Rusk FFA Member Carved Out a Duck Call Business Niche
Thursday, November 15, 2018 | Author: Natalie Boyd, Texas FFA News Staff
Rusk FFA member Jeb Besson was inspired after watching a Duck’s Unlimited television show to become an entrepreneur and create his own custom duck calls.
“He is able to make the [duck call] barrel from almost any piece of wood brought to him,” said Kelley Hutchinson, Rusk FFA advisor. “He has made calls from the handle of a shovel that was important to a family member, and even from a rolling pin.”
Not long after telling his parents about his idea, he made a duck call on a drill press in his parent’s garage. This news spread fast, and soon he was making a variety of duck calls and filling custom orders for people in his community.
“When my FFA advisor found out about my business, he asked if I would be interested in using it as my Supervised Agricultural Experience,” said Besson.
Not only is Jeb’s business, Jeb’s Calls, extremely successful, but along the way he was able to learn about growing a business and developing skills to maintain success.
“Being able to use duck calls as my SAE helps me see how the skills learned in FFA can be used in daily life,” said Besson. “Duck calls may not be directly linked to farming or agriculture but using my business as an SAE has broadened my views on how everything in life revolves around agriculture.”
In addition to these invaluable lessons, Besson was recognized as the 2018 Texas FFA proficiency winner in Ag Sales Entrepreneurship.
“When I walked into my first ag class in 8th grade, I would have never thought this is where I would be today,” said Besson. “My SAE has completely changed my point of view on agriculture and FFA.”
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