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Summary:

Hard Truth Rods, Navy Service, and Building Purpose Through Fishing

Glenn Cook, founder of Hard Truth Rods, shares how a Navy career, a health scare, and a chance connection through a custom fishing rod led him into handmade rod building. Julie Austin and Matt Cain talk with Glenn about military life, small batch craftsmanship, and how fishing became both a creative outlet and the foundation for a new purpose. This episode blends personal story, veteran camaraderie, and entrepreneurship. Glenn also explains how custom rods have supported nonprofit fundraisers, including a Three Rangers Foundation event, and why he believes business should be driven by purpose first.

Key Topics:

• Glenn Cook explains how he went from Iowa to the Navy at age 20, first training as a sonar technician before cross-rating into the Seabees.
• Glenn shares the unusual path that took him from military service to plumbing, pipefitting, and eventually running a transportation program at the Omaha VA.
• The conversation covers a brain health scare that led to medical testing, anxiety medication, and a period of reflection that changed his routine and priorities.
• Glenn describes how a Tenkara fly rod, originally sitting unused in his truck, pulled him back into fishing and gave him a better headspace.
• He explains how he went from fishing with that rod to researching rod building, buying materials, and accidentally launching Hard Truth Rods.
• Glenn recounts building a custom rod for Jeff McCabe of Hard Truth distilling, matching the rod’s epoxy and thread work to the bottle label and branding.
• Julie asks about Glenn’s first customers and nonprofit work, and Glenn explains that his early rods went to himself, his son, friends, and local supporters.
• Glenn shares the story of a Three Rangers Foundation fundraiser where his rod sold for $10,000 and connected him with Medal of Honor recipients and major donors.

Chapters:

1. 00:00 - Introduction to Glenn Cook and Hard Truth Rods
2. 01:34 - Joining the Navy at 20 and choosing sonar technician
3. 03:44 - Discovering the Seabees and cross-rating
4. 05:57 - Family Navy history and why he enlisted
5. 10:26 - Returning to Iowa and starting civilian trades work
6. 11:18 - Apprenticeship, VA work, and leading a veteran team
7. 13:27 - The health scare that changed everything
8. 17:01 - Tenkara fishing becomes the turning point
9. 22:19 - First rods, first users, and early confidence
10. 24:06 - The Three Rangers Foundation auction story
11. 30:20 - The meaning behind hidden messages in the epoxy
12. 37:13 - Business advice: follow purpose, ask questions, stay authentic
13. 40:03 - Forces Brands USA Business of the week

Resources:

• Support our community and purchase from an amazing businesses on https://forcesbrands-usa.com/ for the #ReplaceOneChallenge
• We are a proud member of Heroes Media Group
• Check us out on Wreaths Across America Radio on Thursday mornings at 7 am.

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