[quote style=”boxed”]The truth is, Outdoor Hub was an accident. I tried to create a pro-hunting league, World Hunting Association, and it bombed. Outdoor Hub was a morph and has turned into a worldwide success online, which is very cool![/quote]
David Farbman is the CEO and Founder of Outdoor Hub and Ag Hub, a principal in NAI Farbman Group and a lifetime hunter and outdoorsman.
In realizing his vision for Outdoor Hub, Farbman took his real estate experience and equated it to virtual real estate. Outdoor Hub and its sister site, Ag Hub, are now the internet’s largest outdoor and agricultural content and advertising networks, reaching millions of enthusiasts.
Since founding Outdoor Hub in 2006, Farbman has assembled the management team and corporate culture that is in place today. His current energies are focused on oversight of sales and technology operations, capital allocation and implementation of the company’s strategy and vision.
Prior to launching Outdoor Hub, Farbman served as CEO of NAI Farbman Group for six years. During his time at the Farbman Group, he was responsible for successfully repositioning the company toward an institutional and medical focus. He established Medical Real Estate Solutions, a specialized extension of the Farbman Group, and grew one of its sister companies, Huntington Construction, 400% during his tenure.
Among his proudest accomplishments are his efforts to revitalize the City of Detroit. He was instrumental in sparking the downtown Detroit residential market, converting five large multifamily projects. He also partnered in purchasing the historic Fisher Building.
Farbman is an active servant of the community. Currently sitting on the Executive Board of Young Presidents’ Organization, he has also served as a board member of DMC/Harper Hospital’s Board of Trustees, the Southeast Region Board of the YMCA, the Economic Development Corporation, the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, the Detroit Regional Chamber, New Detroit, New Center Council and Create Detroit.
Farbman is a graduate of Michigan State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Communications.
An avid outdoorsman, he attributes much of his success to that which he learned in the woods. He blogs weekly about nature and the pursuit of life. For more information, visit his blog at
What are you working on right now?
Where did the idea for Outdoor Hub come from?
The truth is, Outdoor Hub was an accident. I tried to create a pro-hunting league, World Hunting Association, and it bombed. Outdoor Hub was a morph and has turned into a worldwide success online, which is very cool!
What does your typical day look like?
There is no typical day for me, really. I start at 4:00 a.m., and I go late into the night when my wife Nadine and three sons (Hunter, River, and Fischer) allow me to. I do everything from creating innovative new projects and technologies, to blogging weekly about the pursuit of life, business and the outdoors, to spending time in New York City, L.A., Chicago and other major ad markets helping our sales reps close deals.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I start with visualization. Once my vision is clear, I enter a state where I rise above the issue at hand. I then identify my desired outcomes, shape the tactics it will take to hunt down and kill it, and then I execute in a heads-down style that is with incredible laser focus. I am all about achieving desired outcomes. I also make it a point to never confuse activity with results!
What’s one trend that really excites you?
Content and content syndication. We have become huge players in both, and being able to provide millions of outdoor enthusiasts with real value makes me super-stoked!
What was the worst job you ever had, and what did you learn from it?
Hagelstiens Bakery when I was 14 years old. The best thing I learned was how to treat employees, and they didn’t have a damn clue. I also learned how to kill a mouse with a broom. [Laughs.]
If you were to start again, what would you do differently?
I would have trusted my authentic style even more. It stops me from wasting time. A smart woman once told me, “If you don’t ask, you can’t get.”
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
I work in a state of consciousness. This allows me to stay away from my ego and, therefore, I seriously move the needle on my desired outcomes. I also work between 4:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m., and this peak activity period fuels me with an incredible advantage!
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
The World Hunting Association (WHA) is my biggest failure as I ran into a buzz saw of controversy and the thing totally tanked. I overcame it by removing my ego, rising above it, seeing the fragmentation in the online space for the outdoors and executing my ass off. From these efforts, Outdoor Hub was born—and oh baby, am I proud!
Tell us a secret.
I carry a shoelace everywhere I go and play with it. I looks like a rabbi when they are in prayer. It’s a visual tool, but sometimes I forget I have it out, and it can freak people out. It also sucks when it tangles around my steering wheel. [Laughs.]
What are your three favorite online tools or resources, and what do you love about them?
1. Outdoor Hub
2. Outdoor Hub Connect
3. Google Images
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
The one book that I would recommend to an entrepreneur trying to come up is The Five Temptations of a CEO by Patrick Lencioni. In a fable way, this book outlines the keys to leadership and how to handle power. Most people struggle with power and leadership.
Three people we should follow on Twitter and why?
1. Michael Waddell – Because he is my boy, and he is the Michael Jordan of hunting and one of the coolest cats I know.
2. Travis T Bone Turner – He is Waddell’s partner in crime and a total mensch! He also is freaking hilarious!
3. Josh Linkner – He is a lifelong friend, and we both inspire the heck out of each other. He also is my biggest fan and critic.
When was the last time you laughed out loud? What caused it?
The last time I laughed out loud was about 30 seconds ago. I don’t take myself or life too seriously. I believe in adding to the overall energy of the universe, and humor is a big part of that.
Who is your hero?
Well, it’s not Tiger Woods, but he is my favorite golfer. [Laughs.] I suppose my hero these days is either Dan Gilbert or Mark Cuban. I like the way they take risk and are so action-oriented. In general, I appreciate people who are passionate and action-oriented.
What’s the worst thing about business?
I freaking hate rocking a suit sometimes. I feel like I am at my best in a t-shirt, jeans and tennis shoes.
What is my deepest fear in life?
My biggest fear is not leaving a clean wake. I push myself everyday to live a life filled with love, passion and achievement, and when I leave this life, I hope that is branded all over the world!
Connect:
Outdoor Hub’s Website:
David Farbman’s Website: http://Davidfarbman.com
David Farbman’s Email: [email protected]
Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.