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Building a successful brand at 19 years old isn’t easy. Building one around creativity and authenticity is even harder.

Recorded live at DUX 2026, host Matt Harrison sits down with Colton Patterson, founder of Broken Bow, to discuss art, country music, entrepreneurship, and the creative journey that turned a niche social media page into one of the most recognizable brands in outdoor and country culture.

Colton shares how posting artwork inspired by old country music, hunting magazines, and rural traditions eventually led to a rapidly growing audience, partnerships with major artists, and a full-time creative career. The conversation explores the challenges of building a business at a young age, the importance of staying authentic, and why passion has to come before success.

Along the way, Colton talks about his love for duck hunting, growing up in Tennessee and Alabama, songwriting, social media, and the influence of family, mentors, and outdoor traditions on the work he creates today.

Topics Covered
  • The origin story of Broken Bow
  • Building a brand through artwork and storytelling
  • Growing a social media audience organically
  • Creating hand-drawn artwork in the digital age
  • Country music influences and collaborations
  • Entrepreneurship at a young age
  • The role of hunting and the outdoors in creativity
  • Advice for aspiring artists and creators
  • Staying authentic while growing a business

Listen now: www.ducks.org/DUPodcast
Send feedback: DUPodcast@ducks.org

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Creators and Guests

Host
Matt Harrison
DUPodcast Co-Host

What is Ducks Unlimited Podcast?

Ducks Unlimited Podcast is a constant discussion of all things waterfowl; from in-depth hunting tips and tactics, to waterfowl biology, research, science, and habitat updates. The DU Podcast is the go-to resource for waterfowl hunters and conservationists. Ducks Unlimited is the world's leader in wetlands conservation.

VO:

You're tuned in to the Ducks Unlimited Podcast. Conserving wetlands, restoring habitat, and working to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow, and forever. From field tested hunting insights to the biggest conservation wins across North America, This is your front row seat to wetlands conservation in action. The DU Podcast is proudly sponsored by Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails. Whether you're wrapping up a hunt with your best friend or kicking back with your crew, Bird Dog brings award winning flavor to every moment.

VO:

Enjoy responsibly. Alright.

Matt Harrison:

We are live here at the DU Expo twenty twenty six here in Memphis, Tennessee. Day two, Saturday. It's been incredible. And with me, I have very special guest, mister Colton Patterson with Broken Bow Colton. How you doing?

Colton Patterson:

Good. Good. How are you?

Matt Harrison:

Wonderful. Thank you so much for making the trip out to Memphis. First time. Right?

Colton Patterson:

Yeah. Yes, sir. Yeah. I've been to Nashville, though. But

Matt Harrison:

Nashville. Little bit different here.

Colton Patterson:

Little bit

Matt Harrison:

different Memphis. Definitely. Well, I wanna just talk a little bit about kinda your journey and your brand and kinda where you are now. I tell you, one of the coolest things about kinda what you've created is the brand that you've started, you you do it all by yourself pretty much.

Colton Patterson:

Yes, sir.

Matt Harrison:

And how old are you? 19. 19. Yes, sir. 19 years old.

Matt Harrison:

Has a company with over a million followers on Instagram, broken Broken Bowie. I'm sure you've came across it at some point. Unbelievable artist as well. Like, incredible. Incredible stuff.

Matt Harrison:

So I just kinda want you to talk a little bit about kinda how you got started, kinda how you ended up where you are today, and then we'll kinda go off into some other things. But just kinda give the listeners a little bit about yourself and how you got started.

Colton Patterson:

Yes, sir. Yep. Because I started back in high school. I was about 16 and was just posting my artwork and bunch of stuff that I'd found on the Internet, like about old hunting content or old music, mostly old country music, like old grandpa stuff I thought nobody liked. And it blew up to my surprise.

Colton Patterson:

I thought no one would see it because it's so kind of niche. Yep. And it found the right people and got us a good little audience to start off with and platform stuff that like the artwork, liked everything and just snowballed and dropped out of school. I was gonna go to college or I I think like finance or something like that. And just it's it's been a wild but really fun ride.

Colton Patterson:

It's been kind of scary, but So really great.

Matt Harrison:

Now you what's even crazier than all that, and you had told us on actually a work call that we had is you hand draw every bit Oh, yeah. Of your artwork, which is absolutely fascinating. If you haven't seen his work, which you probably have if you're on social media, if you haven't, look up Broken Bow on social media, you can see some of the stuff. But at what age did you kinda know that you were you had that ability to draw? Because, I mean, that's that's absolutely incredible.

Colton Patterson:

My mom taught me when I was I think I was, like, two years old. Wow. That's it's pay a lot more dividends than I thought I ever would. It was never, like, a real job thing in my head till a few years ago. Yeah.

Colton Patterson:

And then it just came my whole life. So it's incredible.

Matt Harrison:

So at what point did you really know, like, okay, I know for sure I can turn this into a livelihood and a brand that I can really make this work. Right? Because I know everybody, when you first start out, you're kinda like, maybe I need to kinda make sure I have a degree or make sure I get this for sure, you know, job that pays this or that. But at what point were you like, this I can make it with this?

Colton Patterson:

Oh, yeah. I mean, I had started super early. I was I think I was still 16 and just, like, had posted a few drawings and Joe Rogan followed the account. Wow. And I was like, oh, man, this is this is real.

Colton Patterson:

This is crazy. Like And my dad was super impressed, and he's always kind of been like, he's just very realistic about stuff. And he's like, okay. He's He's like, alright. Maybe you can drop out a so this is worth focusing on.

Matt Harrison:

No doubt. Wow. It's it's truly incredible just at how fast too. I mean, you're still only 19 years old. And, you know, some of the brands that you've already worked with is absolutely incredible artists.

Matt Harrison:

Like, I mean, you've worked with some massive artists as well, big brands. You know, it is is truly, truly remarkable. So take me into a little bit of the creative side. I know you can't tell all your secrets and all that. But

Colton Patterson:

There's not many secrets.

Matt Harrison:

How do you go about like, what's the inspiration? I know that you said, you know, your grandfather, the old, you know, country style music, kind of that vibe that a lot of people kinda, you know, lost sight of, but now it's really came back. Right? I think a lot of that's due to Broken Yeah. I think so.

Matt Harrison:

But kinda what is your inspiration? Like, how does that creativity start? Like, as an okay. Here's a piece I wanna do. Let's go after it.

Colton Patterson:

This it kinda always starts when I go through the old archival stuff I collected over the years. Because if you look at old media, man, like in magazines, there's so much more effort Yep. And kinda charm put into it. Like, I'll go through old hunting magazines, everything, Field and Stream

Matt Harrison:

Yep.

Colton Patterson:

Absolute favorite. And all the hand painted stuff, I just look at that really and try to make something that would fit in with those things just with, like, a little twist on it. For sure. Obviously, I like drawing skeletons. Yeah.

Colton Patterson:

Those aren't very old or vintage, but I I mix them together and it's kind of that contrast Yeah. That usually does it. For sure. But it's it's that level of quality that's really missing that I always try

Matt Harrison:

to Yeah.

Colton Patterson:

Like, go for.

Matt Harrison:

Would you say is your favorite piece that you've ever created? Like, is there one piece that really sticks out to you personally that meant something a little bit more to you or kinda, you know, blew up or anything like that?

Colton Patterson:

I one of the better ones would definitely be, like, one of the ones we made with Turnpike. Yep. Turnpike troubadours because that I mean, like, Lord Lori is that's how I named this whole company. That sounds Because I heard Broken Bow in there, and I was I didn't even know that was a county name. I was like, that sounds cool.

Colton Patterson:

I'll I'll choose that. So that was big full circle. But I think, like, the most the coolest original I've done is this one, this I'll fly away one. Yep. All the old hymn lyrics on it.

Colton Patterson:

And I love that one because it's just it's obviously, like, a kind of a entendre, like, playing on words 100%. With the Ducks flying away and the old hymn lyrics. And it really reminds me of my grandpa in that same vein because it's

Matt Harrison:

That's incredible.

Colton Patterson:

It's that same music and Yep. Style.

VO:

Stay tuned to the Ducks Unlimited Podcast sponsored by Bird Dog Whiskey after these messages.

Matt Harrison:

So roughly how long does it take per piece that you create? Right? Is it one of those things that you can sit down if you know exactly what you're looking for, exactly what you want, you can knock it out, or is it something you don't rush? You know, kinda what does it look like? Because I know me personally, I can't draw a lick.

Matt Harrison:

I can't I don't have any of that artistic ability, But I can imagine, you know, how much time and effort it goes into create something like that.

Colton Patterson:

It's like three hours to a few days Wow. A week or something. And and there's a big range of the whole thing depending on what I'm working But usually, I I try to never skimp on it because you always want put your best work to the full board.

Matt Harrison:

So is all this just drawn on a piece of paper and then Yes.

Colton Patterson:

Yeah. Paper, I'll paint sometimes. Really? All of the above. And, like, I've got a sketchbook.

Colton Patterson:

I kinda just wherever, pretty much. So so

Matt Harrison:

That's absolutely incredible. Is there any lofty goals that you have possibly that, you know, you wanna take this to a certain level, or is it you're gonna continue to kind

Colton Patterson:

Oh, yeah. Yeah. So Really? What I think you you can do if you have a talent and you got something that works is, like, you'd be remiss to just kinda stay Absolutely. Within it or not.

Colton Patterson:

Use it for all you can. Yep. And I think the fact that we have the attention of the people we do with such a good audience. 100%. Our goal is to expand a lot more stuff behind the artwork of it and get into media like this.

Colton Patterson:

And we already film a great deal of sessions with artists we work with, that we make artwork with. And that is just a way to kind of platform these people that maybe not everyone knows about or that are up and coming and are new. And that we can use the about million followers we have now to spread them out there. Yep. And get the word going.

Colton Patterson:

And that's been our first step into making it. Wow. Really just it's something a whole thing around the idea of bringing it back, not just the the art or the visual side of it.

Matt Harrison:

So how many people do you have helping you, like, from the marketing side or social media side or creative side as far as, like, you know, upload and flyers, grab whatever it might be for events, whatever. How many people do you have helping?

Colton Patterson:

Oh, we've got we've got two employees now through Wow. Social media Yeah. Just to run the actual marketing of the paid marketing. But, I mean, I I started that pretty alone and learned how to do it. And I was not good for a long time,

Matt Harrison:

but sure you are.

Colton Patterson:

I figured it out, and we've hired good people to Yeah. Manage all that because it's it's a lot of work to

Matt Harrison:

Oh, no doubt.

Colton Patterson:

Get it out there.

Matt Harrison:

100%. What is one piece of advice that you would give to listeners out there? Maybe they're young. Maybe they're little bit older. But somebody that, you know, maybe wants to get into that line of work or the even just the creative side.

Matt Harrison:

Right? You know, like, what is one piece of advice that you would give to a listener out there that may have hopes and dreams of being a Colton Patterson one day?

Colton Patterson:

Oh, yeah. Well, thank you for saying that. I I would always say to make sure that, like, whatever it is you're doing, you have to really make sure you actually want to do it. Yep. And that you're gonna be fine doing this, whether you're getting paid or not.

Colton Patterson:

Yep. You're probably not gonna get paid for a long, long time.

Matt Harrison:

And You better enjoy it.

Colton Patterson:

Yeah. And people people always forget that, like, things are tough no matter what. Yeah. And it's gonna be just as tough as, like, if you were starting out, like, your oil dredging.

Matt Harrison:

A 100%.

Colton Patterson:

Learning to be a master welder. Like Yep. It's just as hard as that. And if you don't like to do it You bet. You're gonna quit, and you're gonna wash out.

Colton Patterson:

It's gonna suck. So make sure you it's fun even when, like, the days come where you're not getting paid the dollar.

Matt Harrison:

No doubt. Well, Colt, man, thank you so much for taking time to just kinda talk a little bit about, you know, how you got started, where you're at, and some insight there. I know that somebody will find it useful one day. And, also, thank you so much for taking the trip Oh,

Colton Patterson:

I appreciate

Matt Harrison:

down to Memphis for the Ducks Expo. We gotta go explore a little bit of the showroom floor now.

Colton Patterson:

Yes, sir. Absolutely.

Matt Harrison:

Alright. Thank you all so much for listening. Y'all take care and God bless.

VO:

That's a wrap for today's episode of the Ducks Unlimited Podcast brought to you by Bird Dog Whiskey and Cocktails. From post hunt unwinds to celebrations back at camp, Bird Dog delivers award winning flavor to every moment. Enjoy responsibly. Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe, and check out ducks.org/du Podcast for more stories, science, and all things waterfowl. Guest opinions are their own and don't necessarily reflect those of Ducks Unlimited.

VO:

Until next time, stay fired up, stay focused, and stay tuned to the Ducks.