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Upshift Sports Consulting

UpShift Consulting & Contracting

Mission and execution

The mission of UpShift Sports Consulting is to help ambitious sporting or utilitarian brands scale themselves with shirt and long term projects; To share experience, methods, expertise and motivation to get to their goals. To help clients launch brand new products and brands, or face the challenges of international growth, product development and management, business process improvement, sales, branding and marketing. Either solo, or to empower their staff to achieve the brand's full potential.  

You will find examples of the projects and tasks I have worked on below. Executions of my mission have taken many forms; from hourly or daily consulting, to contract work and project management, through to execution of virtual satellite business units. The latter including broad scope projects covering staffing, Operations including managing 3PL partners, sales & aftersales services, marketing editorial/advertising/event planning & execution, and more.

Additionally I have offered full operations services including purchasing (with active small scale OE purchasing contracts) and assembly of parts into complete products, and designed and managed product rework projects of up to 10'00 units on site at client locations, creating protocol and workflows, then guiding crews I sourced through execution.

Contact

Current and past clients

Client project examples and results

Niner Bikes

Universal Transmissions: Gates CarbonDrive + Bosch eMobility

Eddy Merckx Cycles

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.

Eddy Merckx Cycles

Universal Transmissions: Gates CarbonDrive + Bosch eMobility

Eddy Merckx Cycles

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.  

Universal Transmissions: Gates CarbonDrive + Bosch eMobility

Universal Transmissions: Gates CarbonDrive + Bosch eMobility

Universal Transmissions: Gates CarbonDrive + Bosch eMobility

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.

Multicycle

Close The Gap

Universal Transmissions: Gates CarbonDrive + Bosch eMobility

Evolving project. Multicycle is a storied brand with 45 years of history. Having faced turmoil and setbacks in recent years, I executed a focused interim management contractor role to set a brand turnaround in motion and prepare for future expansion. I now offer continued strategy, product and marketing advice as a consultant.   

Close The Gap

Close The Gap

Close The Gap

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.  

Enviolo

Close The Gap

Close The Gap

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. 

Lintaman Shoes

Catlike Helmets + Shoes

Catlike Helmets + Shoes

Current project. UpShift Sports holds exclusive representation of Lintaman shoes in the European Union, Switzerland and the UK.  

Catlike Helmets + Shoes

Catlike Helmets + Shoes

Catlike Helmets + Shoes

Finalized project. Strategic marketing, Press Relations, Product strategy, and Events.

Huffy & United Wheels

Catlike Helmets + Shoes

Huffy & United Wheels

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

Boyd Cycling Wheels

Velocomp Cycling Analysis tools

Huffy & United Wheels

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.  

Velocomp Cycling Analysis tools

Velocomp Cycling Analysis tools

Velocomp Cycling Analysis tools

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. 

Rework project management

Velocomp Cycling Analysis tools

Velocomp Cycling Analysis tools

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.

My background

Shift gears and get ahead

I have forged a professional path spanning a broad scope of roles (engineering, operations, sales, marketing, general management, consulting) in 5 countries and in 4 languages.  The Netherlands-based UpShift Sports Consulting is my vehicle for helping others get ahead. How can I help your brand acelerate growth?

See some of my work

My cycling industry history

I started building bikes from raw tubes at 15. Truth: they were pretty average, but they mark the date I started building career experience. In my youth I worked in Dutch bike shops, and as I studied Mechanical Engineering Management I did an inside sales traineeship for a French bike distributor, and outside sales as a West Coast USA Sales Rep.


I graduated as an engineer and product manager at a Dutch bike manufacturer, where I developed and launched multiple products; most of which served 10+ year product lifecycles. In parallel I supported export sales & marketing, plus assisted with operations, implementing the first Asian-sourced items into production/planning. 


From there I made sales and marketing my main focus. On moving to  Spain I played a key part in the globalization of ROTOR Bike Components; adding global distributors and OEM customers while creating core marketing content that is still used 15 years later. As it was a small company I was able to build experience in a broader range of work, from patent texts, through managing pro cycling team sponsorships, to maturing a company into an experienced exporter.    Facing the challenges of chiselling a new market segment out through technologies the market had not previously embraced, we achieved an 8 year 58% CAGR during my business development tenure. 


I then moved my focus to running Business Units. Now working in the USA, I set up ROTOR's USA subsidiary in Boulder, CO, while building valuable press and industry relationships. I then moved to New York, assuming General Management of Eddy Merckx Cycles USA. There, I guided a considerable business model shift from B2C direct-ship to FCL B2B ops, leading a team to achieve a 2 year 380% CAGR through a ~40% drop in Average Sales Price due to our B2C - B2B transition. 


I now operate out of 2 primary locations; Arnhem in the Netherlands and Nice, France. An example of my recent results in Europe is a (now finalized) 2-year project with Niner Bikes, guiding them from ~€50k annual sales to order values exceeding € 1M a month. In this project, we achieved >600% CAGR despite challenging branding and customer service legacies left behind by previous European strategies. 

Contact me

Examples of concrete work + promotional snapshots

Broad spectrum,business development services

 Although I do offer much broader operations, sales, business planning, strategy, and more,  I have singled out promotional work. With business process content being more sensitive in nature, I have reserved most of that type of content for face to face meetings.  

Conceptual examples and concrete promotional work

 As such the remainder of this page includes more snapshots of previous marketing and promotional work and projects I executed alone or in groups (I don't pretend to know how to do everything, but can engage the people who do, in your project).  

Engaging my relationships & experience for your exposure

Examples of partner exposure.

Examples of partner exposure.

Examples of partner exposure.

Examples of partner exposure.

Examples of partner exposure.

Examples of partner exposure.

Examples of concrete skills & philosophies of work

Global sales development

Branding is more than advertising

Global sales development

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.

Growth = MKT+Sales+Ops+...

Branding is more than advertising

Global sales development

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. 

Branding is more than advertising

Branding is more than advertising

Branding is more than advertising

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. 

Forecasting

Your product in the media's hands

Branding is more than advertising

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.  

Your product in the media's hands

Your product in the media's hands

Your product in the media's hands

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. 

3PL scouting and management

Your product in the media's hands

Your product in the media's hands

 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. 

The butterfly effect in cross cultural, intercontental work

The butterfly effect in cross cultural, intercontental work

The butterfly effect in cross cultural, intercontental work

 Seemingly unimportant decisions made at HQ can have debilitating consequences when an origanisation has not yet grasped the culture, demands and behavior of important export markets. Being well versed in cross-continental business management and aware of culture and market behavior in many countries, I can help guide strategy and decision making with awareness of these risks. Empower your global image and avoid undoing work your own crew has done!

Trade shows: go big, not broke.

The butterfly effect in cross cultural, intercontental work

The butterfly effect in cross cultural, intercontental work

  Shows are critical for branding exposure but can quickly inflate in budget, operations complexity and even risk if you build them yourself or execute intercontinental planning. I have managed Eurobike, Taipei, Interbike, Sea Otter, US & EU Press events, TBW, Roc d'Azur and many more events from start to finish. I collaborated in the project management of this repeat use stand, cost ~€22k.  Other led-light alu structures with custom made product displays I have delivered came in below $8k. 

Product development and management experience

The butterfly effect in cross cultural, intercontental work

Product development and management experience

 With a background in engineering and product management, plus product experience in full bikes, componentry, electronics, software and more, I know how to properly prepare products for the market.  I have experence in both innovation push, and in existing demand fulfment philosophies, for products.  Let me help you bring your product to the marketplace successfully. 

P/M combo's

Product and brand evangelism

Product development and management experience

  Your product might be good, your price might be good, but if you're not aligning it to the latest developments in market categorization, you could be missing out. I have advised on price and identity corrections on multiple product types; resulting in turnover growth without product adaptions.  

Product guides and manuals

Product and brand evangelism

Product and brand evangelism

I have developed multiple product manuals and product collection guides for ranges where consumers and/or retailers struggled to grasp a production functionality and purpose. Also working with graphic designers to make them presentable.  Thanks to Morato + Infinito for the graphic design. 

Product and brand evangelism

Product and brand evangelism

Product and brand evangelism

In a marketplace with so many competing messages, finding your core, unique message is key to chiselling out a brand territory. I have helped multiple brands clarify their USP's and identity. Once that was done, I then bought that message to the media, industry and public. 

Start local operations & assembly

Start local operations & assembly

Start local operations & assembly

    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. 


Product ease of use is pivotal

Start local operations & assembly

Start local operations & assembly

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.  

Rework and QC tasks

Start local operations & assembly

Introduce and manage your brand

 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. 

Introduce and manage your brand

Introduce and manage your brand

Introduce and manage your brand

 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. 

Size isnt key - quality is.

Introduce and manage your brand

Size isnt key - quality is.

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.

B2B or B2C?

Introduce and manage your brand

Size isnt key - quality is.

 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. 

Choose your promo channel

Retail training + empowerment

Retail training + empowerment

 I know the industry's individual communication channels and the people behind them, helping you build a coherent and relevant story - that gets passed on. 

Retail training + empowerment

Retail training + empowerment

Retail training + empowerment

I have executed and developed full distribution and retail partner training programs globally, focusing on product, sales, techniques, and more.  

Point of purchase

Retail training + empowerment

Point of purchase

I have also worked with Retail Marketing paraphernalia; both developing it myself and supporting others in development. Key question: how does it make retailers job selling your products, easier?

Photography used in brand marketing

Photography and Social Media

Connect and contact

Drop me a line!

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Better yet, let's meet in person.

I am currently accepting new clients, and I am glad to meet in person. Drop me a line via the contact form to the left, or by meeting me at one of the events I'll be attending.

Upshift Sports Consulting

Rozendaal, Gelderland, Netherlands

Languages / Langues / Talen / Lenguages

I've moved around quite a bit, so am happy to communicate with you in the language you prefer. 


Feel free to contact me in English, Nederlands, Français, & Español. 


You can also write in German as long as you are OK with a response in English.

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