Beneath the Surface

In episode 14, Corey and Sean sit down to reflect on the past few months. In particular, how COVID 19 and the lockdown have affected them personally, the impact it has had on the business at BOTE, and the ripple effect that they have seen across the entire outdoor industry through first-hand accounts and stories shared with them from friends in the industry. 

In short, the outdoor industry seems to be thriving. With the absence of sports, limitations on travel, gyms across the country shutting down, and once the majority of the population ran through the entire Netflix catalog, folks across the country began to take to the great outdoors. From biking to fishing and everything in between, the general consensus across the outdoor industry is that there is a renaissance taking place. 

Tune in to hear Corey and Sean’s hot takes on the current state of the industry and get a firsthand perspective on how the BOTE team has kept up with the growing demand over the past few months.

Links from the Episode 

More on the Devils of the Deep video project.

A wild experience: Crab Island.

Check out the BOTE Paddleboard collection.

But also, the BOTE Fishing collection.

We’re hiring! Jobs at BOTE.

Who’s in the Episode
Lead Designer, Co-Founder, and CEO at BOTE, Corey Cooper is a licensed engineer hailing from Auburn University. Corey is the pioneer of the DarkRoom, assisting with the design of the machinery, concepting the layout and ultimately developing the workflow used in DarkRoom production. Corey’s passion for this project is so strong that on any given day, regardless of how busy things are at BOTE, you will often find Corey working in the DarkRoom.

Sean Murphy is the Director of Photography at BOTE and a world-renowned photographer based in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. After spending most of his career based in Los Angeles, shooting for brands like Adidas, Red Bull, and Toyota, just to name a few, Sean moved back to the Redneck Riviera. You can find Sean capturing gritty America and spontaneous moments that translate into visually stunning photography. 

Sound Bites

“We had some inspiration from people internally that wanted us to talk about what we’re calling the outdoor resurgence or the renaissance for people wanting to get outside and do things again… The thing that’s been unique for us is that we’ve seen an unprecedented amount of demand and growth from customers for our products in general and in adjacent industries… all these guys are having record seasons for people getting outside again” - Corey Cooper / BOTE CEO and Founder

“We were uncertain and I remember getting the call from you and you were very nervous. What’s the future gonna hold? You were worried about your employees, you were worried about being able to support your people… and it was actually the opposite that ended up happening.” - Sean Murphy / BOTE Director of Photography

Episode 13 of the Beneath the Surface Podcast is one that’ll pull at your heartstrings while making you want to take on the world as Corey and Sean talk about one of their biggest projects ever, Operation Phoenix. Bringing Josh Collins into the studio virtually, Corey and Sean take a walk down memory lane when BOTE got on board to support Josh in his long distance paddle boarding mission in 2015. 

After an extensive military career and many traumatic brain injuries, Josh found himself at a crossroads of either becoming grim veteran statistic or persevering through his pain. With next to no paddle boarding experience, Josh turns a crazy idea of paddling halfway across the country into a reality he couldn’t imagine himself, and the BOTE team was there for him every step of the way. 

Get ready for a shot of motivation. Sit back, relax, and enjoy. 

Links from the Episode

Keep up with Josh Collins and his paddle boarding voyages. 

Learn more about veteran suicide prevention and spread the word. 

Check out the 14’ Traveller Paddle Board for yourself.

The Corpus Christi Windsurfing Association gives you the details on upcoming events.

The Task Force Dagger Foundation supports US Special Operations and their families. 

Who’s in the Episode

Lead Designer, Co-Founder, and CEO at BOTE, Corey Cooper is a licensed engineer hailing from Auburn University. Corey is the pioneer of the DarkRoom, assisting with the design of the machinery, concepting the layout and ultimately developing the workflow used in DarkRoom production. Corey’s passion for this project is so strong that on any given day, regardless of how busy things are at BOTE, you will often find Corey working in the DarkRoom.

Sean Murphy is the Director of Photography at BOTE and a world-renowned photographer based in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. After spending most of his career based in Los Angeles, shooting for brands like Adidas, Red Bull, and Toyota, just to name a few, Sean moved back to the Redneck Riviera. You can find Sean capturing gritty America and spontaneous moments that translate into visually stunning photography.

Josh Collins served over 20 years in the United State Army, including time at the 82nd Airborne, 75th Ranger Regiment, and 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, before retiring in 2008. While serving, he suffered several traumatic brain injuries and in 2015, he knew he had to get his life back before he became just another grim veteran statistic.  Operation Phoenix took Josh halfway across the country via paddle board, raising awareness for traumatic brain injuries and PTSD of active duty and military veterans. Josh continues to raise awareness today through paddle boarding.

Sound Bites

“How much greater understanding I now have of my limitations and boundaries with TBI, and just how to continue to make improvements in my cognitive function. I found magic out there on the water, and it changed how I see everything” - Josh Collins

Corey and Sean are back again with episode 12 of the Beneath the Surface Podcast: Division No. 18. In this episode, we travel back in time to a trip dreamt up by BOTE Creative Director, Rob McAbee, as he and several members of the BOTE family venture off-the-grid. They are headed to a place known only as Division No. 18, but to most fishermen it’s known as one of the best places on earth to fish for Northern Pike and Rob and the crew were looking to be the first people to ever fish this area on stand up paddle boards.

“The trip is a tale of good friends going into the wild and challenging ourselves to go after incredible fish….the entire trip was something I would repeat in a heartbeat”

- Rob McAbee, BOTE Creative Director 

Links from the Episode 

Check out Milton Lake Lodge.

You’re going to need a BOTE Inflatable SUP.

Dive into Corey and Sean’s Everglades trip (round two) in BOTE Presents // Never Again. 

Check out Rob’s written account with photos by Nick Pujic in BOTE Presents // Division No. 18.

Who’s in the Episode

Lead Designer, Co-Founder, and CEO at BOTE, Corey Cooper is a licensed engineer hailing from Auburn University. Corey is the pioneer of the DarkRoom, assisting with the design of the machinery, concepting the layout and ultimately developing the workflow used in DarkRoom production. Corey’s passion for this project is so strong that on any given day, regardless of how busy things are at BOTE, you will often find Corey working in the DarkRoom.

Sean Murphy is the Director of Photography at BOTE and a world-renowned photographer based in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. After spending most of his career based in Los Angeles, shooting for brands like Adidas, Red Bull, and Toyota, just to name a few, Sean moved back to the Redneck Riviera. You can find Sean capturing gritty America and spontaneous moments that translate into visually stunning photography.  

BOTE Creative Director, Rob McAbee, brings the style when it comes to designing eye-catching stand up paddle boards and developing color palettes, patterns, fonts, and illustrations that unite and define the BOTE brand. With over 25 years of professional brand building and marketing experience, Rob combined his love for fishing with his love for creative design when he joined the BOTE family in 2013. An avid fly fisher, Rob is the founder of BugslingerTM Fly Gear and, in collaboration with Corey, the creative brain behind the BOTE brand.  

Rebekka Redd is an accomplished global fly angler, photographer, adventurer, published writer, speaker, conservationist and TV show host. Along with her work in television, she has garnered a worldwide following through her photography and writing.

Nick Pujic is the founder of Vantage Point Media House and is also the co-founder of the International Fly Fishing Film Festival (IF4), a widely popular touring event throughout North America. Nick’s productions continue to air in over 170 countries around the World on leading broadcasters such as Discovery Channel, SportsNet, ESPN, Outdoor Channel, WildTV, WFN, Canal+, and Caza y Pesca.

Yoshi Aoki is also known as the “ninja” at Vantage Point. Not only is he outright deadly with a camera in his hands, but he is up a mountain and filming before anyone else has even left the parking lot. Yoshi’s talent with photographs, illustrations and cinematography are only rivaled by his passion for the outdoors.

Welcome back to the Beneath the Surface podcast. In this episode, Corey and Sean wax lyrical about fatherhood. Both are fathers of three (though Corey is a father to four if you count BOTE). Both are also businessmen and dedicated men of their craft.

In this episode, they talk about that balance. They relive some of their best moments as working fathers, including some of the more infamous times they brought their kids to work. As always, there are some heartfelt moments and some hilariously absurd ones (like the time Sean’s baby appeared on the cover of a Tenacious D album which ended up being banned from Wal-Mart).

If you’re a dad or a son or a daughter or even just a lover of #dadjokes, you’ll find something to appreciate in this episode. So sit back and enjoy.

Links from the Episode
Find some photo inspo at SeanMurphyPhoto.com. 

Blast back to the past with this Tenacious D music video.

Enjoy these 99 dad jokes from Bored Panda. 

Who’s in the Episode
Lead Designer, Co-Founder, and CEO at BOTE, Corey Cooper is a licensed engineer hailing from Auburn University. Corey is the pioneer of the DarkRoom, assisting with the design of the machinery, concepting the layout and ultimately developing the workflow used in DarkRoom production. Corey’s passion for this project is so strong that on any given day, regardless of how busy things are at BOTE, you will often find Corey working in the DarkRoom.

Sean Murphy is the Director of Photography at BOTE and a world-renowned photographer based in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. After spending most of his career based in Los Angeles, shooting for brands like Adidas, Red Bull, and Toyota, just to name a few, Sean moved back to the Redneck Riviera. You can find Sean capturing gritty America and spontaneous moments that translate into visually stunning photography.  

Sound Bites
"We are lucky that our careers allow us to involve family because that’s what BOTE is, a family. Recently we’ve been doing a lot more family focused content. As we get older, the value of family and being dads becomes more and more apparent, more and more valuable. The solo and aspirational stuff is cool, but at the end of the day, everyone can relate to family." – Corey Cooper, CEO and Co-Founder at BOTE 

“We had no option. We started the business about a year after he was born. I’ve always joked that BOTE was another one of my babies because they were at the same time. But you’re kind of raising them together, the business and the kid. I didn’t have an option.” – Corey Cooper, CEO and Co-Founder at BOTE 

Next up on the Beneath the Surface Podcast, Corey and Sean welcome DarkRoom Guru, Pete Buzzelli, into the studio for their eighth episode: Ural.  

It’s safe to say everyone at BOTE has a special tie to the beach, but they also have another common thread that feeds their need for adrenaline, and that’s motorcycles.  There’s always been motorcycle surf racks, allowing surfers to transport the traditional surfboard to the beach via bike. In 2017, Corey got the idea to create a motorcycle SUP rack. In true BOTE fashion, he wasn’t designing just any old motorcycle SUP rack. He wanted to build it onto a Ural, you know, the Russian motorcycle famous for sidecars. 

In this episode, you hear about the inner workings of the DarkRoom, BOTE’s multi-layered prototyping playground for experimenting with advanced materials and production techniques, with DarkRoom Director, Pete Buzzelli. From sourcing a Ural from Harley Davidson dealer’s personal collection to grinding and welding in the midst of shooting promotional footage, the crew turns inspiration into reality… and then gives it away.

Links from the Episode

The Ural Tourist, it just doesn’t get much cooler. 

Learn more about the DarkRoom and its infinite manipulation.

We had to look up what hare scramble races were, too. 

The trailer for Dunkirk is pretty epic, with great reviews, to boot.

Navarre Beach, where relaxation is the main attraction.

Who’s in the Episode

Lead Designer, Co-Founder, and CEO at BOTE, Corey Cooper is a licensed engineer hailing from Auburn University. Corey is the pioneer of the DarkRoom, assisting with the design of the machinery, concepting the layout and ultimately developing the workflow used in DarkRoom production. Corey’s passion for this project is so strong that on any given day, regardless of how busy things are at BOTE, you will often find Corey working in the DarkRoom.

Sean Murphy is the Director of Photography at BOTE and a world-renowned photographer based in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. After spending most of his career based in Los Angeles, shooting for brands like Adidas, Red Bull, and Toyota, just to name a few, Sean moved back to the Redneck Riviera. You can find Sean capturing gritty America and spontaneous moments that translate into visually stunning photography.

Pete Buzzelli joined the BOTE team after 40 years in the boat building industry. His eccentric and innovative personality is why he was selected to direct and manage the DarkRoom, an area at BOTE dedicated to complete control and infinite manipulation. When he’s not working with Corey and the crew to bring their mad scientist ideas to life, you’ll find him driving eclectic motorcycles off and on the road or SUP racing along Northwest Florida waterways.

Sound Bites

“There was no plan… Grinding, welding and painting - just hands on, making cool shit. A lot of us at the brand are into bikes, so this felt authentic.” - Corey Cooper, BOTE CEO and Co-Founder 

Corey and Sean are back for the ninth installment of the Beneath the Surface Podcast. The guys sit down with Chris Taloa, a native Hawaiian with a familiar face--you may recognize him from movies like Snakes on a Plane, Blue Crush, and Into the Blue--who embodies the BOTE lifestyle.

In Beneath the Surface Podcast: Taloa, get to know one of our favorite people and the most badass inflatable paddle board in the BOTE line up in the process. From growing up surfing daily to becoming a Hollywood artist turned family man, Chris Taloa's deep appreciation for his homeland of Hawaii and mentality of always remaining pure of heart has shaped his life and how he shares it with the world. He embodies the true spirit of Hawaii from the culture to the sport of surfing, his love for all things water, and the spiritual vibe that brings together people from all over the world.

In this episode, the guys recount the jam-packed videoshooet spanning Hawaii and California, SUP fishing adventures with Sean and Chris, the grittiness of North Shore ghettos, and terrifying close encounters with great white sharks. 

Links from the Episode

Chris finds his aloha again with a little help from the Rover Aero in BOTE Presents // Taloa. 

Live the Taloa lifestyle with the Rover Aero.

Learn more about Samoa and Hawaii’s North Shore.

Check out the Pipe House on the North Shore.

Fish for striped bass in the California aqueduct. 

Fishing miles off the coast? Opt for our GatorshellTM Rover instead. 

Who’s in the Episode

Lead Designer, Co-Founder, and CEO at BOTE, Corey Cooper is a licensed engineer hailing from Auburn University. Corey is the pioneer of the DarkRoom, assisting with the design of the machinery, concepting the layout and ultimately developing the workflow used in DarkRoom production. Corey’s passion for this project is so strong that on any given day, regardless of how busy things are at BOTE, you will often find Corey working in the DarkRoom.

Sean Murphy is the Director of Photography at BOTE and a world-renowned photographer based in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. After spending most of his career based in Los Angeles, shooting for brands like Adidas, Red Bull, and Toyota, just to name a few, Sean moved back to the Redneck Riviera. You can find Sean capturing gritty America and spontaneous moments that translate into visually stunning photography.  

Chris Taloa is the ultimate waterman. A Samoan who grew up on the North Shore of Hawaii, Chris Taloa is a Los Angeles-based surfer, actor, dad, and adventure fisherman who loves nothing more than exploring the area’s waterways on a stand up paddle board. 

Sound Bites

“I consider this place home in a lot of ways. I grew up here all up to the age of seven. You’ve never seen a kid with that much appreciation for his land.” - Chris Taloa

In this episode, Corey and Sean welcome their first guest on the show, as they join forces with their legendary pal Pete Buzelli (or “Simple Pete” as Sean calls him) to talk about one of BOTE’s most iconic differentiators: the BOTE DarkRoom. More than just a space to make paddle boards, the DarkRoom quickly became a project with a purpose; a safe space to fail fast and fail often, yet also make a lot of magic happen; a place to churn out cutting edge paddle board technology on their own terms; and a beacon for the local paddle board community to come together, sip on some brews, and see how paddle boards get made. 

If, when you picture the DarkRoom, you’re envisioning a laboratory-like lair of giant shipping containers filled with 3D printers and ballistics-grade composites and sheets of advanced plastics, topped with a couple of mad boat scientists conducting a bunch of crazy paddle board experiments, well then… yeah, that’s pretty much exactly what it is.

In this episode, the guys talk about the origins of the DarkRoom and how it came to be. They also provide a rundown of some of their favorite BOTE board models & technologies—some of which are still around & kickin’ to this day—that were created in the DarkRoom. And—as always—they shoot the shit for half an hour until you’re left bummed that it had to end. So sit back and enjoy.

Links from the Episode 

Watch a killer video that offers inside access into the heart of the DarkRoom. 

Learn about Gatorshell Technology—a game-changing innovation from the DarkRoom gurus.

What on earth is a CNC machine? 

Become a Traveller. 

Listen to the Everglades: Without a Plan podcast.

Who’s in the Episode

Lead Designer, Co-Founder, and CEO at BOTE, Corey Cooper is a licensed engineer hailing from Auburn University. Corey is the pioneer of the DarkRoom, assisting with the design of the machinery, concepting the layout and ultimately developing the workflow used in DarkRoom production. Corey’s passion for this project is so strong that on any given day, regardless of how busy things are at BOTE, you will often find Corey working in the DarkRoom.

Sean Murphy is the Director of Photography at BOTE and a world-renowned photographer based in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. After spending most of his career based in Los Angeles, shooting for brands like Adidas, Red Bull, and Toyota, just to name a few, Sean moved back to the Redneck Riviera. You can find Sean capturing gritty America and spontaneous moments that translate into visually stunning photography.  

Pete Buzzelli joined the BOTE team after 40 years in the boat building industry. His eccentric and innovative personality is why he was selected to direct and manage the DarkRoom, an area at BOTE dedicated to complete control and infinite manipulation. When he’s not working with Corey and the crew to bring their mad scientist ideas to life, you’ll find him driving eclectic motorcycles off and on the road or SUP racing along Northwest Florida waterways.

Sound Bites

“The idea really started with this giant machine that I designed that was 20 feet long, 6 feet wide, 6 feet tall. It started there. I remember making this thing going, ‘okay this is gonna be a project just to design it. We’re gonna have to put it somewhere. It’s gonna be really cool to look at so we want to showcase it so that people can see it.” – Corey Cooper, CEO and Co-Founder at BOTE 

Coming at you direct from the middle of nowhere to the center of everywhere, it’s the Beneath the Surface Podcast with BOTE CEO and Co-Founder, Corey Cooper, along with world-renowned photographer and BOTE Director of Photography, Sean Murphy. In this week's episode, Sean and Corey tell tall tales of their first trip to Belize, meeting Jeff Speigel owner of Cayo Frances Fly & Farm, and how the BOTE House Belize came to be.

Remember the days when people could travel freely without having to consider contracting or spreading a virus? Ahh, good times. This episode is the perfect opportunity to sit back, relax, and dream of more ‘normal’ times.

LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

• The home of BOTE House Belize: Ambergris Caye, Belize.
• Check out the BOTE House Belize and Cayo Frances Farm & Fly.
• Watch Jeff Spiegel on Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern.
• Planning a trip? Don’t forget to pack your Inflatable SUP Boards.
• Get to know San Pedro, Belize.
• Products inspired by the BOTE House Belize: Sandspear, Rover, Rover Aero, and Inflatable Kayaks.

WHO'S IN THE EPISODE

Lead Designer, Co-Founder, and CEO at BOTE, Corey Cooper is a licensed engineer hailing from Auburn University. Corey is the pioneer of the DarkRoom, assisting with the design of the machinery, concepting the layout and ultimately developing the workflow used in DarkRoom production. Corey’s passion for this project is so strong that on any given day, regardless of how busy things are at BOTE, you will often find Corey working in the DarkRoom.

Sean Murphy is the Director of Photography at BOTE and a world-renowned photographer based in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. After spending most of his career based in Los Angeles, shooting for brands like Adidas, Red Bull, and Toyota, just to name a few, Sean moved back to the Redneck Riviera. You can find Sean capturing gritty America and spontaneous moments that translate into visually stunning photography.

SOUND BITES

“The KULA, for those of you guys familiar, is our very unique, round, badass all around, tough-guy cooler. This thing was a unique creation in itself. It’s its own brand kind of inside the BOTE brand.” – Corey Cooper, CEO and Co-Founder at BOTE

Jeff Spiegel, a man of many talents, is the owner and operator of Cayo Frances Farm & Fly based on Ambergris Caye. Jeff arrived in Belize some 18+ years ago after a successful career running a punk rock label with dreams of becoming a chef and opening a small resort and beach bar. With no previous experience in the kitchen, he spent the next decade learning and running a kitchen. With 10 years of kitchen experience under his belt, he decided it was time for a change of pace which led to him opening Cayo Frances Farm & Fly.

Corey and Sean are back again with the sixth installment of the Beneath the Surface Podcast: Gatorproof. In this episode, they rehash what they describe as “the best shoot” of their lives. Back in 2016, to promote the launch of BOTE’s KULA Cooler, the guys teamed up with some friends (and some heroes) to make a mockumentary product launch video at an alligator farm in South Florida. The whole thing turned out to be one helluva good—even if totally absurd—time.

Back then, many of the major cooler companies were promoting “bear proof coolers.” Corey found the notion of this idea somewhat silly—like, unless you’re out West in grizzly country, why would your cooler need to be bear proof? So, he and the team came up with an original spoof-script about a crazed character named Murph (played by Sean) whose life mission was to find the most durable products on the planet through the creation of the Gatorproof Alliance—a fictitious organization that would test product durability by seeing how these products stood the test of an alligator’s jaws.

The guys relive some of their favorite moments from the shoot, and it comes out sounding like a hybrid mix between Silence of the Lambs, The Waterboy, and Tiger King. If you’re looking for a laugh, sit back and enjoy.

LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

• Why buy the KULA cooler? Easy. Because “round” is KULA.
• Have a laugh with the Gatorproof Alliance - Obsession video.
• Have another laugh with BOTE’s version of a Dollar Shave Club commercial.
• Meet Manny Puig—the Steve Irwin of alligators.
• Learn about Florida Fish & Wildlife conservation.

WHO'S IN THE EPISODE

Lead Designer, Co-Founder, and CEO at BOTE, Corey Cooper is a licensed engineer hailing from Auburn University. Corey is the pioneer of the DarkRoom, assisting with the design of the machinery, concepting the layout and ultimately developing the workflow used in DarkRoom production. Corey’s passion for this project is so strong that on any given day, regardless of how busy things are at BOTE, you will often find Corey working in the DarkRoom.

Sean Murphy is the Director of Photography at BOTE and a world-renowned photographer based in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. After spending most of his career based in Los Angeles, shooting for brands like Adidas, Red Bull, and Toyota, just to name a few, Sean moved back to the Redneck Riviera. You can find Sean capturing gritty America and spontaneous moments that translate into visually stunning photography.

SOUND BITES

“The KULA, for those of you guys familiar, is our very unique, round, badass all around, tough-guy cooler. This thing was a unique creation in itself. It’s its own brand kind of inside the BOTE brand.” – Corey Cooper, CEO and Co-Founder at BOTE

“When we made our cooler, we thought it would be a kind of cool thing to name it KULA, like a cajun thing. We also had a unique style with it, too. We had a bunch of ambassadors and people at the time that were using our boards for fishing, using 5-gallon buckets. They’d have a 5-gallon bucket; they’d have a cooler. They’d have all this shit on their boards, and I’m like ‘hey man, maybe we can consolidate all that’—make a cooler in the shape of a 5-gallon bucket that you can also use as a seat. So it took on its own identity.” – Corey Cooper, CEO and Co-Founder at BOTE

In the fifth installment of the Beneath the Surface Podcast, Corey and Sean bring Corey’s more sensible half, Chief Operations Officer and BOTE Co-Founder, Magda Cooper, into the studio. Wife to Corey, mother to their three children, and the female founder to the BOTE brand, we dive deep with Magda to find out how she manages the juggling act while keeping her sweet demeanor… just kidding, she’s actually the first one to drop f%!#* in the podcast (don’t worry, it’s bleeped).

Like all startup stories, Magda and Corey had their moments of frustration, fear of failure, and dwindling bank accounts, but unlike all startup stories, they had each other. Their combined stubbornness and belief in the lifestyle pushed them to succeed.

From lugging her newborn to their very first trade show through sleet and snow to coining the idea for the BOTE Inflatable Dock, a top seller in its product category, Magda views every day as an opportunity to get shit done and make a difference. As she puts it, there’s no other choice than to succeed.

LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

• During a recruiting trip, Magda learns Auburn University isn’t in Georgia.
• Magda’s nagging pays off and Florida Sportsman reviews BOTE.
• Paddle Guru gives you a running tally of paddle board races near you.
• Check out the simple yet badass BOTE Inflatable Dock in all its glory.
• Sean Murphy’s ‘calmness’ is captured in the video Murphy: Simmer Down.

WHO'S IN THE EPISODE

Lead Designer, Co-Founder, and CEO at BOTE, Corey Cooper is a licensed engineer hailing from Auburn University. Corey is the pioneer of the DarkRoom, assisting with the design of the machinery, concepting the layout and ultimately developing the workflow used in DarkRoom production. Corey’s passion for this project is so strong that on any given day, regardless of how busy things are at BOTE, you will often find Corey working in the DarkRoom.

Magda Cooper is the Co-Founder and Chief Operations Officer at BOTE, wife to BOTE CEO, Corey Cooper, mother of three, and three-time collegiate swimming National Champion at Auburn University. Magda’s ability to juggle it all coupled with her ‘no quitting allowed’ policy has been critical in the success of BOTE. Her belief in the product and eye for identifying market needs and trends has brought the public a quality line of lifestyle products that are second to none. When Magda isn’t running the business or teaching her three children that good work ethic pays off, you’ll find her finding time in her schedule to work out, likely on the water.

Sean Murphy is the Director of Photography at BOTE and a world-renowned photographer based in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. After spending most of his career based in Los Angeles, shooting for brands like Adidas, Red Bull, and Toyota, just to name a few, Sean moved back to the Redneck Riviera. You can find Sean capturing gritty America and spontaneous moments that translate into visually stunning photography.

SOUND BITES

“BOTE has become our life. From business to product we live it every second of every day. We call it our fourth child! We’ve been lucky enough to be surrounded with people and employees who share in our passion and believe in the products.” - Magda Cooper, Chief Operations Officer and Co-Founder at BOTE

“Starting a business with your spouse is difficult, but I can’t imagine having done it without him (Corey). It’s a balancing act between family, free time, fitness, and the business. It’s a juggling act.” – Magda Cooper, Chief Operations Officer / Co-Founder