Sunday 8th June 2014
BikeRight! was established in 2000 and now offers cycle training and events to 20,000 individuals each year. I want to use this Trade Mission to build relationships so that BikeRight! can start to do business in New York. On arrival, I enjoyed a Welcome Dinner and met the rest of the Breakthrough delegates. Throughout the week, I made sure I spent time with everyone on the Trade Mission to find out their goals and discover how we might help each other achieve them.
Monday 9th June
Before the Trade Mission, I was asked who I would like to meet during the week. Being with Breakthrough gave me credibility and opened doors that I would have found difficult to access on my own. I had six events on my first day, starting with a group briefing with UKTI New York. Next up, meetings with the New York mayor’s office to talk about cycle provision in the city. I then talked to an attorney specialising in risk, which helped to put my mind at ease about providing cycle training in the US. I’ve been in touch with him since returning to the UK. The most important meeting of the day was with Jon Orcutt, the Policy Director for New York City Department of Transportation. I’d heard him speaking at a conference in Manchester and had asked the Trade Mission organisers to make an introduction for me; it was great to have someone working on the ground for me. The day ended with a networking reception hosted by Santander and UKTI.
Tuesday 10th June
Marie Woodcock, Santander’s Head of Partnerships, accompanied me to my day’s events. I was really impressed with Santander’s commitment to the Trade Mission and the level of support they showed to all the delegates throughout the week. My meeting with Bike NY was really interesting as they’re offering a similar service to BikeRight!. They’re a not-for-profit organisation but we spoke the same language about cycling. It made me realise I’d need to work with them, rather than in competition, and they could be a useful resource for the future. Later, I met another lawyer who knows the UK market and would be a useful person to know if we do set up in New York.
Wednesday 11th June
A Trade Mission is an opportunity to learn from unexpected sources. Today I met Transportation Alternatives, a lobbying body. They’re radical and campaigning – not our business model – but I got a lot of information from them on the political and cultural will around cycling in New York. They could be a really good ally one day. I also grabbed the opportunity to tour New York and speak to cyclists, especially parents out on their bikes with kids. It was important for me to understand what cycling is like in the city.
"I was really impressed with Santander’s commitment to the Trade Mission and the level of support they showed to all the delegates throughout the week" Liz Clarke, Managing Director of BikeRight!Thursday 12th June I’d asked to meet Adam Lubinsky, an urban planner who’s a cyclist and previously worked in the UK for 10 years. He offered me an office if I set up in New York, which is great. I then went to two very different cycle shops to understand who is buying bikes and what models they’re looking for. It’s useful to have those on-the-ground contacts. My final stop of the day was a visit to New York’s Department of Parks & Recreation. Just as in the UK, it appears different city departments working alongside – but not with – each other. Friday 13th June The whole group had a breakfast with Goldman Sachs and were matched with like-minded businesses. This and a previous networking breakfast with the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce were a reminder of how important it is to sell your business effectively. As MD, I recruit salespeople to do that for me, so it was refreshing to do the deals myself. Saturday 14th June Our last day, so I went on a bike ride through New York. It gave me a chance to reflect on the week and my previous day’s debrief and action planning meeting with Marie Woodcock from Santander. I’d gone out to New York with a clear idea of what my business offering would be but my learnings from the visit changed my focus. I have some funding from UKTI to make a return visit and follow up on the connections I’ve made. I feel BikeRight! has a lot to offer and I want to be first to New York. Liz Clarke’s tips for a successful Trade Mission: 1. Plan in advance who you want to see and what you want to do. It’s a big investment of your time, so make the most of it. 2. Use any downtime to network with your fellow delegates and learn from their business experiences. 3. Be prepared for hard work. This isn’t a holiday and you only get out what you put in.
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