Every executive who has built a company from the ground up knows the truth: a brand is only as strong as the people who carry it into the market. When I was at Volcon, I had the privilege of assembling what I still call my Dream Sales Team, and Ken Cook was one of our superstars.
As our regional sales manager for the Southeast, Ken signed 53 Tier 1 powersports dealers in just 12 months. For a startup OEM with a brand-new product and no dealer network to speak of, that wasn’t just impressive. It was the kind of result that changes the trajectory of a company. And it wasn’t a one-time feat. Ken did it before with Mahindra, and he’s doing it again today at Denago Powersports.
So what’s his secret sauce? This month, I sat down with Ken to find out. We talked about what it really takes to build a territory from scratch, why the Southeast is its own animal, how a challenger brand earns floor space one unit at a time, and what dealers need from their reps today that they didn’t need ten years ago. Ken also had some candid feedback for OEM executives, straight from the dealer floor.
I’m proud to profile him this month. If you’re an OEM, a dealer, or a rep trying to build something that lasts, you’ll want to hear what he has to say.
Q: You’ve spent a big part of your career on the road with dealers. How did you get into powersports, and what kept you in the rep role rather than moving off the road?
A: I started my career in operations with Reynolds Metals and Alcoa, which gave me a strong foundation in manufacturing, operations, and business.
After that, I started my own business and spent 15 years overseas, working in importing and developing international supplier relationships. I initially partnered with a Chinese pontoon manufacturer, which gave me extensive experience working across cultures, managing relationships, and navigating the complexities of international business.
Over time, I realized that I genuinely enjoy representative and on-the-road sales. I like meeting people, building relationships, understanding their needs, and developing business face-to-face.
My children are all grown now, so I’m also at a point in my life where frequent travel is much easier. I no longer have the same concerns about being away from home and missing their childhood, which makes an on-the-road sales role particularly appealing to me.
Q: What does a regional sales manager actually do on a given week that most people in the industry don’t see?
A: When you build a dealer network from the ground up, the role evolves significantly over the first several years.
During the first six months, roughly 95% of your time is focused on dealer development — identifying prospects, establishing relationships, getting dealers onboard, and building the foundation for the territory.
By the end of the first year, the balance typically shifts to about 50% dealer development and 50% account management. You’re still bringing new dealers into the network, but you’re also spending more time supporting the dealers you’ve established.
By the second year, I would expect the mix to be closer to 75% account management and 25% dealer development. At that point, you have an established dealer base that requires regular attention, while you continue to strategically expand the network.
After the third year, the territory should be approximately 90% account management and 10% dealer development. One of the indicators that the territory is developing properly is when Tier One powersports dealers begin reaching out and asking for meetings. That tells me the rep and the OEM are executing the right processes, building market awareness, and creating demand within the dealer network.
At that stage, the job becomes much more about relationship management and problem solving. A significant portion of the day can be spent on calls and emails with dealers — working through inventory, orders, warranty issues, product questions, sales opportunities, and whatever challenges come up.
The goal isn’t simply to build a large dealer network. It’s to build a healthy network of dealers that are engaged, supported, profitable, and growing with the OEM.
Q: The Southeast is one of the most competitive powersports markets in the country. What makes it different from other regions, whether that’s buyer behavior, dealer culture, or use cases?
A: The powersports industry is ultimately about outdoor recreation and the lifestyle that comes with it. UTVs and ATVs have become a major part of that lifestyle, particularly in the Southeast, where there is a strong and established culture around recreational riding.
Southern consumers have a real passion for UTVs, and the Southeast has an extensive network of mud parks, trail systems, riding destinations, and family-friendly recreational areas. That creates a strong environment for dealers to sell not only the vehicle, but the entire recreational experience that comes with it.
For a dealer, that translates into more opportunities to sell units, accessories, parts, and service. For the OEM, a strong recreational market creates greater brand exposure, more dealer activity, and ultimately more opportunities for sustained growth.
Understanding that regional culture is important when developing a dealer network. You’re not simply selling a product — you’re selling into a lifestyle that already has a passionate and active customer base.
Q: When you inherit an underperforming territory, what are the first three things you do?
A: Evaluate, Mentor, and Train — that’s an important part of managing a dealer network, particularly with a startup or emerging OEM.
When taking over an existing territory, one of the first things I want to understand is how the previous rep actually managed the dealerships. Did they consistently visit and call on dealers, develop relationships, and create opportunities, or were they simply waiting for the phone to ring and an order to come in?
With a startup or newer company, that distinction is especially important. You may be responsible for seven or eight states, and building that territory requires a tremendous amount of windshield time. You have to be willing to travel, get in front of dealers, introduce the brand, develop relationships, train dealership personnel, and continually follow up.
Not every sales representative is suited for that environment. Startup sales can demand significantly more travel, persistence, and self-direction than managing an established territory. You have to be comfortable spending a lot of time on the road and understand that building a market doesn’t happen by waiting for orders to arrive.
Q: What separates a dealer who becomes a long-term growth partner from one who just takes a stocking order?
A: It’s very common with start-ups that some dealers are only interested in certain models. Denago Powersports actually welcomes this because as you sell through the first initial order, we know you’ll be open to other models that you were a little wary of at the beginning. I’ve had dealers start off with 10 units for their initial order and now I’m receiving 100-unit orders from them.
Q: How do you earn floor space and attention for a brand that isn’t the biggest name in the showroom?
A: Literally, one unit at a time. Quick turns, high margins, issues that are resolved, parts availability and service. This is what we’re doing at Denago.
Q: What’s the most common mistake OEMs make when they try to recruit dealers?
A: Not being prepared, lack of product, they don’t understand powersport partnerships, parts, service, admin issues, refuse to launch a dealer portal, lack of marketing, no channel marketing.
Q: Looking back at the Mahindra and Volcon days, what’s one thing you’d do exactly the same and one thing you’d do differently?
A: Both companies did a great job marketing their initial product, but neither company could add to their product line in a timely manner. Denago launched with ten models in the beginning and soon we’ll have 15 or 16 different models. All of my dealers have been impressed with our turn on new models.
Q: If you could give OEM executives one piece of feedback straight from the dealer floor, what would it be?
A: Quality, Price point, Margins, Parts, Service, Partnerships that support the dealers.
Q: What do dealers need from their rep today that they didn’t need ten years ago?
A: They need to hear information on tariffs, AI advertising and marketing, customer acquisition, social media algorithms, EV sales because it’s coming whether we like it or not.
Q: What’s the biggest untapped opportunity for dealers right now?
A: Quality opening price point. Don’t let three or four thousand dollars walk out of your dealership!
Q: What do you want dealers to say about Ken Cook when you’re not in the room?
A: I want people to say I’m honest, returns phone calls, solves problems, listens and most of all, I want to help them build their business and make money selling Denago Powersports products.
Till next time, shiny side up and checkered flags!
Melissa Coffey is a 2x PSB “Women With Spark” award winner and a longtime powersports and motorsports industry leader with deep expertise in brand building, demand generation, and growth strategy.
Powersports candidates are feeling the financial pinch of today’s economy, and it’s affecting how they evaluate career growth opportunities outside their comfort zone.
Relocations are near historic lows, driven primarily by moving and housing costs. While our dealership and corporate clients are open to providing relocation support, many candidates are choosing to stay where they are.
From 1986 to 1990, 35% of job seekers relocated each year. According to Fortune magazine, that share fell to 23% in 2000. In 2017, only 11% of job seekers relocated.
After the pandemic, relocation dropped even further as remote work allowed people stay put.
In my view, most gainfully employed candidates likely won’t look for a new job in the next 12 months unless the offer is just too good to pass up. They aren’t staying because they are 100% happy and fulfilled. They’re staying because moving feels risky.
That’s the market we’re recruiting from.
Many candidates bought or refinanced when rates were around 3%. Selling that home to buy a similar one at today’s 7.5% (Freddie Mac) can add hundreds of dollars a month to the payment for the same house. They aren’t turning down your job. They’re turning down the math. Can’t say I blame them.
Here’s how smart dealers are closing the gap:
Ask your top contender to provide a detailed relocation budget and do your best to cover most of those costs. If you feel they are “the” one, stretch a little further.
If a generous relocation contribution isn’t in your budget, offer what you can, plus a portion of the remaining balance as a loan to repay or forgive over time.
Pay third-party vendors directly. Don’t put yourself in a position to get burned.
Tap into your network to help candidates find housing that fits their budget and lifestyle, and consider a short-term housing allowance while they settle in. A new market is overwhelming; any help counts.
Offer flexible start dates that match the candidate’s move schedule.
In a nervous market, the biggest obstacle often isn’t salary. It’s fear. A top performer who feels secure today is being asked to gamble their family’s stability on a store they’ve visited only once.
Lower the stakes to reduce resistance.
A guaranteed draw or salary while a commission-based hire ramps up.
A written 30-60-90-day plan so expectations are clear before anyone signs.
A trip or two home during the first 90 days while the family packs.
Most relocations aren’t decided during the interview. They’re decided at the kitchen table. Roadblocks can include a spouse’s career, kids changing schools, aging parents, and a home they love.
At Action Recruiting, we help spouses revise their résumés, but your dealership is connected to your community. Use those connections. Introduce a trailing spouse to local employers, your banker, your real estate agent, your insurance agent, and business-owning customers. Connect the family with schools, youth sports, and a good pediatrician. Some of the best recruiting I’ve seen happened when a dealer principal made two phone calls on a candidate’s spouse’s behalf.
Not every hire needs to come with a moving truck. Since importing technicians is expensive, consider tapping into local tech schools, high school shop programs, and the setup techs and porters who already demonstrate mechanical aptitude. A structured apprenticeship program with a clear roadmap to becoming a master tech costs less than a relocation that falls apart.
I recently learned about an awesome tech apprenticeship program from a service manager I spoke with. It’s a win for everyone: apprentices start as porters, and the mentoring master tech is paid on both his production and the apprentice’s. Plant these seeds today.
The slow season is your recruiting season. While competitors focus on year-end inventory, top candidates are planning for the new year and what they want next. Start conversations now.
Candidates, these ideas are for you, too. If you’re considering a move, don’t hesitate to ask for relocation assistance, a guaranteed draw while you get acclimated, or a flexible start date. A serious dealer should be open to the conversation.
Talent still moves. It just moves more carefully, and it costs more. The dealerships winning right now aren’t always outbidding everyone. They’re solving the problems behind the “no,” including relocation costs, risk, and family.
In a high-cost market, the best offer isn’t always the highest. It’s the one that makes saying yes feel safe.
If you’d like to discuss solving your hiring challenges or accelerating your career, I’m just an email away at Jan@Action-Recruiting.com.
By Brendan Baker | Editor-in-chief
As powersports dealerships increasingly turn to artificial intelligence for marketing, customer communications, data analysis and other day-to-day tasks, new research suggests that getting value from AI requires more than simply adopting the latest tools.
A new report from SAS — a provider of advanced analytics, AI and data management solutions — found that organizations with stronger AI governance, data quality, oversight and accountability practices were significantly more likely to report strong returns on their AI investments.
While the study did not include powersports dealerships specifically — its 2,699 respondents represented several sectors across 28 countries — its findings offer some practical lessons for dealers using AI.
Perhaps the most notable finding:
97.2% of AI users surveyed said they override AI-generated recommendations at least some of the time.
The leading reason employees override AI isn’t necessarily because they know the recommendation is wrong. It’s because they don’t understand how the system arrived at its decision.
For dealers, that points to a simple rule for AI adoption: trust the technology, but verify its work.
AI can help dealership employees write marketing copy, respond to customer inquiries, summarize leads, analyze sales information, and perform other repetitive tasks. But employees should still have the ability (and responsibility) to review AI-generated information before it influences a customer or business decision.
The report also highlights an issue that should be familiar to dealership operators: AI is only as good as the information it receives. SAS found that only 17.5% of enterprises have a fully optimized data infrastructure considered mature enough for the demands of increasingly autonomous, or “agentic,” AI. Organizations with optimized data foundations were four times more likely to expect strong ROI from AI projects.
For dealerships, that reinforces the importance of maintaining accurate customer, inventory, sales and service data. An AI system working from outdated inventory information or incomplete customer records can produce confident-sounding answers that are still wrong.
The research also found that trust declines as AI becomes more autonomous, falling from 76% for generative AI to 66% for agentic AI.
That distinction could become increasingly important for dealerships. There is a significant difference between asking an AI tool to draft an email and allowing an AI system to independently communicate with customers, make recommendations, or execute actions.
Dealers should establish clear boundaries for what AI can do on its own and what requires employee approval. That could mean reviewing AI-generated customer communications before they are sent, requiring employee approval for pricing or sales recommendations, and assigning responsibility for monitoring AI-driven processes.
The business case for these safeguards is significant. SAS reported that organizations investing in trustworthy AI practices were 15 times more likely to report strong or high ROI from their AI projects — 62% compared with 4%.
The study also found that organizations with the strongest trustworthy-AI practices reported 1.85 times greater gains across 13 business outcomes, including revenue growth, cost savings and customer experience.
For dealers, the takeaway isn’t necessarily to slow down AI adoption. Instead, it is about being more deliberate in how AI is deployed.
Before giving an AI system greater responsibility, dealerships should know what data it uses, establish who is accountable for its output, determine when human approval is required, and track whether the technology is actually improving productivity, customer experience, or profitability.
AI may eventually handle increasingly complex dealership tasks. But the research suggests that the dealers/businesses most likely to benefit will be those that build trust and accountability into their AI strategy from the beginning.