Good thing I knew what I wanted… Because the sales person I worked with to get my new compact SUV didn’t know much about the product or the sales process. Here is my experience when buying a new vehicle recently. Be warned, this could be happening at your dealership. In the end of last year, […]

Did you do something different at your boat show(s) this year? How did it turn out? We created a different layout from our normal. We brought more pleasure boats and less fishing boats. We also put are higher dollar boats out front and center. Not toward the back. This seem to get more traction than […]

In my last blog, I wrote about the premise of Brad Staat’s book, Never Stop Learning. Because the knowledge we need to successfully run our businesses keeps changing, he argues, we need to keep learning. We now operate in a learning economy, not a knowledge economy. If we need to be continuously learning, then it’s […]

Educate. [ej-oo-keyt] verb. to provide with information in order to develop mentally, morally, or aesthetically especially by instruction for a particular calling or practice in a particular area for a particular purpose. When we were kids, we thought we had it figured out. First, you go to school to get educated. Then, you graduate and […]

What did your dealership accomplish in 2018 that you’re most proud of? In light of a record sales year, receiving several top industry awards, and signing on a variety of marquis brands, I think I’m most proud of the strides we made with our personnel. We’re now over 100 employees strong and in 2018 we […]

Engage. [en-geyj] verb. to come together and occupy the attention of toward a joint effort task or idea. A dealer friend found himself at odds with an employee today. His senior technician wants to be paid more — a common issue all the time, right? … but particularly in today’s growing economy and shrinking number […]

As a young professional in the boating world, he understands the importance of continuous improvement. Since his first job, Patrick Green has grown as a professional at some of the industry’s most reputable organizations.  Read on to learn more about how Patrick navigates the workplace in order to create a positive work culture. Q: How […]

Equip. [ih-kwip] verb. to provide appropriate provisions, resources, and preparations for performance or action. A lot can be learned about leadership in the dojo. To be a world class martial artist, you must be equipped with flexibility. Among other things, it allows you to deliver a devastating and lightning-fast kick to your opponent’s head. That’s […]

Empower. [em-pou-er] verb. to give (someone) the authority or power to do something. Make (someone) stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights.  In our business world today, where leadership and management courses, consultancies, books and countless other resources constitute a multi-million-dollar business, we can easily be led to believe […]

Excel. [ik-sel] verb. to exceed all expectations and achieve a level higher in performance, quality, or degree. It was a truly memorable moment of my career. The boss and I were out on the road sharing the concept for an all-new program, trying to create buy-in. The meeting had arrived at the moment of the […]