DENVER, CO / ACCESSWIRE / October 28, 2020 / "If you're not cause-driven today, you're not going to be here tomorrow," warns Axel Geittmann, Denver local and founder of Superfluent. For Geittmann, that driving cause is the preservation of nature's playground.
In the early 2000s, Axel Geittmann could be found in Breckenridge, CO, snowboarding with sponsorship deals from Smith and Ride, attending college, and working full time at a Vail Resorts owned retail store. He had always been curious about the business side of the snowboarding industry, so when a regional buyer position opened up at Vail Resorts, he jumped at the opportunity. He spent the next 5 years overseeing the hardgoods categories for all Vail owned Summit County locations. Not long after, he was offered a rep position with Smith. He found the sweet spot of both passion and affinity within that role. A few years later, Geittmann founded Superfluent, a modern sales and marketing agency, and began taking on additional brand partners in the territory.
Based out of Denver, Colorado, Superfluent exists to meaningfully connect retailers and brands to build mutual, long-term success for both. They partner with a wide range of clients from legacy brands such as Smith and Serius to newer disruptive brands, including Super73, Mons Royale, The James Brand, and others.
Superfluent is distinguished in its agility and adaptability within the marketplace. The importance of being able to read the market and respond accordingly is imperative for the success of their brands and retailers alike. Whether they're partnering as a mentor, consultant, or brand ambassador, they uphold their core values of respect, freedom, and responsibility in all they do. Axel never loses sight of his long term perspective, which is focusing on partnerships with purposeful, sustainable brands, and prioritizing environmental longevity.
A proud partner and sponsor of Protect our Winters, Superfluent has also operated paper-free for more than two years. Although this was a complete deviation from their competitor's strategies, they are proud to set an example that they hope the rest of the industry will soon follow. "We put our money where our mouth is! We want to leave a positive impact on the environment and our brand's success is directly tied to the ability to maintain our outdoor playgrounds," explains Geittmann.
As Superfluent looks ahead to what is next for their agency and their clients, they continuously return to the key principles that contribute to a brand's lasting, sustainable success. Even amidst a pandemic and ever-evolving market, Geittmann shares three principles that will never go out of style.
- Listen to the market. "The answer is not always in the ivory tower," Geittmann advises. To learn and grow, brands need to be willing to listen to the market before they make a decision. This includes looking outward. When brands become solely attuned to what their competitors are doing, they will neglect to look at broader market trends. If you're in retail, pay attention to the tech and entertainment industries. Maintaining a global perspective will allow for quicker pivots and a greater understanding of your customer's needs.
- Focus on your "Why." Many brands are so focused on their bottom line, they forget to do what is right for their customer, the market, and the environment. This ties back to the importance of having a purpose or a cause that drives your business. Today's customers can spot a fraud a mile away. To be successful and create a lasting impact, brands must have a reason to be in the market. You can run a profitable business and do the right thing at the same time. These two goals are not exclusive of one another.
- Learn to be Reactive vs. Reactionary. Reactive brands are ever-flowing, they move with what the market is telling them, and constantly look for opportunities to make positive long-term decisions. Reactionary brands are static. They remain stagnant until faced with a crisis and often respond in a matter that prioritizes the short term but may jeopardize their long term success. The brands that are surviving the pandemic are reactive, they stop and listen to the market, pay attention, and make informed decisions. Sadly, many reactionary brands are acting out of impulse, focusing on offloading inventory as quickly as possible, laying off their teams, and inevitably creating long-term damage within their business.
These practices, amongst others, will contribute to a brand's ability to withstand the test of time. For brands interested in partnering with Superfluent to develop strategic, sustainable initiatives and form connections with retailers, visit https://www.wearesuperfluent.com/ or send an email to axel@wearesuperfluent.com.
SOURCE: SuperFluent
View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/612365/The-Secret-to-Building-a-Sustainable-Brand-with-Axel-Geittmann-Founder-of-SuperFluent
