Uncle Ducky Outdoors

Demonstrating a fierce passion and commitment to their hometown roots, Uncle Ducky Outdoors offers customers from around the world a chance to experience the beauty of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Uncle Ducky Outdoors is proudly located in the Upper Peninsula, which holds a strong meaning to the owners who are residents from the area. Since 2001, they have provided everything an individual needs to appreciate the great outdoors. “We are a tourism company. We provide kayak and boat tours, and have unique lodging experience with campgrounds, a motel, a restaurant, and retail locations,” says Greg Scott, General Manager of Uncle Ducky Outdoors. The company understands the important role that attraction plays in a tourism town by providing a chance to experience what the Upper Peninsula has to offer.

To capture the beauty of the Upper Peninsula, Uncle Ducky Outdoors welcomes guests with many ways to explore the area. Individuals looking for adventure can participate in fishing trips, canoe and kayak tours, hikes by the Chapel River, and boat cruises in Lake Superior. Uncle Ducky Outdoors has a variety of activities that keep customers eager to engulf themselves in the lifestyle of a Yooper, while providing safari tents, yurts, tipis and primitive cabins and campsites for guests to rent.

Uncle Ducky Outdoors recognizes the U.S. Small Business Administration for their success. Greg shares that they “used the small business association to go over and plan budgets.” The SBA helped Uncle Ducky Outdoors “see where we had access funds and where we were spending too much.” Uncle Ducky's Outdoors noted that “when it came to expansion of the business, we have always done that in house.” And now, as a Michigan Celebrates Small Business “50 Companies to Watch” awardee, Greg mentioned their idea of success and how to strengthen it. “We have always taken our success and reinvested it so that it would flourish the business.”

This company consistently looks for expansion opportunities. With growth in mind, this company must “offer something that isn't being offered elsewhere.'' Greg further explains their philosophy by stating “our theory for expansion is finding ways for people to do and see more while they are here. We want our customers to get the full experience that we have to offer, while still being mindful when it comes to sustainability and taking care of the environment.” While Greg and his team are coming up with more ways to grow the business, Uncle Ducky Outdoors attributes their growth to social media and bringing awareness to the area. Social media immerses their viewers into the Yooper culture and helps them to attract a broader audience.

While growth is significant to this company, Greg appreciates cultural experiences that Uncle Ducky Outdoors practices each day. “Culture is a critical thing we have up here. The persona of a Yooper is what people look for when they visit. Everybody wants to leave urban environments and spend time in nature.” Culture is used as a building block of this company and will hold valuable meaning to them for years to come.

This small business remains dedicated to putting customers first and with critical support from the SBA, now has the resources needed to thrive. Uncle Ducky Outdoors will build upon their knowledge to help them grow while making company culture a top priority for them and their supporters.