Reel Therapy Guide Services

When your passion turns into an entrepreneurial venture that depends on being outdoors, inclement weather systems teach you quickly that you better have another stream of income for the lean times. Capt. Adam Valle learned that lesson first when he launched Reel Therapy Guide Services, an inshore and near-shore charter fishing operation in 2005, smack in the middle of two potent hurricane seasons.

Fortunately, Adam has dual passions that complement each other nicely. He’s a native Floridian who loves being on the water and he also thrives in a business environment—sales, to be exact.

His hometown is Lakeland, so Adam naturally spent his childhood exploring the variety of waterways throughout west central Florida. Since his parents divorced when he was young, Adam looked forward to that precious and limited quality time with his dad, whom he describes as being “big into fishing.” Angling with his dad set the stage for a lifelong interest in the underwater world. During high school, Adam participated in Mote Marine Laboratory’s summer programs. He worked hand in hand with Mote’s biologists, tagging and releasing sharks and collecting data for cancer research, as well as helping with snook and redfish population rehabilitation.

His experience with Mote led to a scholarship at the University of Florida, majoring in Ichthyology (the study of fish). He worked with UF’s go-to authority on shark research, George Burgess; whenever an encounter with “Jaws” makes the news, the media calls on George for answers.

All was well and good until he realized that the salary of a marine biologist was not quite enough to support a family. It was a wake-up call from Practicality. “I couldn’t get by on that amount and still provide what I want for my family.” So he switched majors—to business—and waved goodbye to the Mote scholarship. Adam’s mom works in the finance field, so he had a notion that maybe he’d like to be a broker for one of the big houses. With a bachelor’s degree in business administration under his belt, he soon found himself in one of the area’s biggest houses.

Ah…but that Raymond James office looked out over the mangroves and open water of Tampa Bay in the distance. Within a year, Adam strongly suspected that brokering wasn’t for him. As a financial advisor, he explained, “you see every human emotion there is” from pure elation when things are going well…to not-so-happy investors when their money goes the other way.

During college, Adam hankered after a certain type of fishing boat that he couldn’t quite afford. He thought about running charters to help pay for the boat of his dreams. He tried piloting trips on the side for family and friends (using an older boat his dad had bought when Adam was about nine) and found this endeavor was a good fit for him. Still, he kept the idea on the back burner while working at other jobs.

After his stint at Raymond James, he was ready to make a splash by forming his own company and his wife Alicia fully supported him. Reel Therapy Guide Services was born. “I had enough equipment and knowledge—or so I thought,” he said with a laugh, implying that it was a jump into the deep end.

It helps that Adam is surrounded by a family that provides constant inspiration. Adam credits his mother, Susan Cruz, for being a stellar example of hard work and dedication.“My mom is awesome,” he said. “She’s driven. She worked her way up to become a regional vice president at Merrill Lynch.”

Over the years, he’d been putting together the pieces for what would become Reel Therapy, crafting what he called “the mother of all business plans—not that everything worked out that way.” He figured out how many trips he’d need to run and how much he’d need to charge for a day on the water to make the plan float. In addition, he said, it’s one thing to prepare for a day of fishing with a couple of your buddies, compared to taking groups of virtual strangers out on the boat several times a week. “Labor intensive” is an understatement!

“You have to really think it through, from prep time to clean-up time, and then all the stuff you think you need—always plan for more,” he said, “Take bait for example—we use live bait, so you need live bait for a minimum of four people. That’s a lot of bait to catch.”

He realized he’d need a few additional guides to help—and it turns out some are better with fishing than they are with people and some are better with people than they are with fishing. “It’s rare to find someone with both qualities,” he said. Two guides as well as his dad, Jim Valle, keep Reel Therapy going, averaging about three trips a week while Adam stays landlocked Monday through Friday with his other job.

One start-up misstep, he admitted, was not talking to anyone else in the industry before launching his own company. It may have saved him some time on the learning curve. Over the last few years, however, he has picked up many useful tips from getting to know other guides—what to do and what NOT to do.

It’s hard to be unique among the scores of fishing guides in the Tampa Bay area, but, “it’s doable,” Adam said. What gives him an edge over the others? He cites his marine biology experience, for starters: “I’ve seen fish on so many levels. I’ve got a good understanding of fish behavior, where they’ll go, and how to find them.” He also understands the importance of salesmanship, good customer service, and making the follow-up with potential clients so they don’t get away.

“You have to keep everyone entertained when the fishing is slow,” he added, citing one challenge that other guides may fall short on. “You’ll have maybe 45 minutes of hot fishing time during the whole four-hour trip, so I tell them stories and get them talking so they can relax.” It’s all about providing a great experience for his guests, which is why they can show up at the dock with nothing more than sun protection and snacks—Reel Therapy takes care of the rest. From ice and bait to tackle and a saltwater fishing license for all aboard, Adam and his guides work hard to make it an easy outing.

Reel Therapy’s clientele includes families and groups of friends who want adventure and a big catch without the hassle of owning a boat themselves. But with one foot on the dock and the other in the business world, Adam is uniquely qualified to offer his services to a special niche market—financial advisors, sales reps and other professionals who need to entertain and bond with clients, giving them a refreshing break from the ubiquitous corporate pastime. “It’s not your average game of golf,” he said.

He gets a lot of repeat business from that sector; clients enjoy the change of pace and for many, it’s a tax write-off. In fact, repeat business and word-of-mouth are his best marketing methods, keeping his guides plenty busy. During tarpon season, they could “run a trip every day of the week.”

He’ll occasionally take out magazine ads and put in appearances at trade shows, but for now, bookings are steady. Adam wants to focus on other areas of improvement, such as making his website more interactive. He also uses a marketing company that specializes in providing creative services to the marine industry to increase Reel Therapy’s visual identity.

Capt. Adam once hosted a crew from ESPN during a redfish tournament, boating from Tampa to Port Charlotte “in water not meant for running in,” as it was on the cusp of Hurricane Charley, but they insisted. They may have gotten some exciting footage but the weather really gave their camera equipment a beating.

In season, he provides Central Florida updates for the Chevy Florida Fishing Report and has contributed pieces about fishing hot spots and related information to sporting magazines.

Reel Therapy participates in community activities by supporting the Hillsborough Education Foundation’s “Hooked on Education” fishing tournament; donating fishing equipment to Big Brothers/Big Sisters; and giving fishing trips to charity fundraisers.

Adam and Alicia manage the everyday details associated with running Reel Therapy, and then they hand it over to their “phenomenal accountant” every quarter. “We’ve got it pretty streamlined now,” he said.

Making sales has always been Adam’s forte when he’s not on the boat. With a nature-based business like Reel Therapy, he understands the importance of a steady income, given the occasional environmental uncertainties. The medical field looked “somewhat recession-proof,” so he spends his weekdays covering the state of Florida for Meisinger, selling the company’s rotary instruments—all those little whirring, buzzing attachments that one encounters in a dental office. Weekends will find him guiding tours on the water he loves so much, anywhere from Boca Grande to Cedar Key.

A full time return to Reel Therapy has become “a sort of retirement plan” for now. The present economic situation makes it necessary for him to keep his day job, so to speak. But that doesn’t mean he’s content to let Reel Therapy maintain its status quo. He entertains visions of Reel Therapy Worldwide, with outposts set up around the globe, targeting different species of fish in places like South America, Costa Rica and Mexico. “I’d find good guides, set it up and be present to make it happen,” he explains.

Reel Therapy’s future looks strong and its founder shared a bit of advice for would-be business owners who are tempted to follow their dreams:

Oh, and he still has that old boat that he started his fishing charters in…only now it sits alongside the shiny new one with the top-of-the-line bells and whistles.

Dream Catcher Fishing for Success

Dream Catcher
Fishing for Success