April 19, 2012

Thoughts on Year ONE

We have not posted for a long time, so.....

Our first ski season is in the books. With all time low snow fall in the great state of Colorado, Grace Skis did pretty well. We had a goal coming into 2011-2012. To be mentioned along with Colorado Ski Companies, like Icelantic, Wagner and Folsom. We achieved that goal. We had hopes to be mentioned and we were featured in the Westword and Time. We had athletes with character photographed and filmed, consistently placing Grace Skis in positive light. (Thanks to all those athletes, you are valued.) We went from a quick 50 LIKES on Facebook made up of family and friends, to over 700. 700 plus people, a majority we have never met in person. Most never bought a ski, they just enjoyed what we do and what we stand for. We sold skis to skiers in Utah, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Idaho, Texas, California and Colorado. Not to mention France and New Zealand. We are reinforced everyday by positive and negative feedback. We continue to listen.

How we did it...
1. consistency
2. honesty
3. customer service
4. solid product
5. reducing ecological footprint
6. making mistakes
7. learning
8. lots of help
9. bamboo
10. Staying true

Long story short, we hung in there....LONG WAY TO GO.

year one goal: be mentioned as a Colorado Ski brand......CHECK
year two goal: be The Leader in the "Indie" ski market

How we will achieve year two goal....

We will introduce the act of making to the public. We will continue to share, to be skiing philanthropists. The more we gave the more we received. Give more take less. We will introduce the process of making skis to skiers. they will engage in the product like no other product. When one has the "grasp" they can never let go. We can hear and feel the bamboo flex because the splinters are in our hands, we can feel the VDS rubber work in shear because we stretched it on the edges and wet it with resin. We need to spread this feeling. That is how we literally change the world one ski at a time. This process defines sustainability for Grace. Yes, eliminating 50% of our Eco footprint with bio resin is the literal way, but we are taking it into the Culture. We will teach the "tribe." We will positively change the ski builders by opening doors that allow for a deeper involvement in the process, creativity, critical thinking, safety, social interaction, resourcefulness, consumerism and risk taking. The product can't be the only "GREEN" thing a company produces. The learning and development of the tribe in combination with the product is "sustainable."  A company must combine the product/service with the customer and improve both, ultimately to produce profit.
product+culture+profit= "sustainable" or "green" ....lets just call it how Grace does things.

Task #1 to achieve year 2 goal:
Get a space to teach, build, linger, sell and promote Grace products and culture.

LETS DO THIS