Always Pedal&hellip\;Never Coast\; How Erik Became the Bike Man
Speaker: Erik Saltvold\, CEO and Founder of Erik&rsquo\;s Bike Shop.
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The year was 1977: Erik Saltvold\, age 13\, started Erik&rsquo\;s Bike Shop in the barn of his family&rsquo\;s home in Richfield\, MN. \;He had one workshop and he was the only employee. Fast forward to 2010: Richfield is a developed\, first ring suburb and Erik&rsquo\;s Bike Shop has 16 stores in Minnesota and Wisconsin. He employs 200 people and the stores carry more than just bikes. \;
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In 33 years of business\, Erik has learned some valuable lessons on the bike path to becoming &ldquo\;Erik the Bike Man.&rdquo\; \;
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What to Expect:
A. \; \; \; \; Service\, Selection and Satisfaction. Repeat business is the best advertising
B. \; \; \; \; Product Selection and Pricing: The importance of buying the right stuff at the right time for the right price.
C. \; \; \; \; Systems are the key: Integrate systems into all aspects of your business. \; The investment will be paid back many times.
D. \; \; \; \; Memorable advertising: Stand out from the pack.
E. \; \; \; \; \; Culture: Create an environment where your customers and staff can share your passion for the business and the products you sell.
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Erik&rsquo\;s Bike Shop has received both local and national recognition. The stores consistently rank as the #1 Best Bike Shop in the Twin Cities by City Pages\, Twin Cities Sports\, MN Parent\, MN Women&rsquo\;s Press\, Tonka Times and more! Nationally\, Bicycle Retailer Magazine has recognized Erik&rsquo\;s Bike Shop as a Top 100 Bicycle Dealer for the last 5 years and recently voted Erik&rsquo\;s Bike Shop as the Best Bike Shop in America.
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In 2006\, Erik Saltvold was the recipient for the &ldquo\;Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Consumer Products.&rdquo\;
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