MotorSports ConneXtions
If
you think high gas prices, environmental impacts, cautious
consumer spending and old friends separated by nearly 6000 miles
are business obstacles, then you should talk to Lisa Knowles,
CEO of MotorSports ConneXtions, a new importer-distributor of
motor scooters in Clermont, Florida.
“I’ve had this
friend in Hawaii for the past 20 years,” says Knowles, “and we
discussed many times about going into business but the timing
just wasn’t right.” That all changed in July 2008, when Lisa,
her husband Russ, and their friend Joe in Hawaii, pooled their
limited resources to put a deposit on a ship container full of
motor scooters - some 44 bikes in total. That’s when Knowles
contacted the SBDC at UCF’s Gene Romagna, area manager for Lake
& Sumter Counties. “She was one determined professional”,
Romagna recalls, “and she wanted to ‘do it right’ from the
start.” Knowles immediately started in on a business plan and
what the proper legal structure would be for the company. “We
weren't sure how we were going to sell the product as it seemed
difficult, so I discussed our options with Gene. With his
(Romagna’s) help, getting his input and his direction to various
web sites to research as to what was best for us, we settled on
being a distributor.” They filed with the State for a
distributorship in late November, the scooter shipment arrived
Thanksgiving weekend.
Determined to make
it work, Knowles continued to work with customs brokers and
trucking companies to successfully get the products to their
rented storage facility. There were also other necessary items
to complete including working with state offices for a
distributor license, drumming up potential dealers, creating
contracts and advertising pieces, and getting a harder than
expected “MCO” (manufacturer certificate of origin) document. By
early February 2009, MotorSports ConneXtions received their
approved license to distribute motor vehicles in the State of
Florida and have six dealers with more on the way.
“Gene was always
there by phone and email to help lead us in the directions we
needed to go, including working with the state and the folks in
Tallahassee,” says Knowles. “You just knew this was going to
work from the start,” says Romagna. “Success was the only option
for her positive attitude and hard work.” MotorSports
ConneXtions recently co-opted with a dealer to run a TV
commercial that will be airing in the greater Lake County area
over the next few weeks. Additionally, Knowles is looking
to bring on another manufacturer with 3 more scooters styles
along with after-market parts. So, keep your eyes and ears open
when driving in central Florida. You just may catch Lisa Knowles
“scootering” to one of her dealers. |
“We weren't
sure how we were going to sell the product as it seemed
difficult, so I discussed our options with [the SBDC at UCF]."
Lisa Knowles
MotorSports ConneXtions
Clermont
| 
SBDC