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The Intrepid Entrepreneur

The Intrepid Entrepreneur is here to inspire those who are hell-bent on becoming a kick-ass entrepreneur, striving to level-up their business that they’ve started or are gearing up to launch their incredible ideas into successful small businesses! Join Kristin Carpenter-Ogden, founder of LivingUber and Verde Brand Communications, as she interviews inspirational, motivated, and kick-ass small business owners who have made their mark on the outdoor industry.
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Apr 29, 2016

On this episode of the Intrepid Entrepreneur Podcast, I’m talking with Andrew Batey, CEO of Spinlister, the global bike and gear sharing platform, and owner of eight (count ‘em) bikes.

Spinlister is a peer-to-peer bike and gear rental platform that connects enthusiasts in bike and outdoor with other like-minded enthusiasts. If you have gear that isn’t being used all the time, check out Spinlister.com.

There’s so much to learn from Andrew and Spinlister, and I invite you to drop in to this episode with an open mind. In it, Andrew and I discuss how to build a customer base via a digital platform and service offering, and the tough part, how to build and gain the end-consumers’ trust.

In this interview, Andrew talks a lot about the fact that in today’s economy, the consumer is driving. He also points out that people are on the hunt for authentic experiences. This is a critical takeaway for the active outdoor lifestyle markets to hold on to -- we’re passion-driven industries, this is something we know. Considering this through the customer’s vantage point is what Spinlister.com does very well and what we can all learn from.

Andrew is an avid cyclist and bikes to work every day. He knows what kind of experience cyclists like him are looking for, and so he and his team are building Spinlister to meet these needs. And because consumers are people and “tribes” can change, his vision for Spinlister is growing. In 2016, brands are as varied and eclectic as consumers. Don’t put your consumer in a box!   

Another great takeaway that Andrew offers is the fact that the best time to demonstrate the value of your brand to a customer is when things go wrong.

“When there’s a problem, that’s when the rubber meets the road,” he says. “It’s great when it’s great, but when it’s bad for somebody, we want to also make that great.”

Earning consumer trust is a difficult thing to do, but when consumers learn that your brand is there to help and responsive when something goes wrong, that goes a long way.

This episode has a TON of great intel in it - drop in and listen to it now and share it with a colleague or a friend who you think wants to learn more about how the sharing economy and the outdoor markets will merge going forward.

 

Bravery in Business Quote

“When there’s a problem, that’s when the rubber meets the road. It’s great when it’s great, but when it’s bad for somebody, we want to also make that great.” - Andrew Batey

(Click to tweet)

The Cliff Notes

  • It’s essential that your consumer trust you, but trust is a difficult thing to earn. All you can do is provide a lot of inputs for consumers to make the decision about if they trust you or not
  • When your word-of-mouth happens offline, it’s extremely valuable, but very difficult to track, and to amplify and facilitate. All you can do is try to add value to facilitate sharing
  • Spinlister wants to be the universal key to unlocking a bike, whether that’s renting for the purpose of a trip, or trying out a bike before buying
  • You have to be part of the “tribe” of your customer if you really want to connect with them
  • When things go wrong for a customer, that is your opportunity to really demonstrate the value of your brand by how you handle it
  • If you want to appeal to massive numbers of people, you need to create an ok experience. But if you want to truly connect with your specific tribe, you can create an incredible experience for them
  • Brands in 2016 are thinking about the ways that they can make their company as varied and eclectic is their consumers are. Don’t try to put your consumer in a box
  • Instead of one product, understand the common trends of how your consumer behaves, and meet those needs

 

“I can’t tell you what you value as trust. All I can do is give you a lot of inputs to decide if you trust me or not.” - Andrew Batey

(click to tweet)

 

Resources:

SpinLister.com

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