The end of an era.
In 2009 Woods Cycle Country joined a Spader Business Management 20 Group, and I made my first pilgrimage up to Spader HQ. Conveniently located in an old Mall here in Sioux Falls, SD. Our powersports business was in the depths of the great recession, and I was working harder than I ever had before, and yet we weren't making any money. The lessons I learned in those first trips up to Sioux Falls were instrumental in the transition of a small mom and pop dealership to one of the largest powersports dealerships in TX.
In 2016 I joined Spader as an employee (some argue that we are consultants/contractors), with a focus on facilitating 20 Groups (while doing my best to not get fired, which was always an option). While I thought I'd learned a lot over the last 7 years as a 20 Group member, the process of learning had really only just begun. Over the last 8 years, the knowledge and understanding I've gained is more than most dealers will learn in a lifetime. Not only did Spader have lots more to offer, but I also gained incredible amounts of knowledge from the dealers I got to work with.
As well as monthly 20 Group meetings, 3 times a year (in the early days, and 2 over the last few) all the facilitators came back to the home office. This was an opportunity to share what we'd learned with the rest of the team, pick up new ideas and learn about new tools. These pilgrimages back to the home office were not only an opportunity for each of us to improve, but also for the organization to improve. It's not easy getting to Sioux Falls, but we were all rewarded for our efforts.
2 years back, Spader Business Management was acquired by NCM Associates. While Spader was a big player in powersports, marine, and RV, we were small compared to what NCM does in the automotive industry. As I'm assuming that it happens with all mergers, there have been some bumps in the road. Spader had an incredibly strong culture and a unique way of doing things. In a best case scenario, a merger works to change the recipe, without changing the final flavor of the special sauce. It's not an easy trick to pull off.
After more than 20 trips back to Spader, I'm sad to announce that this will be my last journey back to participate in our semi-annual APEx. Moving forward, we'll be transitioning to the process NCM utilizes to keep employees updated.
It's been a great ride. I have no regrets. All of us long-term Spader team members are uncertain of what the future will look like. However, one lesson we've all learned over the years is that the dealers who are unwilling to adapt and change usually don't last very long. It's the same for us. As always, I'm excited to see what the future has in store for us old Spaderites.
Thanks to John Spader not just for the opportunity to join the team, but also for putting up with me.
Not that I update my resume any more, but if I did, Spader would definitely be in bold print.
#Spader #20Groups #NCMAssociates
