JUNE 29TH, 2009
By MATT GRUHN
By MATT GRUHN
Is the worst really behind us?
You should know, as you begin reading this, that I am an optimist at heart. Problems phase me for only a moment. I look for (and usually find) opportunity in every situation. And I believe that good things will happen to people and companies that make decisions that reflect the best interests of the people, industries and communities they serve. Those general philosophies on life and business make it difficult for me to believe the many catastrophic economic predictions that author Harry S. Dent, Jr. suggests lie in our immediate future. Read more >>
Tags: Baby Boomers, Economy
By Mike Davin, Online Editor, Boating Industry magazine — My wife and I are aspiring boat owners. At least, I thought we were — until last weekend when she informed me it wasn’t worth the headache.
The nomination process built into the Top 100 Dealers Program is a critical component to the success of the ranking’s creation each year. We receive thousands of dealer nominations, and they help us find the dealers that are regarded as among the best by third-party companies. The nominations come in from boat builders, engine manufacturers, service providers — all sectors of the industry. And while we don’t require these nominations for our editorial team to consider a dealer that applies, they do help validate the character of the dealers we’re considering. Especially when they arrive as unsolicited testimonials from a particular dealer’s customer, as was the case with the e-mail I recently received from Kathy Kaufmann. 
As you may have guessed, trade magazines like ours are adjusting to the downturn right along with the industries we serve. As our company has tightened its belt, the Boating Industry staff has been asked to work much more closely with Affinity Group’s sibling publications. In fact, I just returned from a trip to Pittsburgh last night, where I was interviewing a Honda motorcycle, ATV and PWC dealer for Powersports Business magazine. 
It’s no secret that matters affecting inventory are highly sensitive subjects these days. Just this morning, as an example, we’ve had three e-mails cross our screens related to inventory issues. The first was a boating business service provider who said our recently released inventory management e-white paper didn’t drill down deeply enough. The second was an industry-leading dealer who suggested that the same publication was a great balance between the 50,000-foot and street-level views. And, finally, a powersports dealer who shouted: “Lord knows we can’t take any more hits at this time,” as he shared his trials and tribulations with an auction house that had scammed him out of some money. 
As evolved as humans are, there’s still plenty of evidence that we’re driven in part by animal instincts. Just look at our reaction to the threats posed by the downturn. Many of us, like possums, have responded by curling up and playing dead. We’ve cancelled all unnecessary activities, we’re spending as little money as possible to keep the business alive, and we’re waiting for the threat to pass. Others of us are like the big jungle animals. When we’re threatened, we stand taller, we beat our chests, we roar in the face of fear. But neither of those strategies has been very effective against this particular threat. 
Add another letter to the alphabet economists have created to try and predict the economic recovery. I was familiar with the “V-shaped” pattern historically followed during most downturns – a sharp decline followed by a quick rebound – as well as alternatives that more closely resembled “U” or “L” – the latter being a period of sustained stagnation. But some experts are beginning to believe “W” is the route our economy is most likely to follow on its way to recovery. (And no, that’s not some sort of slam on the guy who typically gets the blame for putting us in this mess…). 
By Chris Kourtakis, Owner, H20 Limos Marine Service — With the recent announcements of Chrysler closing up to 800 dealers and GM a possible 1,500 dealerships, will this hurt of help the marine industry? More people keep focusing on the negative, but as we all know there is a silver lining to everything. 
Over the past week, it has been hard for the marine industry to avoid the bad news. Genmar Holdings’ Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing last Monday – and predictions of more to come – has deflated some of the hope created by recent positive economic indicators. But regardless of the fall-out we’re likely to see as the year progresses, we know there will be many survivors. And one of the most effective strategies for survival is diversification. 
In my last blog, I mentioned I’d been thinking about how my martial arts experience translates into the business world, particularly today’s boating business. Here’s another example. I got schooled by a teenager last night during a sparring class. He happens to be a second degree black belt, one level higher than me, so I went into the match with my game face on. Early on, I caught him with a few well-placed hooks to the temple that had me feeling good. But toward the end of the match, I was getting tired and I inadvertently gave him several opportunities to clock me back. Instead, he pulled back, barely tapping me. 