Rise: The Turkey Hunt That Changed Everything (Ep 816)

Host Wade Shoemaker interviews Eric Seymour, founder of Rise, a faith-based outdoor apparel brand. The episode centers on Seymour's personal journey: a cancer diagnosis that shifted his life perspective, a transformative Bible reading, and a failed turkey hunt that became the unexpected catalyst for launching Rise. What started as a small collection of hats and shirts designed to share his personal story has grown into one of the fastest-growing faith-based brands in the outdoor industry. The conversation covers the challenges of starting an apparel business with no prior experience, the importance of trusting the process, and how partnerships with organizations like NWTF (National Wild Turkey Federation) and DUX (Ducks Unlimited) accelerated the brand's growth. Seymour reflects on broader themes including parenting, purpose, entrepreneurship, family values, and the philosophy of "keeping the main thing the main thing" as a guiding principle. The episode positions the failed turkey hunt as a turning point—a setback that ultimately became a life-changing moment. The narrative arc emphasizes faith, authenticity, and how personal adversity can fuel meaningful business ventures centered on shared values rather than pure profit.

Verdict: A solid inspirational interview with genuine insider access and a compelling personal narrative, but limited evidence of deep analysis or exceptional entertainment value beyond the story itself.

Sports rubric

• Analysis depth 3/5 20%

  Show notes suggest personal storytelling and reflection on entrepreneurship and faith, but no indication of deep tactical analysis or expert breakdowns of business strategy or hunting technique.

• Insider knowledge 4/5 20%

  Direct interview with the founder of Rise provides authentic insider perspective on brand creation, cancer diagnosis impact, and business growth; partnerships with NWTF and DUX suggest credible outdoor industry access.

• Entertainment 3/5 15%

  Personal narrative with emotional stakes (cancer, faith, family) and an underdog entrepreneurship story likely engages listeners, but show notes don't indicate exceptional banter or energy level.

• Substance 3/5 15%

  Multiple substantive topics covered (cancer, faith, business launch, family values, industry partnerships), but show notes provide limited detail on depth of each discussion or whether content is padded.

• Delivers on its title 4/5 15%

  Title "Rise: The Turkey Hunt That Changed Everything" is directly addressed as the catalyst for the brand; the episode clearly delivers the promised story of how a failed hunt sparked a movement.

• Value for time 3/5 15%

  At 63 minutes with multiple topics (cancer, faith, business, family, hunting), pacing is reasonable but show notes don't indicate whether the length is fully justified or contains filler.

How we score Sports

Worth it if you're interested in faith-based entrepreneurship, outdoor brand building, or personal stories of adversity-to-purpose transformation.

Content flags

• Ad-heavy Five monthly sponsors plus additional sponsor reads (Bird Dog Whiskey) listed in show notes for a 63-minute episode.

Based on the episode description. AI-generated; it can be wrong.