While Jim Coble’s surroundings in sunny Clearwater, Florida may look and feel different than his modest upbringings in the Quad Cities, one thing has always remained true for the serial entrepreneur and visionary — originality.

After graduating from Davenport (Iowa) West High School, Coble attended the University of Iowa where he embarked on a career trajectory that would shape his future in unexpected ways. “I owe just about everything to the University of Iowa,” Coble says. “Without Iowa, I don’t have the connections. I was able to create a life and help a lot of people create great lives because of what Iowa gave me. To think a kid from nowhere, trailer court, Iowa, can end up like this is something.”

Coble has been named the John Pappajohn Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year and will be recognized at the University of Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (Iowa JPEC) Innovation and Entrepreneurship Honors event Oct. 11.

While at the University of Iowa, a seemingly casual conversation with a professor about his thesis project proved to be a turning point in Coble’s life. He had been spending more time exploring a trout stream in Cedar Rapids than working on his thesis. When he mentioned this to his professor, she revealed that she knew someone in the fishing world—Tom Bedell, owner of Pure Fishing, the largest fishing tackle company in the world. This revelation coincided with Bedell giving a lecture on campus and Coble decided to attend. Learning about the company that produced the very products he had grown up using, Coble realized that his future was in the fishing industry, not in a traditional corporate job back in the Quad Cities.

It was not long after that Coble landed his first job in sales with Pure Fishing. This role took him to Florida, a place he quickly fell in love with, and then back to Spirit Lake, Iowa, where he worked in product development and marketing. His journey with Pure Fishing provided Coble with a wealth of experience and knowledge in the fishing tackle industry, but ultimately ended up with him facing a new challenge after his then mentor Bedell sold the company. Coble, along with much of the original team, was let go.

Rather than view this setback as a defeat, Coble saw an opportunity. Inspired by the circumstances and driven by his desire to chart his own course, he decided to create his own company. No longer shackled by the limitations of an existing company structure, Coble set out to create an original concept in the fishing tackle market. The refreshingly modern brand 13 Fishing, whose tagline famously reads “Make your own luck” was born. While the competition followed the traditional models, Coble focused on innovation and creativity to unapologetically challenge the industry giants. 

Coble’s instincts proved right: Consumers weren’t afraid of something different and fell in love with 13 Fishing. Within a few years, the brand became the fastest-growing company in the fishing tackle space, gained global distribution, and won multiple major trade show awards for innovation. The brand set new benchmarks in product development, design, and disruptive marketing, thus establishing itself as a new leader in the industry.

In 2019, Coble took on a partner in Rapala VMC Corporation who eventually purchased the entirety of 13 Fishing. He then turned his attention to his newly founded venture, Coble Holdings, a hybrid holdings company focused on investment and developing new brands and products. “It’s our company’s mission to help others achieve their dreams this time.” says Coble. Through this venture, he works with bright minds to find solutions, invest in promising ventures, and create exciting new products and brands he explains. 

“I hope some way, somehow, I can help a kid down the road who will end up on that (John Pappajohn Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year) list, too,” Coble said. “Use me as a resource, use me as a network, use me as a Tom Bedell now.”

Coble’s story is a testament to the idea that big dreams can emerge from the most modest beginnings. From growing up in a trailer court in Iowa to becoming a leader in the global fishing industry, Coble’s journey exemplifies the power of determination, networking, and the belief that you can make your own luck. His success serves as an inspiration for others to follow their passions and create their own path in life.