Being an unconventional business underpins Mountain Bikes Direct’s massive success | #423

Jen Geale owns Australia’s largest and most unconventional mountain bike store with her husband Michael and another married couple … with a turnover in excess of ten million dollars a year … and she’s done it all from the comfort of her own home whilst offering exceptional customer service.

 

“I know deep down that if we worked 80-hours a week we would grow our business just that little bit more., We would make more money. We would be that little further ahead. But we’ve all made a conscious decision that that’s not what what we want.”

Jen Geale,
Mountain Bikes Direct

 

There’s loads more tips and insights just like this that will help you build that beautiful business of yours into the empire it deserves to be. Hit the PLAY button above to listen now, or subscribe free to hear the full interview. 

 

If you have questions about how to successfully run an unconventional online store then you’ll get this answers in this interview, including:

• Why did Mountain Bikes Direct close their bricks and mortar store?
• Why does being online offer so much flexibility?
• What was the point when the online business really took off?
• What’s the most effective marketing for Mountain Bikes DIrect?
• What technology is critical in running an online store?
• And plenty more ...

 

A little more about today’s guest, Mountain Bike Direct’s Jen Geale:

Jen Geale owns Mountain Bikes Direct, Australia’s largest selection of mountain biking gear.  She owns it with her husband Michael and two other business partners (also married to each other). She was named by Internet Retailing magazine as one of Australia’s top eCommerce superstars for 2018, and in 2017 was a Telstra Business Award winner, and was included in Smart Company’s Hot 30 Under 30 Awards. During our chat we cover everything from how she built Mountain Bikes Direct to an 8-figure annual turnover, her secret to amazing customer service (when they don’t even have a phone number to call!), how to work with your spouse and of course, what marketing is really working for them.

 

Here’s what caught my attention from my chat with Mountain Bike Direct’s Jen Geale:

1. I love how Jen’s challenging the way business gets done. No office. Staff all over the place. No phone number. Yet it all works.
2. I love how she shares the content creation around amongst her staff. And specifically how she has them rewrite the product descriptions and reviews, instead of just going with what the manufacturer provides, which is often dull and boring.
3. And I love how a key criteria for introducing new ideas and systems in to the business is to ask the question “Will this lead to a superior customer experience?”

 

But the marketing gold doesn’t stop there, in this episode:

• This week’s Monster Prize Draw winner is:
  • Jasmin Pearson from online clothing store Jasley

 

Resources mentioned:

• Mountain Bike Directs official website
• Mountain Bike Direct’s Google Reviews
• ‘Let my people go surfing’ by Patagonia Founder Yvon Chouinard

 

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May your marketing be the best marketing.

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