Andrew Webster

Growing up on the shores Lake Pepin and the Mississippi River in southeastern Minnesota, I followed my salesman and entrepreneurial father around like a curious puppy as he grew our family business.

Wild Wings was founded in the early 70's on our kitchen table. It was one of the nations first wildlife print publishers, and quickly grew to sell wildlife sculpture, gifts, furniture and home decor through mail order catalogs, retail stores, franchises and wholesale accounts.

I worked for the company in countless capacities over the years, but my favorite recollections were when I was eleven. My job was to run out back and fetch Dad for the 10 o'clock news.

I'd always go early to see the originals and sculptures that would come in from some of the countries best wildlife artists, the blue-lines of the upcoming catalog, or a painting being brokered from a long-dead Grand Master.

This was my introduction to business. All that was important to dad was quality, beauty, treating people right and making customers happy by selling them as much as possible. Because while some things are expenses, others are assets, and only assets last, appreciate, and are enjoyed for years.

In 2002 after our business was sold to Cabela's, I left and started providing what my father wished he had had all those early years - someone who provided small and medium sized businesses guidance in strategy, goals and specific operational tactics.