By Alisa Clickenger
BACK TO SCHOOL!
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eptember is usually when all kids are back in school, and in the powersports industry this is a terrific time to take the time to look at our own learning. What has the previous season taught us? Where have we grown and need to adopt new practices and procedures to accommodate a crazily changing marketplace? Where have we failed to grow and where do we need to innovate to become our most successful selves both personally and professionally? At this time several years ago I found myself working furiously with a mentor to present a business plan for the MIC’s Gas Tank program. This is a terrific program that matches savvy powersports industry mentors with mentees who either want to build a successful business or take their existing business to the next level. Each year’s “class” of mentees builds a business plan with their mentor, then in a final competition at AIMExpo presents it to a panel of industry professionals. Building a business plan is a powerful tool for a business, either proving your concept or helping you to bolster your idea into a real business that will actually make money. In my case, I never would have met my motorcycle tours mentor Scot Harden of Harden Offroad, nor been able to leverage his years of wisdom for my own purposes had I not participated. Working with a mentor through the MIC Gas Tank program is a wonderful opportunity to gain access to a professional whom you might never have the chance to work with otherwise. Ginger Damon is another Gas Tank program participant. Her female-focused motorcycle apparel line Gigi Montrose Moto Couture is challenging the “shrink it and pink it” paradigm and offers women highly stylish as well as highly
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protective motorcycle apparel. Her mentor was Frank Esposito, and he brought her the knowledge to think critically and commercially in order for her business to be a success. Damon is now taking her brand to the next level and just became the first U.S. licensee (as well as first ever woman licensee) for DuPont Kevlar brand. Her fabrics will now come directly from authorized DuPont mills meeting the necessary protocol for CE ratings. Her focus is on the function and technical design built specifically for a woman’s body. Comfort, performance and safety are the hallmarks of the brand. Not all of the Gas Tank participants who went back to business school with their mentors were successful, but that’s not the point. Some learned that they needed a better idea. Some learned just how much work is truly required to launch a successful business. And some learned that it was best to keep their product or service as a side gig. The point is that they stepped into and through the learning curve, as we all continually must do if we want to expand and grow. We can all use more information and education in this season of learning. Make the time commitment to read all the pages of Dealernews, even those articles you may not feel are in your wheelhouse. Knowledge is power, and it just might be the key to your next success in business or in life.
Alisa is a two-wheeled world traveler, author, tour operator, and event producer. She has been featured in a variety of media outlets as a woman pursuing a life of adventure and helping others to access their inner wisdom and be free to lead lives they are passionate about. Her book Boost Your Confidence Through Motorcycling: A Woman’s Guide to Being Your Best Self On and Off the Bike became an Amazon.com #1 Bestseller. In 2019 Alisa was also named to Dealernews TOP 100 People in Powersports. Her personal mission is to empower women through motorcycling and adventure while being a strong advocate for the powersports industry at large. Alisa’s motorcycle touring company is www.WomensMotorcycleTours.com.
