Before diving into the last 12 months, I think the only way to start is from the beginning...
In 1999 I quit my job as a Chandler police officer (10+ years) and opened The Helmet Harbor, LLC. First, from the safety of my living room, but soon out of a 600sf office I shared with another new company.
As my NAME spells out all too clear, my vision was to specialize in MOTORCYCLE HELMETS. Mainly online, but soon my local presents grew. After 6 months my wife left her job to help, after 12 months I was in a larger building and hiring my first employee.
As my company grew, so did the products I offered...
It only makes sense, right? I had super happy customers buying helmets, but they also needed jackets, pants, gloves, and luggage. I saw an opportunity to expand, and I took it. Soon The Helmet Harbor, LLC didn't match it's name when it came to the products I offered.
I lost sight of what was important. Not only to my company, but to myself.
Now don't get me wrong. In the last 12 years we've had 10's of thousands of HAPPY customers. It wasn't like our customer service went into the toilet because I brought on more products. What slipped was our UNIQUENESS...
I had grown my company into something that looked just like EVERYONE else. Sure, I had a semi-unique way of presenting product, but nothing stays unique long in ANY industry. Soon, it blends into the normal. No longer unique at all.
Where does a company, with 10's of thousands of products go once everyone starts nibbling at your heals? Well, first comes PRICE WARS.
PRICE WARS are really a sign that you've run out of other ways to sell VALUE. If it didn't register, VALUE. When uniqueness slips away, VALUE starts to take on the simplest forms. Slashing price is the easiest. Even the most brilliant minds crumple under the simple logic. "If I sell something CHEAPER than the other guys, I win."
Granted EVERYONE wants a fair price. Some (actually the minority in my view) want a STEAL. As a business owner, by nature you're competitive. If you loose one sale to someone with a lower price, it's a HUGE defeat.
The going rage right now is VIDEO. I'm proud to say that I was one of the first motorcycle companies online to embrace video, and YouTube. I published my first video on YouTube in July 2007. It had launched less than two years earlier. We all know what it is today... I started putting video on my site in early 2005.
TODAY you typically get one guy, who's comfortable in front of the camera, talking about EVERYTHING. It's obviously his main job.
HERE'S THE ISSUE TODAY. Yes, you know a great deal about the product, but what if you have a question beyond the video? Can you depend on speaking with THAT guy?
No longer is it someone who KNOWS the product. COME ON. This point can't be argued. How can you convince anyone that you honestly know a product when you're doing videos on 1000's of vastly different merchandise?
If you're looking to buy a $250,000 sports car, you going to head to a lot full of 1000's of different vehicles? Trucks $10,000 starter cars, dump trucks, hybrids, luxury sedans?
I can't speak for you, but if I'm going to spend THAT much money on something that specific, I'm going to seek out someone WHO ONLY SELLS SPORTS CARS. Better yet, ONLY SELLS the manufacturer I'm thinking at buying.
To be GREAT at something, you MUST focus on that ONE THING.
That's just me.
I mentioned PRICE WAR before. Now we have a INFORMATION WAR. A products features are rattled off into a camera, and now you, the educated consumer, are better prepared to make a purchase.
Makes sense, right? Information is power. Information allows you to hit that "Buy Now" button and spend your hard earned money.
GETTING BACK ON SUBJECT.
I had grown my company to a point where I had lost the personal connection with my customers. Yes, I did my best, but there was no way I could be everything, to everyone.
In April on 2011 I made the decision to drastically change how I did business. I had actually started in early 2010 by thinning down my product lines, but there just wasn't a way to make it work. At the core, my company was setup to be a larger company. Changes beyond simply cutting product needed to be done.
Thus The Helmet Harbor, LLC going into a mild hibernation. Plans were set into motion, and implemented slowly over the following 12 months. I took some time to not only reorganize, but also broaden my base.
I was honored to have been invited on a gold dredging operation in the out-back of Washington State.
I took a little savings and bought an investment property, taking advantage of the Arizona real estate market.
All along moving forward with hitting the PLAY button on The Helmet Harbor, LLC.
I now specialize in Arai helmets, having ALL the models on the sales room floor. If someone walks in looking for an Arai Corsair-V, or an RX-Q, I'll have it in their size.
IN CLOSING, I simply want to GREAT at one thing, not simply OK at many. That's my "not so simple" goal. Not everyone will understand. Some will prefer to go somewhere else. THIS IS PERFECTLY FINE. I prefer it this way. Those that choose The Helmet Harbor, LLC will be very like minded. Ideal for long term growth.
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