126 – How Do You Get The MTB Products You Want? We Chat with TerraVenture
Today Guest
Keith Leinster – Founder and owner of TerraVenture
On episode #126 we are chatting with Keith Leinster about running his own MTB distribution company called TerraVenture. Keith is based in Scotland but started playing around on his BMX and racing mountain bikes in Northern Ireland where he is original from in and around the mid 90’s. Keith got into the mountain biking scene really out of accident when his dad took him along to a local race event because he was a keen photographer and wanted to try shooting something that little bit different. It wasn’t long until Keith was caught by the bug and was entering as many races as he could (does that sound familiar?).
A number of years later Keith moved to Scotland to study at university and fell in love with the Scottish landscape and the wilds of the mountains. This quickly turned into a love for the outdoors and Keith started working at a number of outdoor pursuits including rock climbing, canoeing and skiing. However, his passion for mountain biking never died and because he wasn’t allowed to keep his bike in the student accommodation, he came up with the idea to take off the wardrobe doors, pop it in there from prying eyes, and hide it from the cleaner or anybody else who might dob him in. The crazy things we do for love!
After university and working in the outdoor industry for a number of years Keith joined the emergency services and moved to flatter ground or the ‘Lowland Life’, as he calls it. But the mountain bike never left his side and when the timing was right he decided to chase after his passions and do something he was really interested in, and that of course would involve mountain bikes. After a chance meeting and a very long tandem bike ride (I will let Keith explain that on the show) this change came in the form of mountain bike brand distribution. A couple of flights and brand meetings later Keith had started his own distribution company and has never looked back.
We chat to Keith about how the idea came about, where the TerraVenture name came from, how distribution works, why his ambassadors mean so much to his business, what brands he carries and where you can get your hands on some great product, plus much much more.
Also, Keith has been so kind and offered all you MTB TRIBE PODCAST listeners 15% OFF product on his website TerraVenture over the month of February. Simply click on the link below or listen to the show for how to get that 15% OFF a bunch of awesome products!
Enjoy the show!
Find Out:
- Keith’s background in mountain biking in the 90’s
- Why Keith fell in love with Scotland
- Why he decided to buy a full suspension tandem mountain bike and race it
- How this purchase and chance meeting lead to the start of TerraVenture
- How the distribution thing works
- Why Keith believes in community and building this brand organically
- The challenges you face as a small distributor
- How Keith chooses the brands he wants to represent
- Why Keith believes his ambassadors play a huge role in TerraVenture’s success
- How Keith has built his brand and networks from the start
- What Keith and TerraVenture have planned for the near future
- Where to find TerraVenture and get your hands on some great products
When chatting to Keith it is very easy to see how much he respects the strong communities that have grown up around mountain biking. This is no more evident than when he is talking about his ambassadors and how they have helped him get to where he is today with TerraVenture. He has a lot of good ambassadors riding and using his products, from Sean Green and his Grizzly Munro Diaries (who we had on the podcast in episode 57) to Mike Clyne, 3x Scottish enduro champion, and that is to just name a couple.
Keith believes through people like these who have a true passion for what they do and the feedback they give about the brands and products they use and test, it gives Keith a better understanding of what customers want and how he can best deliver the products they want. As a distributor this is a massive help, but it also helps the ambassadors get cheaper product, fund their passions and spreads the word about the gear and products they trust and use. It’s a win win and you need those as much as possible to survive in business now a days.
It is never easy staring a business from scratch and as a distributor this takes a lot of time, finding contacts, building relationships and creating a partnership that works. Keith spends a lot of his time looking at new companies and what they produce. He likes to work with smaller brands and likes the different problems they solve for the rider with their products. And this is important, finding a product you are happy to put your name to and distribute. Not all products are made the same, some will be disappointing and some will surprise and the later is what Keith is looking for. Keith wants to sell and distribute products he himself would use and know that they will make your riding more comfortable, easier or simply more fun. I think Keith has achieved this so far and is certainty on the correct trail with the brands he carries helping get them into your hands.
So if you want to know more about TerraVenture and how the whole distribution thing works and how you get the products you love, hit play, tune in and educate yourself on MTB distribution.
Thanks for tuning in. Enjoy the show!
How to get your 15% OFF across all products on TerraVenture:
Simply enter the promo code MTBTRIBE15 at checkout and receive an extra 15% OFF your purchase! This awesome deal is only available over the month of February 2020 so get your orders in now!
To Connect with Keith and TerraVenture:
Website: terraventure.co.uk
Instagram: terra_venture
Facebook: TerraVentureUK
MSC Tires Facebook: msctiresuk
MSC Tires Instagram: msctires_uk
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Thanks so much to Keith for taking the time out of his busy day and chatting to us about his business and MTB distribution!
Thanks for listening, I hope you enjoyed it!
Join me next week for another MTB TRIBE Podcast show!