Business Advice from America's Only Black-Owned Overlanding Shop
Don't overlook this philosophy that launched AV Overland Supply
Happy Race Day! especially to the F1 Academy and managing director Susie Wolff for launching the Discover Your Drive campaign aimed at getting more women and girls into racing.
It’s a bittersweet time for the growth of women’s motorsports as the all-women W Series entered administration last week, effectively folding the series. RIP to a truly groundbreaking program. The sport is better for it.
One Simple Business Tip from AV Overland Supply
There’s a lot of money to be made in the automotive industry.
Just ask SEMA, which represents thousands of aftermarket companies. According to recent research, the US aftermarket is now a $51.9 billion industry annually. That’s billion with a B.
But, like any business, starting out is hard. This week I spoke with Antelope Valley Overlanding Supply, which just celebrated a two-year anniversary in its Lancaster, Calif. location, to find out what’s working.
Owner Chris Phillip is a first-time business owner and AVOS is the only overlanding-specific shop in an 80-mile radius. That makes him the go-to for people exploring huge swaths of SoCal desert, including Inyo National Forest and Mammoth Lakes.
But Phillip doesn’t just rely on location. Here’s what he said is his key to success:
“You have to want to learn,” he told me. “That’s the top thing. If you’re curious, and especially if you’re passionate, then go for it. I’m always taking something in. When I get up in the morning, it’s like, ‘Okay, what are we learning today?’”
For Phillip, learning is an imperative. After all, he didn’t grow up off-roading or overlanding. Phillip is originally from Barbados, and lived in New York for over a decade before moving with his family to California.
When a friend took him off-roading for the first time, Phillip knew immediately he was in love.
“People don’t usually camp in the Caribbean,” he told me. “When people ask how I know so much stuff, I had to learn like anyone else. That’s part of my nature — always learning.”
Curiosity isn’t a new concept in the business world. It became an especially trendy buzzword after a pivotal scene in the series Ted Lasso caught fire:
Now, it’s common knowledge. An article in the Harvard Business Review called curiosity “much more important to an enterprise’s performance than was previously thought.”
And Phillip has found that admitting he doesn’t know everything, has helped him increase his knowledge by that much more.
“I get questions all day long,” he said. “Customers want those questions answered properly, so learning each and every product, and what to recommend and when, was part of the process.”
Learning isn’t enough all by itself. I asked Phillip for other principles he turns to when things get difficult. Here’s what we said:
Talk out the problem: “The worst thing you can do with a problem is not say anything. Talk to someone and that way, you can get a different perspective. It’s funny how easy you might solve the problem if you discuss it.”
Prioritize your attention: “It’s easy to get off-track. I might be dealing with five problems and spend my time on the wrong one. Right now I’m trying to source brand new products, that aren’t out yet and might not come, when I should be focused on what’s in stock. Stuff like that reminds me to stay on track.”
Personalize the service: “I let people talk and ask questions. Then I can help them figure out the best route to go. Everyone’s different. It comes down to helping them find what they want — a lot of times they don’t even know.”
Even with all these tips, Phillip and AVOS face difficult times.
In 2022 the Overland Expo, the nation’s largest overland trade show, expanded to four events and drew 77,000 attendees. But the show announced it won’t expand further, and Phillip has noticed the trend may have plateued.
“Ask anyone in this industry — at the beginning of the year we all felt a shift,” he said.
Increased corporate layoffs and rising interest rates have curbed people’s spending habits. Now, people who thought they were hardcore adventurers are finding the hobby difficult to prioritize.
Phillip worries about his ability as a small business owner to ride out hard times. But he believes the long-term plan will pay off.
“I’m trying to build a community with quality information and products,” he said. “If we can do that, regardless of what happens, we’re going to be okay.”
On The Block
Last week we covered the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This week let’s talk the auctions.
RM Sotheby’s sold over $21 million worth of racecars during the French classic, including an incredible lineup of ‘80s and ‘90s classics plus a $5.7 million Ferrari that looks like $10 million-plus in sex appeal.
This weekend, Barrett-Jackson hosts its Vegas event with a huge buffet of motorcycles and muscle cars to choose. B-J has courted young buyers in recent years but this lineup appears pretty conventional. Will keep an eye on it.
Finally, peep the Le Mans Classic 2023 offerings by Artcurial in France, particularly the ‘85 Aston Martin Vantage, the stunning ‘90 Porsche 962 C and the ‘93 Carrera RS valued between $240,000-330,000 USD.
We had one of those at our joint book signing last week (because we’re fresh like that).
And Finally…
Speaking of Victoria Scott, the journalist and author had a piece this week in Jalopnik on the history of women in the automotive industry. In many ways it’s a tough read, but a necessary one. Set aside time for it and let’s all promise to do better.
Drive hard and be safe. Black Lives Matter.
Race Day has subscribers in 33 states and 17 countries! Want your event included? Shoot me a note with subject line “Race Day” at ryan@carrarabooks.com.
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