A few weeks ago we posted the video for an interesting Kickstarter campaign from fellow Montanan Robert Knox and his Cortica Mug. Almost to the person our team has a very strong entrepreneurial bent: when we see someone working hard to bring a very interesting product the market, we tend to sit up and take notice.
When that inventor / developer is a fly fishing Montanan, we’re even a bit more interested.
We asked Robert to take 10 questions for a spin and here’s what he sent back…
Most of our team has had the pleasure of living in the Flathead in years past; what was it that brought you to Montana and Whitefish in particular?
This August marks 20 years in Whitefish. My wife Rachael and I were looking for a place to work and recreate and wanted that small town feeling.
What was the ‘aha’ moment that sparked the concept for the Cortica Mug?
I had been looking for the mug I wanted for quite some time. While building a fly rod this winter on a snowy Saturday morning, it just came to me. I was drinking coffee and looking at cork samples, and it was…aha!
What’s been the hardest part of the project to bring together for the Cortica Mug?
I would have to say the marketing campaign on Kickstarter. It’s not free money – it’s a lot of work. The other part that’s been the “hardest” is I haven’t fished yet this year, and that’s just wrong!
Please tell us a bit about your fly fishing – how and when did you start and what’s your principle fly fishing passion these days?
I started fly fishing after I had worked a trade out with a river guide on the Kern River in California 22+ years ago. I was going to teach him how to rock climb and he was going to teach me how to kayak. After much time upside down in the mighty Kern, we switched to him teaching me to fly fish. My passion with fly fishing is wilderness experience. It’s not uncommon for a raft launch to take several hours and involve landscape fabric and much rigging. I dig the entire experience.
What do you consider your home water and what do you enjoy most about it?
The Flathead is my home water. A great place to float with family and friends.
On your website you’re spending time in a nifty workshop; professional shop or a damned nice ‘hobby’ shop?
Professional shop with too much time spent working on hobby builds!
We take it you’re majorly into coffee; have a favorite local or regional roaster?
Montana Coffee Traders. I live within a mile of where the roast takes place so I get to smell that process almost daily.
Some suggest entrepreneurship is struggling mightily in the country right now; what advice would you give the guy or gal out there with a great concept that deserves a shot at the market?
Focus. Many of us have a lot of great ideas. Seek advice from friends and family and focus on one. This is advice I received recently and it has helped tremendously. Also, build a prototype. Something that shows your idea in real form.
If you can tell us without breaking a sacred promise or revealing too many secrets, where do you head to fish on a day off?
Well, if I’m heading off to fish, it’s going to take more than a day off. I love chasing hatches. “Hey Babe, I’m going to need some fuel money.” But my favorite stretch of river has got to be “The Lower Lower Lower”. Haha.
If you could encourage fly fishers and / or entrepreneurs to do just one thing in terms of stewardship this next year, what would that be?
This would be more of an Everybody thing to me.
Give! Give time, give resources, give advice, give silence.
There are only 4 days left on The Cortica Mug Kickstarter compaign; thanks and all the best to Robert.
