40 Under 40 honoree, owner of five locations shares business startup

Carson Baker got his first motorcycle as a Christmas gift when he was three years old. “I have always been infatuated by anything with a motor,” Baker says. He grew up riding on his family’s farm. “We had 100 acres with a pond we rode Jet Skis in and four-wheeler trails, and every day after school we were building jumps or riding dirt bikes. We did it every day,” he says.

His dad, Fred Baker, was a Chevy dealer for 35 years and when Baker was 13, he made a trade for a Sportster 883. “I begged my dad to keep it and to let me ride it,” Baker says. “From 13 to 16, I rode that sportster up and down the driveway. I thought I was so cool.”

After he graduated from Coastal Carolina University, he worked at his dad’s dealership for about five years. Passionate about powersports, he connected with Polaris in 2014. He built a facility and opened Baker American Cycles in Fayetteville, North Carolina, carrying Indian Motorcycle, Polaris, Polaris Slingshot, and CFMoto. Today, he owns five dealerships in North Carolina and his passion for the industry is evident as ever.

“The day we opened we had no technicians. So, from eight in the morning to five in the afternoon I would sell stuff. From five in the afternoon to two or three in the morning, I worked in the service department. My office had a couch, a shower, and a bathroom. Me and my dog pretty much lived here six days a week and on the seventh day, we’d go back to the house and I’d do laundry and rest and come back and do it all over again.”

During the first six months, he built his team, hiring technicians and reliable sales staff. “About 18 months into it, Polaris was on their game – they were really putting a dent in the industry – so it was making it tough on the other stores in town,” he says. “We slowly started buying all the other stores in town except Harley.

“It was very fast from the day we opened,” he continues. “If you’re sitting in your office trying to figure out what to do, you’ve already lost. You better be doing that when you’re closed and the next day you need to implement what you thought about the night before.”

His aggressive business practices and determination led to the purchase of Baker Motorsports in 2017. The dealership carried Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Ducati, and Triumph. Six months later, he bought a dealership that carried Kawasaki and Can-Am and consolidated the two locations.

In 2019, he bought Battleship Cycles and Marine, which carries Indian Motorcycle, Polaris Slingshot, and 13 boat brands. Baker appointed employee Gabe Pena to run the dealership and build its team. “They’ve done a really good job, and he really picked that market up. He brings the energy,” Baker says. In 2021, he acquired Pirate Ship Powersports, which will soon merge with Battleship Cycles. In 2022, he acquired a Harley-Davidson dealership, marking his fifth location.

“We’re still looking for more stores; still trying to put deals together,” he says. “I live and breathe this. I work seven days a week. I love it. And we have a good team. I would go to war for any of them across the board – our management team and our staff. I’m very proud of our team.”

Building a team and ensuring harmony

To stay in tune with his teams at each location, Baker visits every store most weeks and management connects on a call weekly.

Employees stay connected by getting together outside of work and Baker shares that one team is planning to get together to play paintball. “As long as the stores are doing good and are profitable, we’ll go do stuff,” Baker says. “If we spend some money and everyone has a good time, it’s worth it.”

Baker hires based on work ethic and a willingness to learn, and he looks for employees who enjoy the business. “We’re trying to bring people serotonin and dopamine; make people happy. We sell happiness. If you don’t enjoy seeing that, then being in this industry is not for you,” he says.

“I think you have to go through five or six people to find one good [employee],” he continues. “We want good people who are going to jive with our team and who have common goals. We want to make people happy, and we want to make money with no drama, [but] with integrity. I think having integrity is a big part of growing quickly.”

He shares that he takes reports personally too. When there is a negative report, a meeting follows. He recognizes that every customer will not leave the dealership happy, but notes that it is important to address when there is conflict to make improvements.

Eight-year milestone

Baker American Cycles recently celebrated eight years of business. The one-day event provided plenty of entertainment, from a pumpkin painting station to a money machine. Vendors were present and a DJ kept the crowd engaged while customers ate and participated in giveaways.

For the first time, the dealership used its three-acre lot beside the store as a track to give demo rides. “We had a couple of Rangers out there and we even took adults for a ride,” Baker says. People pulled into the dealership after seeing the demo rides from the road and some rode in a side-by-side for the first time. Employees gave riders the rundown on the Ranger and other models offered at the dealership.

“It was a really smooth event,” Baker says. “We had a good turnout. People that we hadn’t seen in a couple of years came out. It was a great time.” And Baker will continue to reach new and returning customers as he continues to expand the footprint of his business.