Channel Mastery - Ep. 51: Teddy Schiavoni
“You need to step out of your own industry at some point and you need take a look at what it's like to be a consumer.”
- Teddy Schiavoni
EPISODE PREVIEW:
In this week’s show, I interview our “wintersports correspondent,” Teddy Schiavoni. Full disclosure: He had no idea he had an official title at Channel Mastery! But he’s earned it (and so much more) with his amazing insight and insider knowledge of snowsports, retail and the evolution of both industries.This episode is all about what’s happening NOW. We talk the HUGE news of the rising optimism in retail, REI joining Locally.com, the money and movement behind ski industry development in China, and the SIA evolution. If you come away with one message from Teddy, it’s this: participate! There are a zillion tools out there right now ALL aimed to helping us do better. [Hey! Channel Mastery is one of them, so you’re definitely earning a point for showing up!] Enjoy…
GUEST PROFILES:
Teddy Schiavoni
Teddy Schiavoni is a multi-hyphenate in the snowsports world, but his center is always grounded in specialty retail. He owns the award-winning Summit Ski and Snowboard Shop, a two-store chain in Massachusetts, together with his wife. He is the president and founder of Slope, Style, Life, a snowsports consulting firm.
He is an advocate, an innovator, and a force of nature in snowsports industry, who has actively served on boards and leadership positions. Currently, he is chairman of the Retail Advisory Board for the Snowsports Industries of America (SIA); chairman-elect for the National Ski and Snowboard Retailers Association (NSSRA); on the product council for SMC; and contributes to product development and marketing councils across the industry. He is also a partner (with Mike Massey) in Locally.com.
SELECT QUOTES
“You need to step out of your own industry at some point and you need take a look at what it's like to be a consumer.”
“It's not all just about two day shipping, or free shipping, or putting it on my doorstep. It's about all of these other ways that you can get a product in hand.”
“[REI has taken] an interesting leadership role: really taking a stand in what they believe in and their ethos. They're encouraging people to shop with them who share this ideology.”
“Because [snowsports retail has] lost so many doors, the brands really have stepped it up and are stepping it up to engage these retailers to help them be better at what they do and serve consumers.”
“The most simple thing that a retailer can do to really strengthen their presence, and this is going to sound crazy, but use the UPCs.”
“Again, you really need to play at the level and speak the language of today's modern consumerism.”