Our Story
Emerger Strategies was born from a love of the natural world and a deep appreciation for fly fishing. Our founder, Rick Crawford, grew up in Savannah, GA, exploring salt marshes, barrier islands, and coastal plains of the Lowcountry, but it wasn’t until he moved to Wyoming in 2008 that he became truly obsessed with fly fishing. The cool meandering rivers, abundant trout, and vast wilderness were a stark contrast to the saltwater landscapes of his childhood, but the connection to nature was the same.
That summer, while working at the A Bar A Ranch in Encampment, WY, Rick read Let My People Go Surfing by Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard. It was a revelation: business could be a force for good. That realization sparked a vision—to marry fly fishing and sustainability, using business as a tool to protect the places we love.
Rick’s journey wasn’t without challenges. He installed solar panels while living in Jackson Hole, WY, and worked at two sustainability startups—one in biodiesel, another in green building software—both of which ultimately failed. But those experiences taught him a crucial lesson: sustainability, for the sake of sustainability, isn’t enough. Businesses need real, measurable value. Sustainability has to make business sense. And that’s exactly why Emerger Strategies was created—to help companies reduce costs, strengthen their brands, and navigate sustainability in a way that drives success while protecting the planet.
Our Name
In fly fishing and entomology, an emerger is an aquatic insect in the critical transition between a nymph and an adult. It’s a moment of transformation, growth, and vulnerability—making emergers an essential food source for trout.
While learning to fly fish in Wyoming, Rick became fascinated with entomology, which also served as an introduction to systems thinking—a holistic way to understand how different factors interact within a larger system. Just as a mayfly, a sipping trout, and a river ecosystem are connected, so too are businesses and the environment.
The name Emerger Strategies reflects this belief in transformation and interconnectedness. We help businesses evolve, break through barriers, and emerge as more sustainable, resilient, and competitive organizations—proving that sustainability isn’t just good for the planet; it’s good for business.
Meet Rick Crawford
Founder of Emerger Strategies | Host of The Sustainable Angler Podcast | Sustainability Consultant for the Fishing & Outdoor Industry
I’m Rick Crawford—husband, father, nature nerd, and a fly fishing–obsessed sustainability consultant. I’m the founder of Emerger Strategies, host of The Sustainable Angler podcast, and the founder of the Fly Fishing Climate Alliance. My life’s work is to help as many businesses as possible adopt sustainable business practices to protect the planet we all love.
My obsession with fly fishing and sustainability started when I was living in Steamboat, CO, and Jackson Hole, WY after college. I was introduced to fly fishing and fell in love with the sport, but especially loved spending time in nature. At the same time, I wanted to pursue a career in sustainability, but didn’t know where to start, so I started installing solar panels (below: that’s me on the far right installing solar panels in Jackson Hole) and trout-bumming around the West before making a move back to Savannah, GA and ultimately, to Charleston, SC where I live today with my family.
After earning my MBA in Sustainable Business from Marylhurst University, I spent several years working in at a biodiesel startup, and then a green building software startup. Both startups went of business, so in 2016, I decided to marry my two passions—fly fishing and sustainability—and launched Emerger Strategies. Today, we partner with fishing and outdoor brands across the country, guiding them on their sustainability journey and helping them make the business case for sustainability. Whether it’s reducing costs, meeting retailer sustainability requirements, or building deeper loyalty with customers who care about conservation—we make sustainability simple, credible, and profitable.
I’m honored to have been recognized as one of the “fifteen people, places, and ideas forging the South of tomorrow” by Garden & Gun Magazine, have been featured in the Patagonia film DROP, and named one of “Charleston’s 50 Most Influential People” by Charleston Business Magazine. I also proudly serve on the board of The Sustainability Institute, and when I’m not working, you can find me on the water with my wife and kids.
I started Emerger Strategies to protect what I love, and I am humbled and grateful for all of the people and client’s who have supported me along the way. I am damn lucky to be living my dream, and I am loving every minute of it, so thank you to everyone who has made it possible.
If you’re a business owner who shares a passion for fishing, the outdoors, and doing the right thing—I’d love to show you how sustainability can help your company grow, lead, and make a lasting impact.
Protect what you love,
Rick