December 17th, 2024 | by Carina Hamel
There's nothing quite like chatting with customers and potential customers face-to-face. It's a unique opportunity to really get to know who your customers are and answer questions in real time. We love it and always learn so much from every in-person conversation we have. I wrote this installment of the Founders' Series about the value of these in person conversations and how we use what we learn to improve the product and deliver a better and better experience every time! What are the top questions all of you get from your customers about Bivo bottles? We always love to hear!
I use the saying work smarter not harder often. At the same time, I value hard work and going the extra mile to do the job correctly. When we launched Bivo, I had no idea what would be in store for our day to day tasks as the business grew. My professional background is in product development and sourcing. That is certainly our comfort zone - both for me and Robby. Yet, we have found ourselves tackling operations, sales, business strategy and specifically for me, marketing. In all honesty, I used to look at the employees in the marketing seats at the companies I have worked with and thought what the heck do they do every day? It turns out, marketing is complex, and there isn’t one single recipe that works for all.
At Bivo, we thrive on doing things differently. When we are told that everyone else does something one way, we tend to look the other. This mindset has been part of who I am since childhood—I’ve always found joy in questioning the status quo.
In 2022, Robby and I participated in Launch VT and we were paired with an advisor, Neil. I knew we would mesh well from the first meeting when he questioned us, pushed us and told us we should approach marketing differently than most other brands out there. We are still working with Neil, and I am grateful for all the advice, straightforward conversations and willingness to push us.
In 2023, I got a text from him saying “what about a road trip?” After about 3 days of internal thinking, I went to Robby and told him I thought we needed to hit the road. Get out and meet all of you. Learn why you love the cycling community and attending events. How you get your information about important bike things. It was the best decision, and we haven’t looked back. Doing road trips (with a 2 and 5 year old!), working all weekend long and getting equipment to events, is much harder than spending money on an ad in a magazine you may or may not read.
There's nothing quite like chatting with customers and potential customers face-to-face. It's a unique opportunity to really get to know who your customers are and answer questions in real time. We love it and always learn so much from every in-person conversation we have. I wrote this installment of the Founders' Series about the value of these in person conversations and how we use what we learn to improve the product and deliver a better and better experience every time! What are the top questions all of you get from your customers about Bivo bottles? We always love to hear!
I use the saying work smarter not harder often. At the same time, I value hard work and going the extra mile to do the job correctly. When we launched Bivo, I had no idea what would be in store for our day to day tasks as the business grew. My professional background is in product development and sourcing. That is certainly our comfort zone - both for me and Robby. Yet, we have found ourselves tackling operations, sales, business strategy and specifically for me, marketing. In all honesty, I used to look at the employees in the marketing seats at the companies I have worked with and thought what the heck do they do every day? It turns out, marketing is complex, and there isn’t one single recipe that works for all.
At Bivo, we thrive on doing things differently. When we are told that everyone else does something one way, we tend to look the other. This mindset has been part of who I am since childhood—I’ve always found joy in questioning the status quo.
In 2022, Robby and I participated in Launch VT and we were paired with an advisor, Neil. I knew we would mesh well from the first meeting when he questioned us, pushed us and told us we should approach marketing differently than most other brands out there. We are still working with Neil, and I am grateful for all the advice, straightforward conversations and willingness to push us.
In 2023, I got a text from him saying “what about a road trip?” After about 3 days of internal thinking, I went to Robby and told him I thought we needed to hit the road. Get out and meet all of you. Learn why you love the cycling community and attending events. How you get your information about important bike things. It was the best decision, and we haven’t looked back. Doing road trips (with a 2 and 5 year old!), working all weekend long and getting equipment to events, is much harder than spending money on an ad in a magazine you may or may not read.
Nothing beats talking to you, seeing your reaction to the bottles and learning about your evening regimens before a ride - the endless stories of how you used to have to fill your plastic bottles with water and put them in the freezer the night before so you’d have cold water for your 2 hours ride make us smile.
It’s often that we are set up at an event and a Bivo fan brings their friend to our booth and introduces them to our bottles. You make our jobs easy, because you sell it to your friend - we just keep our mouths shut and listen.
Nothing beats talking to you, seeing your reaction to the bottles and learning about your evening regimens before a ride - the endless stories of how you used to have to fill your plastic bottles with water and put them in the freezer the night before so you’d have cold water for your 2 hours ride make us smile.
It’s often that we are set up at an event and a Bivo fan brings their friend to our booth and introduces them to our bottles. You make our jobs easy, because you sell it to your friend - we just keep our mouths shut and listen.
Carina at Sea Otter, attending for second time.
Carina at Sea Otter, attending for second time.
We get emails from customers saying a friend convinced them to get a Bivo and they are so grateful they listened. You are doing this for us - you have gone into your favorite local bike shop and asked for a Bivo, only for that same store to email us to set up a wholesale account. You have commented on articles in different publications about Bivo, cheering us on and showing editors it’s a good idea to write about us. You got us into Wirecutter this year. You helped convince the REI buyers that we should be included in their stores. Thank you, for being part of this brand, and for endlessly showing us your support.
You’ve shown us that the best marketing isn’t flashy ads or perfect campaigns; it’s genuine relationships, shared experiences, and authentic support. Every introduction you make, every story you share, and every ounce of belief you put into Bivo reminds us why we do this. Thank you for being part of our story, for championing our mission, and for helping us grow in ways we never imagined. We’re excited for what’s next, and we’re grateful to have you by our side.
Carina
We get emails from customers saying a friend convinced them to get a Bivo and they are so grateful they listened. You are doing this for us - you have gone into your favorite local bike shop and asked for a Bivo, only for that same store to email us to set up a wholesale account. You have commented on articles in different publications about Bivo, cheering us on and showing editors it’s a good idea to write about us. You got us into Wirecutter this year. You helped convince the REI buyers that we should be included in their stores. Thank you, for being part of this brand, and for endlessly showing us your support.
You’ve shown us that the best marketing isn’t flashy ads or perfect campaigns; it’s genuine relationships, shared experiences, and authentic support. Every introduction you make, every story you share, and every ounce of belief you put into Bivo reminds us why we do this. Thank you for being part of our story, for championing our mission, and for helping us grow in ways we never imagined. We’re excited for what’s next, and we’re grateful to have you by our side.
Carina
Cover photo credit to Joshua W Strong
Cover photo credit to Joshua W Strong
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