Give Yourself the Authority


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 that empowerment is something that must be done to us. We must have a manager-type empower us to make decisions. We must have a leader to authorize us to do something or to accomplish something. Someone that is not us must grant us the authority to make things happen.

I don’t believe this thinking could be further from the truth, and I believe that its guidance misleads many would-be leaders into thinking they have to wait for the signal — to wait for the message that someone believes in them enough to allow them to step up and create results.

At a time when we are striving to recognize young leaders in our industry and at a time when there’s a great deal of conversation about generational differences, I wonder if we’re doing a good enough job of encouraging and supporting our up-and-comers? I wonder if they feel empowered or if they’re waiting for us to fulfill the perception that someone must empower them?

At MRAA, we exist to support you, your business and your team with tools, resources and educational programs. We go so far as to say that our annual conference will engage, energize and empower you and your team to greater results.

But this “empower” is not about what MRAA can do for you or to you. It’s about making resources available so you can make the critical decisions. So, you can empower yourself and your team to be better today than you were yesterday.

I like to think of it as a challenge for myself, for my team, and for you and your team, as well: Give yourself the authority to do something incredible. Take control of your business, your career trajectory, your customers and the results that you desire to create.

Marine Products Corporation Ranked on Fortune’s 100 Fastest Growing Companies List

Nashville, Georgia – Marine Products Corporation (MPC – parent company of Chaparral and Robalo Boats), a leading designer and premier manufacturer of fiberglass boats, is pleased to announce that it is listed among Fortune Magazine’s 100 Fastest Growing Companies in the nation in 2018. The top 100 performers were ranked according to growth in revenues, profits, and stock returns over a three-year period and were chosen from more than 3,000 companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges. MPC is listed No. 73 among what FORTUNE calls “a roster of high achievers driving the global economy,” and is one of only two boating manufacturers listed.

“We are honored to be recognized by Fortune as one of the nation’s 100 fastest-growing companies,” said Buck Pegg, founder of Chaparral Boats. “Our inclusion on this list is a testament to our team’s successful execution of a disciplined and growth-driven strategy.”

Grow Boating and MRAA expand educational partnership

Grow Boating Inc. and the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas are renewing and expanding their education partnership, which began in 2017, the two organizations announced today.

Under the new terms of this relationship, Grow Boating and MRAA are developing marine dealer education and training to be offered online and at the Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, Dec. 9-12 in Orlando.

“The research we’ve conducted suggests marine businesses on the front lines of our industry could turn more first-time boat shoppers into buyers by understanding their unique needs and being well-armed to fulfill them,” said Carl Blackwell, president of Grow Boating Inc. “By partnering with MRAA, we can develop powerful educational resources that will give marine dealers the insight and tools to develop stronger relationships with these prospects and successfully guide them through a rewarding boat buying experience.”

Since its inception in 2017, the partnership between the two organizations has focused on leveraging the consumer research conducted by Grow Boating under its Discover Boating brand to create education that helps marine retailers improve their marketing, sales and customer service. The end goal? Creating and retaining more boat buyers by providing an outstanding purchase and ownership experience.

For the 2018 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, Grow Boating continues to invest in the success of the marine industry, sponsoring the MRAA Special Presentation with Marcus Sheridan, MDCE’s top-rated Pre-Conference Workshops, and the MDCE Show App.

 In addition to the sponsorships at the conference, the MRAA will produce a three-part e-learning course series: Grow Your Dealership with First-Time Boat Buyers, thanks to a grant from Grow Boating.

“At MRAA, we have a responsibility to help dealers adapt to the changing needs of today’s consumers,” said Liz Walz, Vice President and Director of Education for MRAA. “By partnering with Grow Boating to fulfill this responsibility, we can leverage the industry-specific data they’ve gathered to develop really targeted and actionable training to guide dealers to greater success.”

About the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas works to create a strong and healthy boating industry by uniting marine retail businesses, providing them with opportunities for improvement and growth, and representing them with a powerful voice. For more information, visit MRAA.com.

About Grow Boating, Inc.
The purpose of Grow Boating is to identify growth opportunities within the marine industry, and champion those opportunities through consumer communications, targeted programs, and by developing industry education and resources. For more information, visit GrowBoating.org.

The Path to Today’s Bottom-line Results

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 close, and she leaned in, focused and sincere: “We’ve really built this program to ensure that we can over-promise and under-deliver.”

The faux pas wasn’t lost on the group. We got a good laugh out of it then, and I still get a chuckle out of it when I think about it more than a decade later.

As author and sales guru Grant Cardone suggests in his book, “10X. The Only Difference Between Success and Failure,” even the culturally acceptable idea of under-promising and over-delivering is a poor way to capture business. Think about it. Let’s under-promise and tell our customers that the boat will float most of the time, so they’re surprised and delighted when it never actually sinks. How many more boats do you think you would sell?

In our demanding society, and particularly in a want-based industry like boating, where expectations are continually on the rise, there is still an easy pathway we can take to excel – to exceed all expectations and achieve a level higher in performance and quality. That pathway is to create better experiences for our customers.

A friend, who is the CEO for a fast-growing tech company, calls it the Amazon effect, noting that price, availability and delivery are no longer points to compete on. “So what’s left?” he asks. Brand and reputation … which are shaped by the experience you provide.

Experiences are today’s currency. Experiences – again, particularly in a want-based industry like boating – are what make or break our businesses and indeed, the success of our entire industry. How are you doing with the experiences you and your business provide? How is your team doing? And how do you know?

Several brief mystery shopping exercises around the marine and RV industries suggest that somewhere between 35 and 40 percent of the leads sent to our dealers are going unanswered. But not at your dealership, right? What does this tell you about the experiences our industry is providing?

Similarly, a recent study by AVALA Marketing Group showed that more than 40 percent of consumers who made it through the initial contact hurdle and have actually bought a boat never hear from their dealer again. There was no “thank you.” No, “how did we do?” No assistance. Just, “here’s your boat. And good luck.” Are you sure that doesn’t happen at your business?

If you want to excel in today’s market place, you have to focus on the experience. You have to make a commitment to creating world-class experiences and to over-delivering on that promise every step of the way. You have to exceed expectations. It’s not just a feel-good manner of taking care of your customers; it’s clear that this approach will not only set you apart from the competition, but will also offer you a long-term strategy with real-world, bottom-line business results at stake.

Technical Training Scholarships awarded from the Mass Marine Trades Educational Trust

The Massachusetts Marine Trades Educational Trust (MMTET) is very pleased to announce the recipients of their Technical Training Awards. This scholarship program is a new program offered in 2018 through the MMTET.  The program was established in collaboration with a $1,500 scholarship award received from the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas Educational Trust for this specific technical training offering.

As part of the requirement for the MRAA Educational Trust award the MMTET needed to match the $1,500 and award the scholarship funds to Massachusetts Marine Trades Association members.  The MMTET matched the scholarship funding and were also able to add another $2,000 so that we could offer 5 winners $1,000 each. The award winners were as follows:

  • Diesel Smith LLC – Dennis Port, MA
  • Goose Hummock Shops – Orleans, MA
  • Manchester Marine Corporation – Manchester, MA
  • Parker’s Boat Yard – Cataumet, MA
  • SK Marine Electronics Inc. – New Bedford, MA

Member Spotlight: Susan York-Duquette

 src=

As a marine industry leader, who has spent her whole life in the boating business, Susan York-Duquette understands the importance of honesty and fostering positive relationships with the individuals of her community.


Q: Since 2010, you and your husband, Rory, have owned and managed Lakeview Marine. What made you decide to take on the role of owner?

York-Duquette: I became the owner of Lakeview Marine after the sudden passing of my father, who owned a dealership in our location since the early 1990s. I felt a sense of responsibility to our employees and clients to continue the business and the services we provide. Both my husband and my mother are both important members of our staff, and the decision to keep the business going was truly because of their support and also based on my love of the industry and a desire to make my career in the boating business.

Q: What is the most interesting decision you’ve made while in the boating business?

York-Duquette: Interesting decisions I believe are ones that are made with more of the big picture in mind, and not purely based on profits. There is a lot of talk in the industry about our customer base aging, and the need to encourage younger people to get on the water. In our community, many people feel like if they cannot afford a boat, they cannot enjoy our lake. With this in mind, we made the decision to expand our offerings to kayak and paddleboard rentals. These rentals are not a profit center but we feel that it is important to give the people of the community more chances to enjoy our lake. I am proud to offer this service and we hope that through it, we may gain new water enthusiasts and future boaters.   

Q: We know that many of your family members can be found around the dealership. Do you have certain family values that carry over into your business?

York-Duquette: I grew up in my father’s dealership, and as a result our family was centered around the business in many ways. Today, my children already spend time interacting with our customers and employees. I always advocate for honesty with everyone, and expect that my children will pick up on that as they grow up. I feel that you “get what you give” and if you work hard and treat people fairly then good things will happen for you and your organization. I learned this from my parents in watching how they did business and built positive community relationships over the years.

Q: You currently sit on MRAA Young Leaders Advisory Council. Why do you feel it’s important that the younger side of the industry get involved with YLAC?

York-Duquette: I believe that it is very important for the younger people in the industry to get involved with trade groups because the future of all of our marine businesses depends on having a vibrant and well-organized advocacy group on our side. Issues are being debated on the state and national levels of government that will have direct impact on how we do business, and there needs to be a voice of the industry working on our behalf.  Also, there are many issues that are found in common in dealerships around the country, and by working together to face these problems and by learning from each other’s successes and failures, we will be able to better serve the customers. There is strong leadership now working on important matters such as ethanol, water access, and technician availability, and now is the time for the next generation to step up and learn from them, so we may take over those roles in the future.

Q: As always, we want to end with this… What are 5 things that people may not know about you?

York-Duquette:

  • My husband and I live in the house I grew up in with our two daughters (Raegan 5 & Sydney 3) and our American bulldog Linkin.
  • I am a big sports fan, particularly of the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots! (I know most everyone from outside of NE stopped reading here, but that is ok)
  • I have a degree in Sport Management and before I took over the dealership I was intending to have a career in the professional sports world.
  • I love to travel and enjoy exploring new places. We are fortunate to be able to travel for dealer meetings each year, and always try to extend one or two of these trips into a vacation in a new place.
  • Christmas is my favorite holiday! I love decorating and hosting gatherings for family and friends. It is the one time of the year I get to spend time at home!

 style= style=

Tell Your Boss MDCE Is Right for You

You’ve looked at the MDCE lineup and schedule and have determined the 2018 conference and expo is the right place for you to grow your dealership and advance your career. Now how do you convince your supervisor that this is the right training for you? The MRAA has developed a letter for you to deliver to your boss, helping you explain all the reasons you should attend, including which sessions would bring the most ROI to your dealership and what other events and activities can aid in your learning and networking. The template is laid out in a simple form – just add your personalization, turn it in and be prepared to discuss why MDCE 2018 will help you and your dealership flourish.

To choose your best lineup, read through all the material on the MDCE website. If you need further guidance, reach out to education specialist Liz Keener.


Dear Supervisor’s Name Here,

I’ve been researching the upcoming 2018 Marine Dealer Conference & Expo, which will be held December 9-12 in Orlando, Florida. I would like to attend the conference and represent our dealership at the event this year.

In particular, I believe the following sessions would allow me to learn more about my position within the dealership, how I can better serve the dealership and some best practices that I can share with the team when I return.

Those sessions include:

Session Name:
Session Description:
How I believe this could help our dealership:

Session Name:
Session Description:
How I believe this could help our dealership:

Session Name:
Session Description:
How I believe this could help our dealership:

Session Name:
Session Description:
How I believe this could help our dealership:

Of course, there are others I will attend as well, including the opening keynote, “Build Trust or Die in the New Economy” and the closing keynote, “Future-Proofing Your Business.”

In addition to gaining knowledge in the educational sessions, I plan to participate in the Dealer Roundtables, which will allow me to bounce ideas off fellow boat dealer peers and learn from their failures and successes. I also intend to attend all of the networking events with the hopes of meeting fellow dealers, speakers, industry advocates, manufacturers and suppliers in order to glean insight from them.

The cost to attend the conference will be the registration fee, travel expenses, additional meals not included in registration, the hotel and transportation within Orlando.

  • Registration: $449 for MRAA members, or $529 for non-members
  • Pre-conference workshop: $185
  • Flight: Varies
  • Additional Meals (lunch and breakfast are included Tuesday and Wednesday): $150
  • Hotel (needed for Sunday through Tuesday nights): $189.75 per night for a total of $569.25
  • Transportation to and from the airport: About $50
  • Total expense: Varies

Although this is a sizable expense, I know from looking at the session Walk Away Withs and from the variety of testimonials shared about the show that I will bring back ideas worth more than the dealership’s investment. The MDCE is designed specifically for boat dealers and their employees, which will make its sessions, networking events and expo hall especially pertinent to what we’re trying to accomplish here.

Thank you for your consideration. I hope we can discuss this more this week!

Your Name

NBSAC Holds 100th Meeting

The National Boating Safety Advisory Council (NBSAC) held its 100th meeting last week at the United State Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May, New Jersey. The council is comprised of Coast Guard officials, industry representatives, and members of the boating public and serves to provide invaluable advice to the Coast Guard on a broad range of boating safety matters.

 

Two new members joined the council during the historic meeting, 2017 Darlene Briggs Award recipient Wanda Kenton Smith and NMMA representative Nicole Vasilaros were sworn in on October 18th by Coast Guard Vice Admiral Dan Abel. NBSAC typically holds two meetings a year, usually in the spring and fall. Meetings are open to the public, and meeting times, location and agenda are published in the Federal Register. The Director of Inspections & Compliance (CG-5PC) in Coast Guard Headquarters is the Council’s Sponsor, and the Chief, Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety (CG-BSX) is NBSAC’s Designated Federal Officer (DFO).

For more information on the NBSAC, please click here.

Interior Seeks Nominees for “Made in America” Outdoor Recreation Advisory Committee

The National Park Service and the U.S. Department of the Interior is seeking nominations for individuals to be considered for appointment to the Made in America Outdoor Recreation Advisory Committee. The Committee provides advice to the Secretary of the Interior on the public-private partnerships across all public lands, with the goal of expanding access to and improving infrastructure on public lands and waterways. MRAA encourages qualified members to apply.

The committee will advise the Secretary of the Interior on public-private partnerships across all public lands, with the goal of expanding access to and improving infrastructure on public lands and waterways.

The committee’s duties include making recommendations on policies and programs that:

  • Expand and improve visitor infrastructure developed through public-private partnerships;
  • Implement sustainable operations embracing fair, efficient and convenient fee collection and strategic use of the collected fees;
  • Improve interpretation using technology; and
  • Create better tools and/or opportunities for Americans to discover their lands and waters.

The deadline to file nominations is Wednesday, November 21, 2018. Additional details about the submission process are available here.

Nominees must be senior-level representatives of their organizations. Submissions should be typed and must include a resume providing an adequate description of the nominee’s qualifications, including information that would enable DOI to make an informed decision regarding meeting the membership requirements of the committee and to permit the DOI to contact a potential member.

For more information, please contact MRAA’s Public Policy Manager William Higgins, william@mraa.com.