Today we’d like to introduce you to TJ Erickson.
Hi TJ, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have spent my whole life around water. Lakes or rivers, in the boat or on the shore, it didn’t matter. Ever since I can remember, all I wanted to do was fish. I grew up in Roseau, Minnesota along the (not-so-mighty) Roseau River. I spent every day fishing the same stretch of the river and it never got old. As I got older, my dad would let me take our boat out on Lake of the Woods and I continued to spend hours on the water and the ice. Upon graduating from college, my wife and I accepted teaching jobs in Park Rapids, Minnesota. The deep clear lakes around Park Rapids were vastly different than the stained waters of Lake of the Woods.
Needless to say, I had a lot to learn. As a teacher, I was able to spend most of my summers in the boat learning how to fish the local lakes. After a couple of years, hundreds of hours, and some great mentorship by longtime guides Jason Durham and Jeremy Anderson, I took the leap and started my own guide business. Park Rapids, with the headwaters of the Mississippi, is an incredible tourist destination so it didn’t take long for things to get busy. After a couple of years of guidance, I decided to expand into the media production realm and start a YouTube channel. I didn’t know what that entailed at the time, but I knew that I wanted to share my knowledge and experiences with others. Now I spend my days teaching, guiding, and creating content any chance I get.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I have been very fortunate to have incredible family, friends, and mentors that have helped me every step of the way.
Even with the support, there have been many moments of doubt, stress, and frustration along the way. As a guide, I have always placed an incredible amount of pressure on myself to provide an unforgettable experience for my clients.
This pressure has often benefitted me by giving me the passion and drive to push harder and continue to improve. It also created unwanted stress and anxiety that I had never experienced before in my life. Similarly, as a content creator, there is always an element of comparison on social media. It is easy to look around and see others that appear to be more successful, leaving you feeling like you will never measure up. In the saturated market of content creators in the fishing industry, I had to constantly fight the battle of needing to feel legitimized by others. These are still feelings that pop up from time to time, but with the support of my friends, family, and faith in God, I can truly say that I love what I do and I am very grateful for the opportunities that I have had.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about TJ’s Guide Service?
I am in the business of making memories. Fortunately, my office is my boat, backdropped by the gorgeous lakes and trees that surround the Park Rapids area. With 400 lakes within 25 miles of the Park Rapids area, including the headwaters of the Mississippi and Leech Lake, Park Rapids is a highly sought-after tourist destination. As a guide, I offer full-service guided fishing trips that are catered to my guests. I am perfectly comfortable taking novice and seasoned anglers alike. My goal, in addition to catching fish, is to create lifelong memories for you and your friends and family. As a teacher, I also love to teach my guests everything that I can in order to make their time on the water as enjoyable as possible.
In addition to guiding, I am also a content creator for my personal YouTube channel, TJ’s Guide Service, along with a variety of other brands in the fishing industry. I love being able to capture the raw fishing experience and share that with others in order to educate, entertain, and make them feel like they are part of the adventure themselves.
We all have different ways of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
Success is not defined by money, fame, or notoriety. Success has many different looks.
You are successful if you hold true to your values in the face of adversity. You are successful if you are able to pour into others and serve them with a sense of purpose. Ultimately, you are successful if you can build up others around you while doing what you love.
Contact Info:
- Website: tjsguideservice.com
- Instagram: https://bit.ly/3P2qXRB
- Facebook: https://bit.ly/3kwQUKU
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAYgdJmWPcZFhUzDI1XRDmg
