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Have you ever wondered what it really takes to turn your fishing lodge dream into reality? Willie and Krista Pawlowsky pull back the curtain on their latest adventure - purchasing and launching Two Rivers Lodge in northwestern Ontario in under 60 days.
The couple shares their journey from vision to execution with remarkable candour. After stepping away from Nordic Point Lodge, they weren't planning another venture so soon. But when opportunity knocks, passionate entrepreneurs answer - especially when that opportunity connects two legendary fisheries. Situated at the confluence of the English and Winnipeg Rivers, Two Rivers Lodge creates a unique connection between Lake of the Woods and Lac Seul, offering access to some of Canada's most productive waters.
Willie methodically walks listeners through each critical step: defining your vision (a family-oriented experience with manageable scale), finding the right property (often through industry connections), establishing a business structure (they partnered with longtime friends Adam and Denise), creating a brand identity, and implementing effective marketing strategies. The practical advice shines with authenticity as they speak from experience, having launched three successful lodge businesses.
Perhaps most reassuring is their firm belief that lodge ownership isn't reserved for the wealthy elite. "You do not have to be somebody with $5 million in the bank to start a lodge," Willie emphasizes. Starting small, leveraging entrepreneur support programs, and growing organically makes this dream accessible to passionate individuals willing to put in the work. Their story even includes an engineering feat - rescuing a sunken barge by building a makeshift dam around it - demonstrating the problem-solving creativity that lodge ownership demands.
By Outdoor Journal Radio Podcast Network5
88 ratings
Have you ever wondered what it really takes to turn your fishing lodge dream into reality? Willie and Krista Pawlowsky pull back the curtain on their latest adventure - purchasing and launching Two Rivers Lodge in northwestern Ontario in under 60 days.
The couple shares their journey from vision to execution with remarkable candour. After stepping away from Nordic Point Lodge, they weren't planning another venture so soon. But when opportunity knocks, passionate entrepreneurs answer - especially when that opportunity connects two legendary fisheries. Situated at the confluence of the English and Winnipeg Rivers, Two Rivers Lodge creates a unique connection between Lake of the Woods and Lac Seul, offering access to some of Canada's most productive waters.
Willie methodically walks listeners through each critical step: defining your vision (a family-oriented experience with manageable scale), finding the right property (often through industry connections), establishing a business structure (they partnered with longtime friends Adam and Denise), creating a brand identity, and implementing effective marketing strategies. The practical advice shines with authenticity as they speak from experience, having launched three successful lodge businesses.
Perhaps most reassuring is their firm belief that lodge ownership isn't reserved for the wealthy elite. "You do not have to be somebody with $5 million in the bank to start a lodge," Willie emphasizes. Starting small, leveraging entrepreneur support programs, and growing organically makes this dream accessible to passionate individuals willing to put in the work. Their story even includes an engineering feat - rescuing a sunken barge by building a makeshift dam around it - demonstrating the problem-solving creativity that lodge ownership demands.

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