Running a business can be relentless. As co-founder of TradeMutt and TIACS, I spend a lot of time juggling team, strategy, and the everyday challenges that come with building something bigger than myself. I love what we do, but I’ve learned the hard way that if you don’t step away, recharge, and reconnect, the wheels eventually start to wobble.
For me, one of the best ways to reset is fishing. At least once a year I make sure I head out on a trip with my mates. No meetings, no deadlines, just us, the fishing gear, and a body of water. The beauty of a fishing trip is in its simplicity. You’re outdoors, surrounded by nature, with nothing but time on your hands. Whether the fish are biting or not, the whole experience works like a reset button.
Every year, I make a pilgrimage with my wife, my brother and sister-in-law, and a group of close mates to K’gari (Fraser Island). It’s one of those places that instantly reminds you how good life can be when you strip things back. Between the 4WD adventures, the days on the beach, and the endless coastline, K’gari has this unique way of putting everything back into perspective.
Those trips are about more than just fishing or exploring. They’re about connection and creating memories, with the people who matter most and with the natural world. Around the back of the ute setting up your rod or heading up and down the beach looking for that perfect gutter, the conversations flow differently. You’re not distracted by emails or notifications. You’re present. You laugh harder, you listen better, and you make memories that stick with you long after the trip ends.
I think that’s the key lesson. It doesn’t matter whether your thing is fishing, camping, hiking, or just a weekend away, what matters is making the time. Work will always be waiting when you get back, but life isn’t about constantly grinding. It’s about balance, and those breaks are what allow you to come back refreshed, re-energised, and sharper.
That’s why our team is so pumped about where TradeMutt is at right now. Our shirts have always been about sparking conversations and encouraging people to connect, and now, seeing our second range of gear in BCF really hits different. For so many Aussies, this is where adventures begin. It’s the place you go when you’re planning that fishing trip, stocking up for a camping getaway, or just walking the aisles dreaming about what’s next.
For me, BCF has been a launchpad for some of the best memories of my life, trips with mates, adventures with my wife, and those unforgettable days on K’gari. To now see TradeMutt products sitting on those shelves, ready to be part of someone else’s story, is pretty special.
So my message is simple: get away. Make the time. Go fishing, hit the beach, pack the car and go somewhere that fills your cup. Do it with your family, your mates, or whoever makes you feel alive. You’ll come back clearer, calmer, and ready to take on whatever life throws at you.
Give yourself some time and space to think.
And hey, when you’re gearing up for that next trip, you know exactly where to start: BCF. Because that’s where the real adventures begin.
Ed Ross
Co-founder, TradeMutt
