--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I started out in the duck-call…" description: "\"When I started out in the duck-call business, my college buddies would come in and say, 'Robertson, you have a college degree. What are you doing?' The..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc9/si-robertson-9422_away_when-i-started-out-in-the-duck-call-busi_1261612.jpg" --- # When I started out in the duck-call business, my college… ![“When I started out in the duck-call business, my college buddies would come in and say, 'Robertson, you have a college degree. What are you doing?' Then they drove away saying, 'What an idiot!' Thirty-five years later, they're saying, 'The sucker's a genius!'” quote by Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc9/si-robertson-9422_away_when-i-started-out-in-the-duck-call-busi_1261612.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc9/si-robertson-9422_away_when-i-started-out-in-the-duck-call-busi_1261612.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cc9/si-robertson-9422_away_when-i-started-out-in-the-duck-call-busi_1261612.jpg) > “When I started out in the duck-call business, my college buddies would come in and say, 'Robertson, you have a college degree. What are you doing?' Then they drove away saying, 'What an idiot!' Thirty-five years later, they're saying, 'The sucker's a genius!'” [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He recounts early ridicule for his career choice, later praised for success, highlighting perseverance. **In simple terms:** Early mockery turned into later admiration. Key Takeaway Stay resilient despite criticism. Themes career perseverance humor Mood reflective humorous Type narrative inspirational When to use this quote - starting a business - handling criticism - long‑term planning Key Concepts entrepreneurship social perception Questions to Reflect On - How do you handle doubters today? - What keeps you motivated after setbacks? A Different Perspective Success may still face new challenges. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/away/) [Buddies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buddies/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [College](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college/) [College degree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/college-degree/) [Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/come/) [Degree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degree/) [Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing/) [Drove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drove/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Five years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five-years/) [Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genius/) [Idiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiot/) [Idiot Thirty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idiot-thirty-4013678/) [Later](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/later/) [Out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/out/) [Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say/) [Saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying/) [Saying Idiot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-idiot-4013679/) [Saying Sucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saying-sucker-4013677/) [Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started/) [Sucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sucker/) [Sucker Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sucker-genius-4013676/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Thirty-five](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thirty-five-190371/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [At thirty-five, having spent over twenty years running varied businesses for my family, I decided to sit down and write my first novel. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/at-thirty-five-having-spent-over-twenty-years-running-varied/) [Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/) > [Bruce Sutter has been around for a while and he's pretty old. He's thirty-five years old, that will give you some idea of how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-fairly/bruce-sutter-has-been-around-for-a-while-and-he-s-pretty-old-he-s/) [Ron Fairly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-fairly/) > [By the proper intakes of vitamins and other nutrients and by following a few other healthful practices from youth or middle age on, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-pauling/by-the-proper-intakes-of-vitamins-and-other-nutrients-and-by/) [Linus Pauling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-pauling/) > [He was a manager, one of the singers, I guess talent coordinator for the local talent in Harlem. His name was Lover Patterson. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-e-king/he-was-a-manager-one-of-the-singers-i-guess-talent-coordinator-for/) [Ben E. King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-e-king/) > [I hated baseball. I really didn't like baseball at all until someone decided they were going to pay me... Every year I played in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kruk/i-hated-baseball-i-really-didn-t-like-baseball-at-all-until-someone/) [John Kruk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kruk/) > [Cheers to all those wonderful buddies!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-hathway/cheers-to-all-those-wonderful-buddies/) [Rose Hathway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-hathway/) > [I've about decided if it wasn't for the sex, I could be gay. Hell, then you're just hangin' out with your buddies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-engvall/i-ve-about-decided-if-it-wasn-t-for-the-sex-i-could-be-gay-hell-then/) [Bill Engvall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-engvall/) > [My buddies, we've always just tried to make each other laugh. I mean, just like all friends hanging out - that's the goal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-sandler/my-buddies-we-ve-always-just-tried-to-make-each-other-laugh-i-mean/) [Adam Sandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-sandler/) > [I've worked with Method Man and Shaquille O'Neil on multiple occasions. I'd never have thought. It's like, 'Oh, those guys. They're my movie buddies.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-moynihan/i-ve-worked-with-method-man-and-shaquille-o-neil-on-multiple/) [Bobby Moynihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-moynihan/) > [We're looking to help our guitar buddies do their thing while at the same time we try to create something we might enjoy listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-mastelotto/we-re-looking-to-help-our-guitar-buddies-do-their-thing-while-at-the/) [Pat Mastelotto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-mastelotto/) > [I've got a massive actor girl crush on Carey Mulligan, so I'd love to be buddies with her. She just oozes this joyful, natural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holliday-grainger/i-ve-got-a-massive-actor-girl-crush-on-carey-mulligan-so-i-d-love-to/) [Holliday Grainger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holliday-grainger/) > [They used to be buddies, I thought, they used to be friends, and now they hate each other because one has to work for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/they-used-to-be-buddies-i-thought-they-used-to-be-friends-and-now/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Some of our friends are our friends only because we used to be friends.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-of-our-friends-are-our-friends-only-because-we-used-to-be-friends/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [RULES BEAT THE BUDDIES,NEVER BEATS ITSELF](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kavinder-kanwar/rules-beat-the-buddies-never-beats-itself/) [Kavinder Kanwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kavinder-kanwar/) > [On 'Workaholics,' I feel like I'm just hanging out with my buddies being filmed, but on 'Mindy,' I'm around professional funny people who act.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anders-holm/on-workaholics-i-feel-like-i-m-just-hanging-out-with-my-buddies-being/) [Anders Holm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anders-holm/) ## More by Si Robertson > [“Hey, if you want something done right, don't ask me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/hey-if-you-want-something-done-right-don-t-ask-me/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [ People say, "Look, your book \[Tales and Wisdom from Duck Dynasty's Favorite Uncle\] is about tall tales." And I said, "No, you don't understand,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/people-say-look-your-book-tales-and-wisdom-from-duck-dynasty-s/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [Never insult a mans beard, you either get thunder or lightning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/never-insult-a-mans-beard-you-either-get-thunder-or-lightning/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [You can't fix stupid. You can't fix a neutered dog you can't fix a garage door and hey, you can't fix stupid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/you-can-t-fix-stupid-you-can-t-fix-a-neutered-dog-you-can-t-fix-a/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [One time, hey, in high school this girl told me, hey, its not you, its me.. Ofcourse its you, you dang HEFFER!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/one-time-hey-in-high-school-this-girl-told-me-hey-its-not-you-its-me/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [You can't teach an old dog new dog new tricks. Now,you can give an old dog new toys. And we've got one here!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/you-can-t-teach-an-old-dog-new-dog-new-tricks-now-you-can-give-an-old/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [“I'm the master of distractions. A couple of hand gestures and BAM! I'll pull the underwear clean off your butt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/i-m-the-master-of-distractions-a-couple-of-hand-gestures-and-bam-i-ll/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [I sting like a butterfly and punch like a flea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/i-sting-like-a-butterfly-and-punch-like-a-flea/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [Hey, I'm like Aretha Franklin, I don't get no R -S -P -E -C -T around here!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/hey-i-m-like-aretha-franklin-i-don-t-get-no-r-s-p-e-c-t-around-here/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [I'm so dope I'm illegal in 55 states](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/i-m-so-dope-i-m-illegal-in-55-states/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [First it's pretty tires. Next it's pretty guns. Then the next thing you know, you're shaving your beard and wearing capri pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/first-it-s-pretty-tires-next-it-s-pretty-guns-then-the-next-thing-you/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [Christianity is why the 'Duck Dynasty' family is still together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/christianity-is-why-the-duck-dynasty-family-is-still-together/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [We killed our own hogs, we killed our own beef, we raised our own vegetables, which Mama canned. We did live off the land.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/we-killed-our-own-hogs-we-killed-our-own-beef-we-raised-our-own/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [I've worn it to church before. Camouflage and the other clothes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/i-ve-worn-it-to-church-before-camouflage-and-the-other-clothes/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [Daddy had a farm - cows, pigs, OK, a big garden, OK? We did live off the land, and then we would supplement all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/daddy-had-a-farm-cows-pigs-ok-a-big-garden-ok-we-did-live-off-the/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) [Explore all 73 Si Robertson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) ## More Away quotes > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [I don't like being away from home. That's one reason why I don't work as much as I used to \[when I started my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-powell/i-don-t-like-being-away-from-home-that-s-one-reason-why-i-don-t-work/) [Jane Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-powell/) > [Some shows just go away - and that's fine. They serve their purpose and their entertainment value, but there are shows that touch people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cudlitz/some-shows-just-go-away-and-that-s-fine-they-serve-their-purpose-and/) [Michael Cudlitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cudlitz/) > [You just say the word, and I'll make the rest of the world go away. I'll take you someplace safe, where no one else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-vincent/you-just-say-the-word-and-i-ll-make-the-rest-of-the-world-go-away-i/) [Rachel Vincent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-vincent/) > [Who wants a stylus. You have to get em and put em away, and you lose em. Yuck. Nobody wants a stylus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/who-wants-a-stylus-you-have-to-get-em-and-put-em-away-and-you-lose-em/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I just think my own ambition would not allow me to sit on the gifts that my creator had given me. And so that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/i-just-think-my-own-ambition-would-not-allow-me-to-sit-on-the-gifts/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [Beauty fades away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/beauty-fades-away/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can't kind of take away, you either do or you don't. If you kind of take away something you're a failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-guare/you-can-t-kind-of-take-away-you-either-do-or-you-don-t-if-you-kind-of/) [John Guare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-guare/) > [We never think that our mothers will die. It was like suddenly an abyss opened at my feet - I was standing on nothing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-okri/we-never-think-that-our-mothers-will-die-it-was-like-suddenly-an/) [Ben Okri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-okri/) > [We all have time away from football to get our head down. At the same time it is a very busy schedule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reece-james/we-all-have-time-away-from-football-to-get-our-head-down-at-the-same/) [Reece James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reece-james/) > [If you take away the predators in the prairies and the national parks, you suddenly have an explosion of elk, and then you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-benchley/if-you-take-away-the-predators-in-the-prairies-and-the-national-parks/) [Peter Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-benchley/) > [“Please don't go away. You--you matter. To me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/please-don-t-go-away-you-you-matter-to-me/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [Our world is drowning in a sea of self-centeredness. You can make yourself quite unique right away by leaving this ocean of selfishness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/our-world-is-drowning-in-a-sea-of-self-centeredness-you-can-make/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > [“Why is it," she asked, snuggling closer, "that I so often imagine myself running away and running free?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-balogh/why-is-it-she-asked-snuggling-closer-that-i-so-often-imagine-myself/) [Mary Balogh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-balogh/) > [I do spend a lot of weekends on the road. I have to pace myself. It can be pretty busy, but I'm not out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sinise/i-do-spend-a-lot-of-weekends-on-the-road-i-have-to-pace-myself-it-can/) [Gary Sinise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sinise/) [Browse all 4,933 Away quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/away/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I started out in the duck-call business, my college buddies would come in and say, 'Robertson, you have a college degree. What are you doing?' Then they drove away saying, 'What an idiot!' 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