E-Seed Entrepreneur Matt Gates

Reeling in New Clients and Landing a Solid Business

By Carolyn Dunn
For the Economic Development Corporation of Manitowoc County

Captain Matt Gates of Two Rivers’ Highlife Charters knows his stuff when it comes to navigating Lake Michigan, reeling in the big catches, piloting a top-notch craft, and giving his clients the best fishing experience around. What this entrepreneur wasn’t so confident about was strategic advertising placement, networking, and off-season business planning—more of what he calls the business side of Highlife Charters

When Gates had the opportunity to purchase and captain his own boat at 19, he said he just went for it. “I had worked for guys on fishing and charter boats for years. I knew I could work construction on slower fishing days, so I launched my boat and got my name out there.”

Now going into his third fishing season, Gates says he gets his boat in the water in April and keeps it at the dock until October. But it’s during the peak charter months of June, July, and August that he puts in the 16-hour days. “My first mate and I typically take groups fishing on the lake in six-hour shifts, twice a day. And once we’re off the water, we clean and package the day’s catch for our clients,” says Gates. “I captain a 25-foot Sport Craft with state-of-the-art equipment, so I know my clients are getting a great outing.”

Last fall, Gates decided to turn his attention to the business aspect of charter fishing and enrolled in the 12-week E-Seed course offered by the Economic Development Corporation of Manitowoc County, UW-Green Bay, Lakeshore Technical College, and SCORE. The entrepreneurial course is geared to start-up and new business people who want to lay a solid foundation for their business with tools like business plans, marketing, and funding options.

For Gates, who already had a good grasp on his business’s product, the class helped him gain experience with keeping books, improving services, and hooking new clients.

“I mainly wanted to get more organized,” Gates says about his motivation to participate in E-Seed. “I wanted to get more business knowledge and focus on the financial aspects of Highlife Charters.”

Unlike many other participants in his E-Seed course, Gates said he didn’t need to pull his business together. He’d already done that. “I’d already bought a boat and was pulling in enough business to make it worthwhile.” During the course, Gates says he concentrated on planning for improving his existing business.

“Now I’m taking what I learned from the class to find out where to spread my advertising dollars,” he says. “Twelve of last summer’s trips were repeat groups. And many of those groups grew to include more people. So I know the people I’ve worked with in the past are happy with their fishing experience.”

Where his new sense of business will come into play, is targeting new clients throughout Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Illinois.

“Because of high fuel prices, people don’t want to travel as far for a good fishing experience,” Gates says. “So I know I should focus my advertising efforts a little closer to home.”

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