Powersports Business October 2023 | Page 24

24 • October 2023 • Powersports Business www . PowersportsBusiness . com

ACCELERATE

SIMPLY RIDE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23
Brinkhaus hires around all core value . “ I want to know who you are as a person ,” he says . “ Are you a good person , do you have a love for this industry , do you have a love for your fellow human being and are you going to be a great teammate that ’ s coachable and that ’ s going to have a positive impact on the community and our organization ?”
HAPPY EMPLOYEES PRODUCE BETTER RESULTS
Brinkhaus says that it is critical to make every day about employees , as well as the job that needs to be done , to maintain a positive work environment . During the dealership ’ s weekly departmental meetings , employees share the best thing that has happened to them personally , and the best thing that has happened to them on a business level . During the weekly all-store meetings , employees share one good thing that happened that week , whether personal or work related .
The various responses are great conversation starters and help employees continue to get to know each other . “ You find common interests and you bond ,” Brinkhaus says . “ You have to balance the work with the human element . Your staff are people . When the people are happy , the work is better too . You sell more motorcycles when you ’ re happy . Crabby people don ’ t sell motorcycles . Employees get
Simply Ride of Eden Prairie , Minnesota , is the largest pre-owned motorcycle dealership in the state , usually carrying between 200 and 250 used units .
as - or more - excited as customers when they get them into the sport or help them buy the bike of their dreams .”
Formerly , quarterly employee events outside of work are planned . Informally , Brinkhaus explains that employees get together weekly if not every other day . “ There are always random groups of six to eight people that go out . I just got an email
today and a bunch of people are getting together and going out on lake Minnetonka tomorrow . That happens all the time .”
“ We do that fun stuff but above and beyond that , you could call anyone in this dealership , and everyone will without a doubt drop what they ’ re doing to help . We ’ ve seen it , it happens ,” he continues . “ And at the end of the day , we leave as friends and work through issues .”
Brinkhaus shares that he continues to learn despite being general manager for two years . “ People have been a GM for 20 years and they ’ re still learning . If you ’ re not learning you ’ re not growing ,” he says . And he is grateful that Cox continues to mentor him . “ Brian is one of the biggest mentors that I ’ ve had in my life . He is the reason that I ’ m successful today .”