Like you're going have this watch as your kit.
00:47:33
Speaker
Like just know that this dude put everything into
Bridger's Vision: Legacy and Impact
00:47:36
Speaker
it. He gave it like, dude, like went for broke, put everything into it, living the American dream, killing it, dude. Like it's just, it's so epic. And like, dude, I hear about like, like I have an Apple watch, right? I don't know what that cost me a thousand bucks. don't what that cost me. Yeah. Yeah.
00:47:48
Speaker
it lasts 18 hours. Yeah. I don't even, I never wear it. I don't wear it. I don't even know where it is right now. Cause like, it's like, it's just so annoying. Cause I have to charge it on some stupid different charger every night. And I have my phone plugged in. Like,
00:48:01
Speaker
don't even wear it. Yeah. It was, it was a go, no go for us. Like I was like, I has to have a battery. Like it has to compete with the top battery life in the world. um And yeah, let me, you could dive into that, but yeah, dude, it was, it was a lot. It's been a journey, man. And it's been fun. I'm glad I had dudes like you to like cry on your shoulder or like, Hey, like, like to walk me through this. Like, do you just, you reach mental fatigue sometimes. You're like, man, this is a lot.
00:48:25
Speaker
You're getting to the number of decisions. Yeah. You haven't even gotten to the hard part, which is awesome, but it's still great. Like it's it's going to be fun. Like we're going to, now we're going to, these are the fun part. it' There's going to be more challenges, but it's it's really exciting. It's really cool. So what's the long-term vision? Are you building a watch brand or a full backcountry tech ecosystem? Like is it, is it one watch? what What's the long-term goals do for this thing?
00:48:49
Speaker
Are you done right on the sunset? No, no, no. I, I, I'm going to i want like I want to build a great company. um This is like, to me, it was never about money. Like I had money to me. It was about legacy. It was like, I want to, i want to go prove that I can be a great entrepreneur, like, right. And like build the thing. So when legacy is all you really care about, like it's pretty easy and it's like build a great thing. Right. And so we've been diehard focused. Like we're going to go build the absolute best product for hunters. Right. And like,
00:49:21
Speaker
That's who we are. It's who we'll always be. And like, I just don't have any interest in like people are like, oh the running market, dude, the running market's so big. That's great. And like, I'm nothing against running. I hope runners wear it. I just, I don't really care. You know, it's like, I'm going to build this for us. And um if some runners wear it, cool. Like I would be really neat, but I like, and it's a great running watch too, by the way. Um, but it's just like, I want to, I want to build the company I want to build. Right. And for me, that's building the absolute best product for hunters. And then, you know, I think if I could look at it from a brand perspective, it's like, I think hunt fire military is where I want to live. Um, it's where I want to spend the next 10 years.
00:50:01
Speaker
And if I could build the absolute best product for the warfighter and the absolute best product for firefighters, like i will hang my cap and be like, that was a really fun ride. You know, and like, cool Like then Wade and I can go build something. You know what i mean? Like to me, it's like, let's block out 10 years and go build the coolest thing we can build. And try to avoid all the traps that other companies in front of me or other entrepreneurs have hit, um you know, down to like how we raised money, how we did everything, how we built this thing from the ground up is like, I've just had a lot of friends build companies and, you know, here's the traps they ran into. So I'm, you know, trying my best, my damnedest to not run into those and to build something really cool to surround myself with people I want to hang out with and to build something that affects the hunting industry in a positive way, right? Like I'm not here to sling watches and sell more stuff. Like I'm here to like,
00:50:54
Speaker
Do epic stuff. Do epic shit with my friends and build something that I think will benefit. I think it'll benefit the hunting industry massively. Like at least like I want to have my impact on the world and say like, ah, we did a good thing. There's a lot of, know, you could debate a lot of the things, right? Like I think there's a lot of people who are like, ah, just companies just choose, you know, use the industry and sell more gear. like, I'm definitely not about that, right? Like I'm definitely like, how do we – How do we have the biggest impact? And I think it it goes full circle, right? Like none of the big company none the big tech companies are going to do that. But like no we have an opportunity to do something very big just by the nature of the beast.
00:51:33
Speaker
And i I want to make sure i take that seriously. And you know how do I affect my legacy, but also the legacy of the company and the legacy of the industry and how we affect the industry in a positive way. Like that's what I'm more interested in.
00:51:48
Speaker
Dude, that is awesome. I have more questions for you, but I'm going to them off air because I want to end right there because that's that's all you guys get. The most bad-ass watch is coming to the market very soon. Bridger watch, there'll actually be one given away in our hunt giveaway next month. Cody, I am so blessed to have you as a friend. Friends for life. I always say it all time. Anyone has a problem Cody or Rich, problem with Miles.
00:52:13
Speaker
I'm coming to get you. I've got your back, bro. Anything you need from me? anywhere you want me go, I'm going to be there. And dude, I'm so appreciative your friendship. Let's do it again, bro. A hundred percent. And if anybody wants, head over to bridge or watch.com, sign up for the email list. That's where you're to get the most updates, um all the stuff. And then um yeah, pre-launch coming soon. And it's going to be, I think it's going to have to be a limited run. So yeah, get on the email list if you want in.
00:52:39
Speaker
Nice dude. Let's do it again. Thank you for listening to the Tricer podcast. Do us a favor and like and subscribe on whatever platform you're listening on. Give us a follow on Instagram and Facebook at Tricer USA and go and check out all of our innovative gear at www.tricerusa.com. Until next time, shoot straight, have fun, and always put God first.