If you can follow Tim Kjellesvik’s basic principles, you’ll stand out as a successful member of the outdoor industry.

Before we dive into strategies, allow me to define success as being compensated for doing the work you love with a clean conscience and solid reputation. Seem like a tall order in a fast-paced, highly saturated market? Maybe. For those willing to do the work, these five principles will have you on your way.

1. Be honest and genuine

I intentionally chose to put this point first for two reasons:

• I can’t do or say anything to help you become an honest and genuine person.
• Most everyone probably believes they are…even if they aren’t.

That said, be yourself. Fakeness is a real turn off. It makes people question whether or not they can trust you. If someone seems shady, we don’t let them in.

The most successful folks with some of the biggest names I’ve gotten to know have also tended to be the nicest and most helpful. So, be yourself and be honest. A word of warning though: being genuine isn’t a recipe for success in itself. It’s a hard pill to swallow, but you can be yourself yet still not resonate with any audience.

2. Collaborate, don’t compete

Our industry is saturated with small media companies and individuals trying to get “on top.” Instead of worrying about how many Facebook followers Fart Creek Outdoors (copyright pending) has, focus on ways you can work with them. How can you help them? How can they help you? What can you learn from each other?

One of my favorite collaborations right now is with Jeremy from Fit to Hunt. He was on my podcast a while back and we discovered how much we had in common, both professionally and personally. Since that show, I’ve done some guest blogging for his company, and I was able to hire him to contribute to DeerCast. We didn’t have a detailed, long-term plan, we just know we’re committed to each other’s success.

3. Follow through on commitments

Lots of people have lots of ideas, but few are the ones who actually put a plan together and execute it to completion. Action requires planning and work… two things that seem rare in our society today. Do what you say you’ll do (or more) in the time you said you’d do it and people will be impressed.

The caution here is to be careful about what you promise. Be sure it’s reasonable and that you can deliver as expected. If you do that, you’ll be leaps and bounds beyond the folks who are all show and no go.

4. Say ‘thank you’

Chances are, if you’re in this field, someone will give you something with the expectation you’ll use it, talk about it, and share your feedback with them. Do all of that, but also take a second to thank them.

Some folks are under the false assumption that since a sponsor is a company, they have extra money floating around to give away free stuff. The reality is that most operations run on tight margins, and someone is always paying for that generosity, usually out of their own pocket. No doubt there’s an expectation that the effort will result in sales…but still. Be thankful. Say “thank you” and mean it.

5. Do quality work

Submit your work on time, correctly formatted, and as error-free as possible. If you want opportunity and a good reputation, make it a pleasure for people to work with you.

There’s no way around it, you’re going to have to work hard and hold yourself to high standards. But, that’s the fun of it. Start with these five principles and I guarantee you’ll be setting yourself apart from the pack, doing the work you love with a clean conscience and a solid reputation.

You’ll find lots of great information about the outdoors in MidWest Outdoors, available at the newsstand or by subscribing on our website.