Mostly growing up on a farm and cattle operation, I was immersed in hunting, fishing, and working the land from a very young age. From feeding cattle to chickens to tackling daily chores, I developed a strong Texas foundation rooted in hard work, trust, and ingenuity. My passion for the Texas outdoors and the values I was raised with continue to shape who I am today.
After graduating from college, I began my career at AT&T as a Corporate Account Executive. During my time there, I made significant strides in corporate account acquisitions, working with major clients across various sectors, including Dell, Motorola, St. Davids, Seton Hospitals and Samsung. While I enjoyed the challenges and successes of corporate sales, I soon realized that the relentless grind and the pressure of constantly having to outperform every 30 days wasn't for me. I wanted to build something lasting, something that would allow me to be rewarded for my hard work month after month.
That desire led me to step outside the corporate world and start my own commercial landscape company, LandGrow Corp., specializing in maintenance, construction, installation, and irrigation. I found myself back outdoors, leveraging my talents to grow a business that quickly became one of the largest commercial landscape providers in Central Texas. With clients such as Blue Star Management (Dallas Cowboy Investments), Trammell Crow, CBRE Group, GreyStar and other top developers in Austin, we built a strong reputation and scaled our operations to employ between 80 and 150 employees during peak seasons. However, the rapid growth of the company eventually became more than a self-financed operation wanted to leverage. After 16 successful years, leading to a managed buyout during a regional consolidation period in the high-end commercial landscape industry.
Not one to rest on my laurels, I ventured into a new industry, combining my passion for fishing with my entrepreneurial spirit. I founded a company that manufactured and designed bass fishing soft plastic lures under the brand GrandeBass, LLC. The brand quickly gained traction and became a household name among bass fishing enthusiasts, securing direct distribution contracts with major retailers such as Academy Sports, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's, Pitman Creek Distribution and more. GrandeBass had become a regional and national success, culminating in another successful exit through a buyout by a larger national brand.
In 2023, drawing on my experience as a bow hunter and helping friends that owned ranches in South & North Texas, I began exploring the use of thermal drones for wildlife surveys. Knowing the massive downfalls by conducting many helicopter surveys myself, I quickly found this innovative and less invasive technology presented a new opportunity to help ranchers and hunters achieve accurate wildlife counts on their properties. By founding this new venture, I aimed to assist property owners in realizing the full potential of their land through effective wildlife management plans based on precise data rather than guessing, estimates and formulas. Our mission is to help ranchers, property owners, and hunters make informed decisions that lead to sustainable wildlife management and memorable experiences in the great outdoors. With our cutting-edge technology, we deliver wildlife count accuracy of 70-95%, allowing our clients to develop management plans that maximize the potential of their land. We offer a range of services tailored to meet the unique needs of each client, which you can explore further on our website. Thank you for visiting, and please feel free to contact me anytime with any questions or inquiries.
Jerry Shinn
Founder
DeerSkys, LLC
