Snowboarding

A Good Snow Year Does Not Make Us Heroes of Management; A Minor Reality Check

Snowboarding, Strategy

1980- Michael Porter, the Harvard strategy Guru published Competitive Strategy.   In it, he discusses how industries change, and how companies have to change, as they transition from growth to maturity.  I want to look briefly at what Porter says stereotypically happens during this transition and see how it applies to the winter resort business. Like all […]

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Snowboards from Afar; The Potential Impact on Retailers

Retail, Snowboarding

In the early 90’s, when snowboards started pouring into the U.S. from the Austrian ski factories, there were claims that consumers wouldn’t accept boards labeled “Made in Austria.” Mostly, those claims were made by U.S. factories threatened by foreign production. If there was a marketing advantage to a board “made in the USA,” it didn’t last long,

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Changes in Market Focus; The New Snowboarding Reality

Industry Evolution, Snowboarding

Most of us are in a different business than we were a few years ago. Retailer, brand, manufacturer, or even consultant, our customers have changed. There are only a handful of companies out there that can say they are snowboard companies. Others have adjusted their strategies, or aren’t around anymore.  Remember the “C” word? Consolidation wasn’t just about a

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Hung Over, Jet Lagged, and Sleep Deprived; A View of the Industry from 37,000 Feet

Industry Evolution, Snowboarding

The specialty shop in Vienna was all snowboards and snowboard products. It was mostly last year’s stuff and was all on sale. Word was that financial problems were preventing them from getting new stuff. Over at a big Intersport store, there was just as much space devoted to snowboard products and the deals were just as good. I’d

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News from the North; Lessons for the Snowboard Industry from Canadian Resorts

Resorts, Snowboarding

Last April, I headed to Tremblant for the Canadian Ski Council’s annual symposium on the state of the Canadian resort industry. Naturally, my naïve anticipation of great snowboarding had nothing to do with my decision to go. Groomed hardpack with mud and rocks sticking through on narrow runs wasn’t what I’d expected. Thanks El Nino. At least it

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Specialty Snowboard Shops and the Industry Consolidation; Who Are They and What’s Happening to Them?

Retail, Snowboarding

Over the last month, I’ve stopped by eight or ten snowboard retailers in the Northwest. I talked to the owner, manager, or whoever was around and not too busy to talk with me. The number of stores I went in probably isn’t large enough to be statistically significant, the stores were picked based on my personal biases,

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