Michael Davis, owner, Adventure Harley-Davidson

Michael Davis, owner, Adventure Harley-Davidson

FINALIST: Retail and Consumer Products
Before purchasing his first Harley-Davidson dealership in Ohio in 2003, Mike Davis was a motorcycle rider. So he knew that he wanted to build his company not just as a bike shop, but also as a destination for customers that got people in all walks of life excited about the sport of motorcycling.
This vision has helped him position Adventure Harley-Davidson to compete with 700 others all across the country. As a result, Davis has transformed what started as a small motorcycle shop into four of the fastest growing Harley-Davidson dealerships nationwide.
Davis knows the importance of bringing creative marketing strategies to the table in order to grow a business, especially because he understands that nobody “needs” a motorcycle. As a hands-on owner, he puts significant time and attention into each dealership he opens, while staying focused on their success as a cohesive unit.
Since the beginning, he’s marketed all of the dealerships as one business, combining inventories, policies and procedures as well as programs, so that the customer experience is consistently stellar. Instead of only trying to capture customers who are already interested in the luxury purchase, he builds dealerships around engaging all customers coming into the store by providing a classy, professional and clean experience.
A major contributor to Davis’s success is his personal commitment to every dealership he opens. He makes community involvement a priority, whether it’s donating funds or finding creative ways to engage the community through social media or hosted events. Recently, he also launched a corporate leadership development program to give all 120 employees opportunities to become stronger and more creative leaders within the organization.
How to reach: Adventure Harley-Davidson, www.adventureharley.com.