Adam Vernon, the Founder and Managing Director of Colorado Ski Furniture, shares his incredible story of how he turned a pile of old skis into a thriving and easily recognized business. With nearly two decades of experience, Adam discusses the evolution of his company, from a weekend stress reliever to a full-time venture that exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic. He details his hands-on leadership style and his philosophy of treating employees like family to foster a culture of low turnover and high motivation.
The conversation explores Adam's practical strategies for longevity and growth, including his aggressive approach to product development, where he knows many ideas will fail but the winners will stick. Adam also dives into his marketing tactics, emphasizing the importance of meeting customers on various social media platforms—from Facebook to LinkedIn—and not being afraid to test new channels. He shares how exceptional customer service, especially turning a problem into a positive experience, is key to creating lifelong, loyal customers
Takeaways:
- Embrace Experimentation: Don't be afraid to constantly try new things, even if you anticipate a low success rate. Adam launches new products regularly, knowing that even if only 20% succeed, those "winners" are what drive the business forward.
- Turn Problems into Loyalty: View customer complaints as an opportunity. Adam's philosophy is to do whatever it takes to make a customer happy when something goes wrong. He finds that these customers often become the most loyal and are most likely to return because the company fixed the issue effectively.
- Market Where Your Customers Are, Not Where You Are: As a business owner, you must get out of your own way. Your personal social media preferences are irrelevant; what matters is identifying which platforms your target audience uses and engaging with them there.
- Lead from the Trenches: Foster a strong team culture by being an active, hands-on leader who is willing to do any job, from cleaning the shop to handling difficult customer calls. This "all hands on deck" approach, combined with flexibility and treating staff like family, builds loyalty and reduces turnover.
- Gather Internal Feedback to Streamline Operations: Regularly ask your team which products or processes are the most difficult or time-consuming. This feedback is invaluable for identifying inefficiencies and deciding which products to discontinue, ultimately improving your bottom line and employee satisfaction.
- Listen for the Right Opportunity to Go All-In: A side hustle can be a great way to test a business idea with minimal risk. For Adam, getting laid off from his full-time job was the catalyst he needed to dive in with both feet and commit to making his passion project a success.
Quote of the Show:
- "As an owner, founder, you need to get outta your own way and realize you may not like any of these social platforms... but really, who are your customers and are any of them on there or are all of them on there? If so, that's probably a place you need to be."
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