More Brand Camp 2008

As promised, here are more pics and a bit of commentary from brand Camp 2008...

The view of Big Bear Lake from the second floor balcony of the cabin we stayed in and had our meetings in. And yes, that's a melting snow bank in the left corner. The weather was pretty good and we never received the snow storm that was supposed to materialize.

Looking out the window of the meeting room (large living room) of the cabin... not too shabby.

There was still a good bit of snow around in the hills. This is looking into the valley down stream from the lake's dam.

This is the view of Boulder Bay, along the south end of the lake, on the last morning there. The clouds were covering the tops of the surrounding peaks and created this really wonderful silence. Not a bad way to wake up in the morning- a nice ride around the lake.

This the view of the slopes from the parking lot of the Vons, where we stopped to stock up on food for the meetings.

And since we ARE a bike company... I brought my bike of course! This is the same scandium/ carbon frame I've been testing for a few months now. Special thanks to my friend Chris McClaren at Spinergy for getting me the sexy wheels to ride! The PBO composite spokes do make for a very plush feeling ride. The Red group, the Spinergy wheels and the scandium/ carbon frame create one helluva ride. I am seriously addicted to this rig at the moment.

The Decider pontificating during our meetings. Discussions were run a little looser this year, but the end result was the same- great, open dialog that will lead to a better house of brands going forward. It'd make for great reading to claim that we sit around strategizing on how we're going to dethrone Trek or Specialized, but we really focus on how to make our company better and not on how to attack anybody else. Sincerely, if you look at the evolution of all our bikes over the past 3 years you'll see the fruit of these meetings. Our bikes and our brands keep getting stronger because we are committed to improvements and growth and not on how to take anything away from anybody else. If that happens, it's because the products and/ or the company has improved. Personally, I prefer that way of doing business.

A table full of laptop computers- working while working. It's a 24hr global world that we live and work in now. Communications never stop.


The elusive Bike Biz Babe herself- Jill Hamilton- and our Purchasing Manager, Jim Maher in the midst of listening and checking emails, etc. Again, doing double duty... as always.

Even though I look like the spitting image of Minnesota Fats... I still lost.

The area around the pool table was "cramped" to say the least. And, yes, John made the shot.

James Ayres, the Eastern Regional Sales Manager- he's talking to the ball, but I don't think it was listening.

Pete Demos, our Creative Director, getting creative with a pool cue.

So even though we did have some fun, we did also get a lot of very critical thinking and planning accomplished as well. As has been the case for the past 3 years, Brand Camp proved to be worth the 3 days of being out of the office. I am also proud to report that the meetings also yielded some outcomes of a greater good; I will be working with James and Jill to spearhead new Green Initiatives within the company. Haro/ Masi will be looking for ways to minimize our collective impact on the environment. I'm very proud of this particular move by our company and I am certainly open to ideas on ways we can work to leave the planet in a better condition than it is currently in.

I've got a few more random images for later... so this ain't over yet!

Tim