NEW
PIONEERS
Phoenix Handlebars / Jason Gearld
Phoenix Handlebars / Jason Gearld
by Rick Doughty
Jason Gearld and his company are unique in an ordinary way. While the majority of the industry is pursuing the latest, greatest, cutting-edge developments, there are key elements that are lost in that pursuit. Not the least of which is the “customer experience.”
This undeniable reality has not gone unnoticed by Jason Gearld. In fact, he has made the “customer experience” the core focus of his marketing mission in a myriad of uniquely ordinary ways. Welcome to Phoenix Handlebars moto utopia.
Motobilia- So Jason, I know you are damn near a life-long industry guy who has worked for many notable companies, like Fox, Malcolm Smith Racing and others. How did you end up starting a handlebar company?
Jason Gearld- I had committed myself to building various industry brands over the years and loved the process, but always wanted to have my own company. In 2016, I launched Phoenix Handlebars to do just that.
Motobilia- In reading your story at www.phoenixhandlebars.com, one sentence stood out to me. “It became my passion to remind people how cool dirt biking is.” That resonates with the motorcyclist side of my soul, but the entrepreneur side has emergency sirens going off. Reminding folks about how fun it is to ride dirt bikes is not much of a business plan. Making your hobby your business is statistically unwise.
Jason Gearld- I never said I was wise.
Motobilia- Touche’. So has your passion gone viral?
Jason Gearld- I wouldn’t say that my passion has gone viral, but I would say we have had steady growth and amazing customer loyalty. The loyalty aspect is paramount to me and our company. We are not the biggest handlebar company on the planet, but we can create the best customer experience. That interaction with our customers is what makes Phoenix unique. A typical customer cannot call or email the owner of Renthal or Pro Taper to discuss which product is best for them. At Phoenix Handlebars, they can..
Motobilia- So you are a small but mighty upstart?
Jason Gearld– I don’t like being defined as a “boutique company” or “cottage industry” business, because it sounds dismissive. We aren’t even a new company anymore, as we are approaching ten years in the market. We are the place you go when you want a premium brand product backed by “customer first” team of like-minded, moto heads.
Motobilia- OK, so being a newbie to your brand and a natural skeptic, I go to your page and want to buy a set of bars. What makes that process so different?
Jason Gearld- To start with, we work hard to keep the process simple. We are not going to flood your senses with a million, hard-to-understand specifications. There is plenty of information on our site if you want to nerd out on the technical aspects of the bars. The last thing we want to do is overwhelm our customers. If you just want to replace your stock bars with a pair of Phoenix bars, we can help identify the closest bend. If you want to try something different, we have a short survey that identifies your height, riding style and type of riding/racing you engage in. The result of the survey gives the customers various bar bend options to choose from.
Motobilia- Some would say you dumbed down the process. From where we sit, it sounds like to you “ DOGE-D” the process and removed the unnecessary.
Jason Gearld- I don’t know about that, but it is funny. What we have tried to do is focus on what is important to our customers and present it to them in our unique way. In-N-Out burger is a great example of doing something well by keeping the product offering simple. We share that approach.
Motobilia- Our entire existence is becoming overcomplicated, which is why motorcycling is such a “great escape.”
Jason Gearld- Exactly. So we don’t want to contribute stress and frustration to something that is supposed to be fun. That gets back to my passion of reminding people how much fun dirt biking is. The “enjoyment factor” is at the core of who and what Phoenix Handlebars is as a company.
Motobilia- So where do you see Phoenix in the future?
Jason Gearld: Obviously, we want to continue our growth, domestically and internationally. We also want to continue to add to our product line with bars for minis, eBikes, ADV and more. We might also venture into a line of levers.
Motobilia– From the outside it seems like the handlebars, grips and your various other products are the “hardware” of the business, but the “fun vibe/customer experience” is your secret sauce. So, what is the percentage split in your mind between the two?
Jason Gearld– That is a tough one, but I would say 50/50.
Motobilia– That is interesting because from where we sit, it looks like a 80/20 split with the bias toward the emotional connection (vibe) to your brand.
1.) You have demystified the whole mindbending equation of handlebar purchasing.
2.) You have streamlined the product offering.
3.) You have established an unprecedented line of communication with your customer base.
4.) You have found a way to reinforce the “fun-factor” that is motorcycling via the interaction with your company.
Those are not small or boutique accomplishments. Anyone can buy handlebars from the industry giants, but only Phoenix Handlebars can provide a “premium product with a premium experience.”
Well done Jason and crew.
