Author: Matt Gruhn

Help MRAA Support our Industry

As businesses across our industry fight to navigate the landscape of federal stimulus packages, there’s an untold story you should be aware of.   That is that the organizations the government designates to support their respective industries — which in this case means almost every single one of the marine

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A closer look at March new boat registrations

When we turn on the news these days, there is a lot of data being thrown at us. And for good reason. With all the speculation about what might happen in the COVID-19 economy, data is needed to help us sensibly navigate our current reality. It also grabs our attention,

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“Way more interest in boats” dealers report

  In a news cycle that’s heavy with bad news, it’s important to underscore the positive things happening around the marine industry. And there’s a lot to take note of, so I thought I’d spend some time sharing what we’re hearing.   Little by little, politicians are noting the importance

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Dealers need more relief

As the CARES Act stimulus program was running out of money last week, nearly 60 percent of the boat dealers that responded to MRAA’s research reported that they had applied but had yet to receive their funds.   As noted in an early-April survey, close to 90 percent of boat

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5 Critical Issues Dealers Face Today

  Over the course of the last month, MRAA has been in touch with thousands of dealers, through one-to-one contacts and surveys that are keeping the pulse of their businesses throughout today’s market place. It became clear in week one that the top concern on their minds was their cash

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Re-Start With Your Why

  I’ve spoken at numerous events over the last few years telling the story of how author Simon Sinek’s “Start With Why” has impacted me, our team and our overall business here at the MRAA. The bulk of the message in this book, aside from the guide to creating your

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Can your SBA loan be used for floor plan expenses?

In our work with dealers over the last few months, the two biggest concerns they’ve had surrounding their cash flow challenges are, as one could imagine, their two largest expense categories: their people and their floor plan expenses.   With the stimulus package loan proceeds beginning to refill dealership bank

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Dealer loan applicants in holding pattern

Nearly 80 percent of boat dealers have applied for a loan from the Small Business Administration as part of the federal stimulus programs, but the vast majority of those who responded to a survey conducted by the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas report a lack of clarity on where

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