Orlando dealer acquires third location

Nate Stickney started working in the parts department at a Harley-Davidson dealership in 1999. “I didn’t have any experience around motorcycles or any know-how with mechanics or parts,” he says. “But I was able to win over the manager. She was a kind lady who took me under her wing and showed me the ropes of the Harley-Davidson world. I stayed there for quite a few years.”

After relocating from Michigan to Orlando, Florida, he was hired at a dealership and transitioned through roles in the parts, sales, service, and finance departments before becoming the general manager. In 2014, he had the opportunity to buy Sky Powersports Sanford, located thirty minutes outside of Orlando.

“You’ve got year-round riding, a dense population, a melting pot of different cultures and people from all walks of life,” Stickney says about Orlando. “I’ve been able to take advantage of it and grow a family and a business.”

Stickney and his wife have two daughters and one son. “They all really like coming around the store and being here,” he says. “They like the products. My son is more into dirt bikes and the riding aspect of it.”

Acquiring RiderMarket and attracting talent

On May 1, 2024, Stickney acquired his third location. He brought Indian Motorcycle Orlando and Ducati Orlando under the same roof as RiderMarket.

While many dealers struggle with hiring and retaining staff, Stickney says he is an exception. “When you can build a dynamic dealership, a strong team and a positive culture, and constantly be investing in your facility, you actually attract a lot of talent,” he shares.

He explains that sometimes, he must turn talent away. Payroll is his biggest expense, so before hiring, he considers how a new position would help fulfill customers’ needs.

Stickney wants all departments to work together, so he looks for leaders who can collaborate and work with others when hiring. “I’m really looking for leaders that can be forward thinking and think outside the box,” he says.

“I like to get together in a room and have meetings and huddles and work together to drive the business forward,” he continues. “Five to ten years from now, we want to be on the cutting edge of things and sometimes that takes creative people. We’ve created a unique dealership, and you need to have unique people inside of it coming up with ideas and driving the business.”

Working in the unknown

Stickney says he enjoys working under pressure during unpredictable times. In 2025, he expects continued challenges due to high inventory levels. “I know a lot of dealers, their floorplan bills are through the roof,” he says.

“It’s reset time. We have a pretty dialed operation here and we can take advantage of that. I’m looking at any incremental opportunity that I can find within the four walls of my dealership – how we can drive a little more revenue and a little more profit to the bottom line. You have to find little unique opportunities that maybe your competitors aren’t doing, whether that’s carrying a different product line or something different to set yourself apart.”

Stickney shares his excitement for the new year. “I like to work in those unknown, pressure environments because that’s when you can really come up with good ideas,” he explains. “Some things work, some things don’t. I like the challenge.”

While he plans to acquire more locations, in 2025, he will be focused on improving processes. He wants to improve how his team interacts with leads and drives appointments to the dealership using AI technology. He wants to maximize the use of CRM to stay connected with the dealership’s customer base.

“There’s so much customer data that we’ve been able to collect over time,” he says. “We have this honey pot of customers that we’ve taken care of over the years. They’re already in our ecosystem so we can reengage and get them back into our business. How do we use technology that’s placed in front of us with some of this AI technology and automation that’s available to us? Those are things we’re really focused on right now.”

Collaborating with riding groups

While investing in digital tools, Stickney also wants his dealerships to offer a fun environment and provide a “hosting ground” for customers. “I’m a big believer in building a community around the dealership,” he says. “Young people that are getting into motorcycling for the first time are really building relationships through riding groups.”

His goal is to bring these riders into the dealership. “We’re trying to enhance their experience by participating in the rides, collaborating with them on events within the dealership, using our dealership as a hosting ground for them to come in with friends,” he explains. He emphasizes that riders shouldn’t feel pressured to spend money during their visits. “Just come here, hang out, have a good time, meet up with friends and grab a cup of coffee and then go off on your next adventure.”

Increasing organization

Reflecting on the year, Stickney shares the importance of organization– an area he continues to improve within his businesses. “We’re small businesses, and a lot of us are independent and we’re not so corporate,” he explains. He believes owners must assess day-to-day operations and decipher what can be improved or prevented by having better systems in place.

“We’re looking at our systems and our processes and trying to create an arsenal of content that we can follow,” he says about his businesses. “I’m finding that, especially with adding multiple rooftops, we have to get more organized.”

He wants clear standard operating procedures in place to improve employee onboarding, accountability, team building and professionalism.