Interviewer: Hello, everyone, and welcome to our great outdoors program Once again. I am happy to present our guest, Bob Thomas, the co-owner of a successful family business. Welcome, Bob.
Bob: Good afternoon. I am very excited to be here as I listen to your program every Saturday. It is a privilege for me to be invited.
Interviewer: Thank you. We are glad you could come. Our listeners are usually outdoor lovers, so my questions will be mostly about your experience of nature and family. But first, Bob, tell us a bit about your business, please, since it is a big part of who you are. I understand.
Bob: Ten years ago, my brother and I took over my dad's company. That makes fishing equipment. We make everything that you need to go out into a lake or river and catch any kind of fish. You can buy our products in any fishing store in the country.
Interviewer: Yes, I believe I have seen your company's products when I went into our local fishing gear shop. But why fishing products? How did it all start?
Bob: Well, it began with our dad, really. This company is a family affair. There were two boys in our family, my brother and I. And when summer came, you couldn't find us anywhere near the house from morning till night. We were into the outdoors, we were into the gear and that's what eventually got us to our dad's company.
Interviewer: Did you start working in the business at a young age?
Bob: Growing up when we worked, we worked inside the business. Other kids were mowing lawns for their summer money and my brother and I were making fishing gear as long as I remember, really. We started in the garage when I was three or four, I think.
Interviewer: Wow, that early. Then you'd had a lot of experience when you took over the business, I guess. But have you ever wanted to do something different?
Bob: Not really. My brother and I have always wanted to have the lifestyle our dad had. He was free to spend time with us. We got off the school bus at 3:00 and he would drop whatever he was doing with the business to be with us. He was engaged with us. He was hands on. He was present in our lives.
Interviewer: That's wonderful. Could you maybe share your favorite memory of your father?
Bob: Um, let me think. I guess it would be about our trips to Florida. We had this old van that we drove to Florida 13 times. We didn't have any money for the vacation, really. So we were living out of the van, sleeping during the day in high temperatures and fishing under the bridges at night. It was a lot of fun. I was encouraged to do things like that by my dad. I think these kinds of experiences taught me some valuable skills for life.
Interviewer: Sounds like a fun childhood, Bob. I guess your dad is a true role model for you. You have a son of your own now, don't you?
Bob: Yes, I do. When I was becoming a dad, I thought naturally I would be a good dad, like my father, just because that's what I was exposed to. But he set the standard pretty high, almost too high where it's hard to do the same for my own kids.
Interviewer: Well, from what I see here, you're doing a pretty good job, Bob. To finish off our conversation here, I'd like to ask you to share some wisdom with our listeners, maybe some wisdom you got from your father.
Bob: I think I'd want to say that you need to remember that the most precious resource in life is time, and it's time with your family. Nowadays, we have so many distractions, but the easy path is not the right path. It's harder to take away those electronics from our kids and make them look to nature, look to where they are going. The formula is being engaged, being present, and being supportive of children. It's a lot easier to say it than actually do it.
Interviewer: Thank you, Bob. I hope we all try to do it anyway.
