A New Challenge: From Athlete to Executive
Ron Kiefel
General Manager
Wheat Ridge Cyclery
www.ridewrc.com
TAB member since 2007
On working with Blair Koch: “Blair is a no nonsense type gal. ‘Just tell me the facts and lets get to it,’ but she’s also compassionate. She has strong leadership skills, keeps the board on task, and keeps me focused on what I need to be doing.”
The client: Ron Kiefel is General Manager of Wheat Ridge Cyclery, a Denver-based retail bicycle store that was started by his father in 1973. While Ron was busy riding in seven Tour de France races and winning a Bronze medal for cycling in the 1984 Olympics, the store was managed by his father and brother-in-law. Ron took on an expanded role in the business in 2007 after working in various capacities upon retiring from professional cycling and serving as project manager for a store expansion which brought the space up to 30,000 square feet. Wheat Ridge Cyclery has 25-28 employees for most of the year. That number climbs to 70 during the busy summer months.
The business challenge: Ron’s sister and brother-in-law wanted to fulfill a dream of taking their children on a year-long trip around the world. That’s when Ron stepped in. “I initially let the business run the way it had been running. That winter I started looking at what I wanted to change, but I didn’t want to have to reinvent the wheel and do it all myself,” says Ron. I needed to build ownership and accountability into the organization but didn’t really know where or how to start.
On considering TAB: “I’ve always been a person who likes to improve and change and be challenged,” says Ron. Around the time he was beginning to recognize that he could use guidance and education from other experienced entrepreneurs, Ron met Blair at the Moab Century where he was giving a talk. He was intrigued by the fact that Blair asked great business questions.
The TAB experience: “It’s healthy having other business people to bounce things off of,” says Ron. “I’ll have ideas and the other board members will say, ‘well, you could do it that way, but . . . ‘.” Ron appreciates learning from other entrepreneurs and getting ideas about how they operate their businesses. “I see where people struggle and where they are now and I’ll say, ‘I want to be in that that place, where he’s at’.” Ron says that when he takes just two to three ideas back to his business from a TAB meeting, it makes the half-day investment worthwhile. He’s also found there is significant value in preparing for each TAB meeting. “A deadline forces me to work on the business, have reports done, and be constantly monitoring,” he says.
The results: Ron says he knew going in that there would be both soul searching and hard work involved in reshaping his business. “We re-did the books and accounting and I was guided on personnel issues,” says Ron. He learned better ways to develop and monitor a budget and look more strategically at key management decisions.
Ron is now talking in greater depth with his management team about the business, implementing key performance indicators, and revamping the employee evaluation process. He’s more focused on the culture of the organization. Training and education have taken on a higher priority, as has setting standards for staff. “Take care of your employees and they’ll take care of your customers. If they don’t, then they are employees you don’t want,” says Ron, adding that TAB has helped him become better about making tough decisions around hiring and firing.
“We’ve gotten some great information on marketing,” says Ron. A TAB sponsored marketing seminar helped him understand that most of his marketing time and money should be invested in existing customers. “Before, marketing was a thorn in my side. I was getting too tied up in the detail and needed to delegate,” says Ron. Today, he gives direction and goals to his Marketing Manager and lets him run with the ball.
“I’m more confident in my decision making and in what I believe is correct and not correct,” says Ron. He’s also more comfortable delegating in all areas of the business. Ron manages his team by letting them know what he wants in terms of outcomes and then gives them both freedom and boundaries. “I wanted my business to be successful and grow. Being in TAB is part of my tool chest, my education. It’s sharpening my business skills so I can take the next steps and measure success,” says Ron.
