As a lifelong Chicagoan, entrepreneur, and real estate broker, I love everything about this city...but the one thing that makes Chicago so great is the amazing people. On this weekly podcast, We want to pull back the curtain and introduce you to some of the sharpest minds in business, education, and politics so that you can learn how to scale your business faster and more efficiently and achieve greater success in your professional and personal life! You are going to learn from some of the highest-paid experts, entrepreneurs, and business leaders about their specific tactics, strategies, and insider tips on leadership, leverage, technology, hiring, and building an amazing culture so that you can create the success and the change you’ve been looking for. I’m Young Lee…. Welcome to the Success Game. Also, be sure to subscribe, if you haven't already, so every podcast gets sent straight to you and you don't have to go searching for it! See you next week on the Success Game!
https://younglee.captivate.fm
episode 32: Turning Passion into Profit: The Journey of Gear West's Jan Guenther
What does it look like to follow your passion and turn that passion into a successful business that has lasted several decades?
This is the inspiring story of Jan Guenther, the owner of GearWest ( a specialty store focusing on cross-country skis, nordic skis, running, biking, apparel, and accessories).
Discover how Jan took the leap from working all day and going to business school at night to starting her own bike store.
Appreciate her insights on how Jan learned all she could about the outdoor sports industry by getting involved in the sports she was selling gear for. And resonate with her solid appreciation for the crucial role the customer plays in your business and how to take good care of them.
How did Jan get the word out there about her business in a pre-Internet time? What would Jan do differently if she could start over? And how did Jan succeed as a woman in such a male-dominated industry?
Young asks some probing questions of Jan that take us back to an appreciation of old-fashioned values that involve doing the work yourself and then becoming a role model to others over time.
And the bonus is that you build a successful business where your customers want to connect with you as you grow! Please join us in this delightful conversation.
"Your customers are your lifeblood." ~ Jan Guenther
In This Episode:
- How Jan left the big corporate world to start a small business
- Early business lessons: appreciate and look after your customer
- Why good service will last longer than most products
- Getting more women into sport by being a role model
- Getting energized by contrasts outdoors: working hard and playing hard
- The importance of supporting small businesses (and not taking advantage of them)
And so much more!
Connect with Jan Guenther:
- Website - https://www.gearwest.com/
- Email - jan@gearwest.com
Connect with Young Lee:
- Facebook - Young Lee | Facebook
- LinkedIn - Young Lee - Host of the Chicago Business Review Podcast/Show