By JOHN D. FERGUSON World Correspondent on Feb 25, 2013, at 2:28 AM Updated on 2/25/13 at 7:48 AM
Absolutely no one was happier to see the snow and cold weather hit for the Bassmaster Classic than Jerry Wright of Sherman, Texas.
The former insurance salesman turned an idea to help anglers cope with bitter cold, rain and hail. His "Save Phace" (pronounced face) lightweight helmet and goggle set has been a roaring success at the Bassmaster Expo at the Tulsa Convention Center.
Not only do anglers love the product that keeps the face, nose and eyes warm and dry, but the product has also jumped to other markets.
It's been a businessman's perfect storm.
"It's a dream business model," said Wright. "The product started out for one market only to morph into others."
It does not take long to feel Wright's passion for his idea. He's watched it go from a fisherman's necessity, to paintball enthusiasts, law enforcement agencies, motorcycle riders and now the welding and grinding markets.
The cross-marketing success story, however, began out of necessity.
Wright was fishing in a Lake Shasta, Calif., tournament. The day started nice and sunny, but turned into a raging Oklahoma-style thunderstorm.
High winds, dropping temperatures, hail and a driving rain hampered Wright's long trip back to the weighing docks. All the anglers endured the weather beating.
"I told my wife, Staci, on the way back 'Let's make a face mask for fishermen,' " Wright added. "She thought I was crazy."
Still, Wright made a prototype and did one more imperative thing: He listened to his potential customers' wants and needs for the new product. Listening was the advice his father always preached.
One guy almost would not give the mask back. Wright knew he had caught the big one then.
"It's taken me 10 years (to get this going), but it's been a labor of love," the 47-year-old Wright said. "This is the kind of (bad weather) Classic I have been waiting for."
By noon Sunday, Save Phace had almost sold out of the masks Wright brought. Customers liked the anti-fog lenses, lightweight construction and designer paint jobs from skeleton heads to one color or military camouflage styles.
"We love the fishing industry, but this is our smallest market now," Wright said.
Wright, however, will never forget anglers because it was a fishing tournament that landed the idea to meet a market need.
Details about Save Phace can be found at
tulsaworld.com/savephace
Original Print Headline: As temps drop, his business gets hotter
