www. PowersportsBusiness. com

Powersports Business • June 2025 • 15

For the past eight years, I’ ve had the privilege of serving as a trainer and consultant. But long before that, I was living it— running departments, managing chaos, solving problems on the floor.

MAX MATERNE

These days, my work is about helping others do that better. But today, I want to pull back the curtain on how I actually create the frameworks and training materials I use.

Most of it starts with an idea I can’ t shake— a metaphor or a pattern that wedges itself into my brain and refuses to leave. It might come from another industry, like how restaurants manage their flow or how hairstylists rent out chairs. Sometimes it’ s weirder— something from physics or fluid dynamics or a viral debate over a blue-and-black dress. At first, these rabbit holes felt like distractions. But over time, I’ ve learned to trust them. They’ re not detours, they’ re seeds.

These ideas live in my head like empty frameworks— vacant homes, waiting for the right tenant. I research obsessively, often late at night, knowing that eventually, something will click. Like the time I couldn’ t stop thinking about Dressgate. I read research papers and watched hours of video, until the real insight revealed itself: perception is shaped by context. That realization turned into a core training on customer psychology— how when a customer doesn’ t understand what’ s happening with their machine in service, they fill in the gaps with their own assumptions. And those assumptions usually don’ t help us. That process just happened again. For years, I’ ve been fascinated by the shape of stories, how the best ones follow a pattern that’ s thousands of years old. It’ s called The Hero’ s Journey. An ordinary person receives a call to adventure. They resist, but with help from a mentor, they cross a threshold into a new world. There, they face trials, meet allies, and fight enemies. They emerge changed, bringing back something of value to their ordinary life.

That structure had been living in my subconscious for a long time, until it finally found its hero: our customer.

They’ re the ones seeking transformation. They might be bored, burned out, or just looking for a new identity. They want something bigger than a transaction, they want a lifestyle. And we’ re just one of many possible paths. Maybe they travel the world. Maybe they take up pickleball. Or maybe, if we’ re lucky, they choose powersports.

Before they ever walk through our door, they’ ve already begun their journey. They’ ve watched videos. Followed influencers. Talked to friends. They’ ve begun shaping their identity as a rider or a boater long before we even know they exist.

And then one day, they walk into the dealership.

This is their innermost cave. The moment they test everything they believe about what this journey could be. They’ ve built expectations, some of them unfair. They’ ve rehearsed the negotiation in their mind, prepared to be disappointed. And if we’ re not careful, we prove them right.

But if we are ready, if we see the story they’ re living, we get to be the mentor. We help them navigate the ordeal. We guide them toward the reward. And when they ride away on their new machine, they’ re not just leaving with a product. They’ re returning with the elixir— the proof that they became the person they imagined they could be.

It might sound dramatic. But that’ s because it is, for them. What feels like a routine transaction for us is, for them, a transformational moment. The first 30 seconds in your store can validate their entire journey … or derail it completely.

And that’ s where this framework becomes more than just metaphor.

The Hero’ s Journey is often drawn as a circle. From 9:00 to 3:00 is the“ Ordinary World”— life outside the dealership. From 3:00 to 9:00 is the“ Special World”— inside our stores. Cut it vertically, and the right half is marketing. The left half is sales. Cut it again, and you get four stages: discovery, engagement, purchase, and experience.

It’ s a map. And when you learn to use it, you begin to see where your customer is— not just physically, but emotionally. You begin to meet them with empathy instead of assumptions. You show up as a guide, not just a closer.

So the next time someone walks into your store with wide eyes and cautious energy, I hope you see them for what they are: a hero, mid-journey. I hope you remember that the way we engage in that moment doesn’ t just close a deal— it helps complete a story.

Max Materne is the co-founder of Ownex. io, a platform that empowers dealers with tools that enhance customer experiences and drive growth.

BY HERMAN DEBOARD CEO & FOUNDER— HUVR

Before launching AURA, an AI system that interprets data from a wide range of sensors to improve marketing, safety, and security, I built three other businesses and consulted for dozens of tech startups. While I’ ve learned much throughout my entrepreneurial journey, five lessons stand out from the rest.

1. Empower your employees: Make the people who work for you your partners Writing here at my desk, I can’ t help but notice the framed motivational quote,“ As the tide rises, all boats rise.” It’ s here to remind me that a company is only as strong as its team.

The day I introduced an employee stock ownership plan, the change in the workplace atmosphere was palpable. Almost overnight, employees started coming up with innovative ideas, taking on extra responsibility, and going the extra mile. They were no longer just employees; they were partners.

When you empower employees with a stake in your business, you’ ll find that their efforts drive everyone toward a common goal. Your specific model of ownership will depend on the size of your company and your long-term goals.

Whether you offer stock options, employee stock ownership plans, or direct stock purchases, your objective remains the same: to align personal success with company objectives. Enabling ownership

lays the foundation for an engaged workforce that is genuinely invested in your company’ s mission.

2. Put character first: Your integrity matters As a business owner, it’ s easy to let yourself become buried in strategy, financial models, and market research. However, that hyper-focus causes some to lose sight of what they value most.

Amidst all the long hours and tough decisions, I make it a point to put my character and reputation first. By doing this, I’ ve come to realize that integrity is the one quality that has the most bearing on longtime business success.

In my mind, character is all about respecting the person sitting across from me. This simple principle has guided me through countless business dealings. When you treat a person with dignity, you make an impact. When you make that kind of connection, people tend to remember you.

Treating the people around you with integrity involves being a person of your word. When I say I will do something, I do it.

Being a person of character impacts the way you run your business. In the short term, you will be forced to make a few decisions that cut into your bottom line. Over the long haul, though, your integrity will pay off. People in the business world want reliability. When they know they can count on you, it opens doors and forges longlasting partnerships.

Character is not simply a moral ideal— it’ s a practical strategy that should inform every interaction and decision. As you consistently stand by your values, your company will build a reputation that stands the test of time.

3. Value your mentors: Aim for longterm relationships If I could give my younger self one piece of advice, it would be to nourish lasting mentor relationships. Early in my career, several experienced entrepreneurs took the time to point me in the right direction. The insights I gained from them proved to be invaluable. Years later, I realized what a mistake it was to drift apart from several of those connections.

While a mentor’ s insight is especially beneficial during the early stages of building a business, it remains valuable throughout your entire career. Your mentors evolve in their trajectory, just as you do. If you invest in these relationships, you will find that the effort pays immense dividends in both your professional and personal life.

4. Learn to recognize and regulate your emotions: Irrational decisions can derail your career We’ ve all felt our emotions run high during a negative feedback session, a disagreement, or a high-stress deadline. In my early ventures, I quickly noticed how unchecked emotions can cloud judgment and lead to poor decisions.

When you react emotionally in the workplace, your emotions have repercussions that stretch far beyond that single moment of frustration. Personal awareness is the first step in managing these emotions. Understanding your triggers— whether it’ s specific feedback, certain colleagues, or pressureladen situations— allows you to develop strategies for handling them constructively. Whenever I feel my emotions rising, I give myself a moment to breathe and process the situation. Often, I write out everything I’ m feeling as if composing an email, and then sit on that message for a few hours before eventually deleting it. This therapeutic venting prevents snap decisions borne out of anger or frustration. Once my initial feelings subside, I can usually understand the other person’ s perspective much more clearly.

5. Keep passion in your business plan: Do what you love Early on, I learned that starting and managing a successful business is far more than monetary investment and strategic planning. It was my passion for the idea that fueled my perseverance and inspired my innovation. Later, I discovered how that passion helped inspire not only my customers but also my employees and investors.

If you’ re going to do something in life, make sure you are passionate about it

Reflect on the activities you enjoy most. Once you know your interests, take internships, attend workshops, or start small-scale projects. Over time, your experiences will refine your interests and guide you toward a niche that genuinely excites you. When you find a way to align your professional goals with your personal interests, you set the stage for lasting success and satisfaction.

As someone who has navigated this path multiple times, I hope these insights will light the way for you as an aspiring business owner. Empower your team, prioritize character, cherish your mentors, manage your emotions, and— above all— chase your passions. The journey will be challenging, but it will also be incredibly rewarding.