UpShift Consulting & Contracting

Finalized contract project. I managed Niner bikes' European sales, marketing, HRM, and operations. I achieved 150+ press appearances a year, while scaling sales,  warehousing and staff. The crew I led achieved a >600% €CAGR with order values peaking at € 1M a month while maintaining healthy margins.

Finalized contract project. GM/VP of Eddy Merckx Cycles USA business unit. I transitioned the brand from a consumer-direct EU to USA drop-ship model to a multi-channel, FCL import, domestic stocking model with 3FT staff and rep salesforce of 10. We achieved a 380% $CAGR despite the B2C to B2B unit value reduction inherent to the project.  

Current contracting project. Country manager France & Spain. Focusing on Business Development, OEM sales and Aftersales service management for Gates, while supporting efforts in the Benelux and other geographies as required.

Additional Bosch eBike EU business development for small OE customers, which is handled by Universal Transmissions.

Finalized consulting project. Organisational troubleshooting to tune up the export sales division. Project finalized with an organizational re-design: A sprint business transformation with the creation of a new customer-centric HQ-based workgroup to ensure export success. I led the analysis, troubleshooting and project design process, integrating input from key stakeholders we identified during the process to ensure ownership and project continuity.  

Finalized contracting project. 

Intermittent projects in which I assisted Huffy and United Wheels in tasks ranging from children's toy QC and rework, to forecasting launch sales numbers for new product lines on the European Marketplace.

Finalized interim management project. I set plans in place for a brand turnaround. Tasks involved organizational redesign & staff acquisition, P/M studies & product line rationalizations, Holding/subsidiary communication planning & cultural bridging, Margin & profitability analysis, strategic marketing planning, 3PL operations troubleshooting and management, 5 year vision casting with sales forecasting, and brand proposition redesign. 

Evolving project. I worked for 18 months in a contractor role, establishing export business in Europe, North America and Asia. I also attained notable global press exposure during marketing work for this innovative out-front mount and bike bell brand. In extension I offer strategy, marketing and product support as a consultant.  

Ongoing contracting role. I work with the Enviolo education team to provide dealer sales and aftersales (technical and workshop) training for Enviolo in Benelux and France; merging training with Gates Carbon Drive in most cases. I co-authored training materials and streamlined content to ensure multiple teams could stay on schedule during busy training days. 

Finalized contracting & Consulting project. Strategic marketing, Press Relations, Product strategy, and Events. Rationalization of overcrowded product line and repositioning to ensure optimal P/M alignment.  Generation of many column inches of media exposure.

Finalized project. European Area Management, helping Boyd expand its B2B and B2C business model into the European marketplace. I achieved several high-quality media placements for the brand in Video, editorial and test features,  with no budget beyond test product itself.  

Finalized project, in which I re-branded Velocomp, while developing B2C, B2B + OEM markets. My media relations generated notable global press exposure valued in hundreds of thousands of dollars. 

I have led rework crews up to 10 strong in multiple in-market product upgrade projects, replacing circuit boards on children's toys, and upgrading elements of bicycle drivetrain components. I have both designed workflows and followed provided protocols, updating tens of thousands of units.

Export business development implies sell in, but the real KPI in sustainable and self driving growth is sell-out. To attain global transparency requires strong customer relationships and consistent, trustworthy decision making. I can help finding a message and building behavior true to your core values - to find partners you can build with.

Scaling growth requires a handle on the array of tools at a brand's disposition. Manufacturing capacities influence marketing choices. Market situations influence choices about R&D. Dealer locations impact forecasting decisions. Let me offer you a multidisciplinary approach to success. 

Successful fan engagement requires more than just adverts. I can help plan your global marketing plan that still involves grassroots crediblity exposure. This  €1900 Niner trail sponsorship and press release gave over 200'000 exposures in print, digital, and video media channels; with lasting trail branding credibility. 

Every project requires a plan, and those are a challenge to make when a product or brand is new. I can help with forecasting tools, information, and experience. I have accurately forecast through short term 600%+ and long term 200% CAGR growth with 400+ product codes.  

Placing your product in the hands of the right publications for review, at the right time, in the right countries, is important when the goal is long-term, sustainable growth. I have helped partner brands achieve 200+ publications per year; generating these editorial column inches while executing operations and commercial plans, in parallel. 

 I can help you reach the right key partners; in operations, distribution, retail and more. I have managed and controlled 3rd party logistical partners; developing zero-error stocktake methods, improving dispatch request methodology to reduce picking errors, boosting administration efficiency and minimising order-to-3pl-dispatch times. 

    I have running small scale OEM purchasing accounts with multiple leading suppliers. This has allowed me to work as a satellite to brands, offering assembly through expert partners and full or partial build kit purchasing to equip these bikes.  Included in this was operations planning, box design, and dispatch shipping models included in the global business plan. 

Consumers don't like to read instructions, so products need to be as self-explanatory as possible. Especially when technology is new or disruptive. On executing user satisfaction checks I discovered that ROTOR Q-Ring users struggled to identify the subtle setup indications on the product. These orientation marks were amplified ; user satisfaction grew as a result.  

 I have overseen and executed multiple remote re-work and QC check tasks; from circuit board replacement in toys, to tolerance QC checks and re-approval of bike components at assembly facilities. This work included reporting to client and their customers, as required. 

 At stage one, your brand is what you tell the market it is. At stage two, having done stage 1 right will let the market confirm that.  Help me align your stage 1 to your brand, vision, and capabilities so that when consumers are the ones defining your brand image, it remains the same. 

Dont run astray thinking size is key. A well executed, smaller presence leaves a deeper, lasting impact. I have helped develop display products at multiple budget points, for sales  reps, retail marketing, trade shows, and B2B product pitch uses.

 Consumer direct, classic retail sales, and blended strategies require different approaches, investments and focus. Which is best for your product? I have worked in both environments, and in the grey space in between.