SUCCESS STORY: FISHMATEPRO
A "FISH TALE" HERE IN RIVER CITY
 Fishing is big business. In a recent Bassmasters Classic championship tournament, $500,000 was the first-place prize. There are more than 6,000 fishing contests in North America annually.
To win a prize, the fish you catch must be alive and well. Dead fish do not count. Keeping the fish alive is where Dan Howell and FishMatePro come in.
Backstory
Dan began thinking about making fish livewells about 20 years ago because his brother was an angler and needed a durable one. Dan invented an insulated livewell to keep fish alive all day, even on the hottest days. Today, Dan’s company, FishMatePro, is the only aluminum livewell supplier in the United States.
 There are many reasons for an angler to keep his catch alive. Some enjoy the experience of pulling a fish from the water, but do not care to eat fish—they want to keep the fish alive until the end of the day when they can take photos and then release the fish. Those who fish for food want to keep the fish fresh until they are ready to be filleted. The fish remain fresh in a properly oxygenated livewell. Contestants in a fishing tournament have some very special reasons for keeping their catch alive. Many fishing tournaments have been decided by just a few ounces and a dead fish weighs much less.
Dan Howell was born and raised in Cedar Rapids. He worked in construction as a welder for 35 years; he was a foreman and a manager. One day he was welding on a stadium project in thirty below weather and decided, “It’s time to quit this.” He began planning FishMatePro. He “built the business by trying to think like my customers—by making assumptions about how much they make a week. I figured that a $400 unit would be too expensive. I set the price point to make my unit something these guys could afford.” Dan says his livewell is a great add-on unit for people who own boats that were not manufactured with a livewell, but need one.
SCORE Called; Offers Advice
It was at this point, in 2007, that Dan contacted SCORE. Jerry Ziese (at left, below), a SCORE counselor since 2003, was assigned to help Dan. Jerry met with Dan at Dan’s house. Jerry discovered that Dan was hand making the wells in his garage. Dan wanted to expand and have his product sold on the internet and in sporting goods stores. He needed assistance in developing a business plan and a marketing plan.
 Dan made business trips in his old beat up pickup to the company headquarters of BassPro, Scheels, and Gander Mountain to show, tell, and sell. They all wanted to buy his product. Jerry suggested that Dan slow down and do some investigation about the companies. They found that BassPro pays on time, Scheels is good, and Gander Mountain is slow.
Jerry also discussed web designers with Dan, investigating three of them before they found one to do the job. After eight sessions with Dan, Jerry referred him to Entrepreneurial Development Center, Inc. (EDC). They were able to find a manufacturer in Maquoketa, Iowa.
The Pros take notice
Dan’s greatest satisfaction is meeting Ray Scott and getting some pointers from him. [Ray Scott is the most important celebrated individual in tournament fishing. He is the founder of the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.) and is the publisher of several outdoor magazines, including BASSMASTER Magazine, Southern Outdoors, Fishing Tackle Retailer, and the award winning national television series The BASSMASTERS.]
 Ray thinks so highly of the FishMatePro livewells that he asked Dan to create a custom well for the nine-foot long electric boats that will be used in a show to be broadcast on ESPN this spring. Kevin VanDam is a bass-fishing legend; he will be using one of the electric boats in the show. These celebrities praise Dan’s product and are actually trying to help him expand his business.
Ray Scott recognized the importance of the catch-and-release concept and this may be his most lasting legacy. Today over 98 percent of the bass weighed-in during national B.A.S.S. tournaments return alive to the waters, thanks to livewells. In order to keep the fish alive, the livewell must be well-constructed, with good water flow and increased oxygen levels.
Competitive Advantage
Dan’s FishMatePro livewells have a unique internal design that allows for improved water flow and oxygenation; the sturdy aluminum construction will take the rough conditions any body of water can dish out. They are so sturdy that Dan is able to stand on them without harm to the livewell.
Family Commitment and Hard Work
Dan is a single parent with four teenage children. He is now working 13 to 15 hours a day for FishMatePro, but having fun. In addition to the manufacturing plant in Maquoketa, he also has a plant in Cedar Rapids, which was affected by the flood—he had eight feet of water in his building. He decided to roll up his sleeves and get back into business at the same location, which he has done.
Lessons Learned
When asked what his biggest surprise about going into business was, Dan answered, “It was a lot harder than I thought it would be.” Dan’s hard work has paid off. He has relationships with Cabela’s, BassPro Shops, and Catfish 1, huge national retailers. The favorite part of Dan’s job? “Expanding the marketing reach of the business and getting out there and working with customers to find out what they need.”
Dan is very outgoing—a natural businessman and entrepreneur, a people person. His qualities include an innate knowledge of marketing plus a craftsman expertise that insists on perfection of the product. There is really only one thing lacking—Dan needs more capital to expand—he needs an investor.
LEARN MORE
If you are are fisherman and you wish to investigate this unique, locally made, one-of-a-kind, reasonably priced "live well," you must visit Dan's SITE or CONTACT him at:
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