After three years, how is business?

Greetings Friends,

Today I’m excited to announce a new column for the blog. I’ll be contributing on a regular basis with the business of running. A look behind the curtain at my profession here at 605 Running Company.

When I’m working here at the shop the question I get asked the most is,

​“What’s the best running shoe?”

The second question I get asked is,

“How is business?”

My natural response is to put up walls when people ask me personal questions. I have learned that this shouldn’t be a stressful question. As our third business birthday arrives I thought it would be good to take a look at what people might actually be asking here.

In truth it’s a loaded question. What aspect of my business are you asking about? When you look at our business mission of enhancing the running community in Sioux Falls, business is good. We’ve got a strong online presence with our social media platforms and a content driven blog, we’ve partnered with local running clubs to both grow and enhance offerings in the community, and our logo has made it across the state in local races at a mind numbing pace.

Somehow, I don’t think that is the answer folks are looking for when they ask me about how our business is doing. People want to know, are you making a lot of money doing what you do. The answer to that question is equally loaded. We pay our bills on time, we have extended our lease agreement at our location, and we are spending more dollars on inventory and have more employees than years past. So are we taking buckets of dollars to the bank? Not exactly, but we are making a living engaging in commerce. Our owners the Watley Brothers have made plenty of sacrifices to get us to this point. We are excited about the future in Sioux Falls and have only just begun our business journey.

Sioux Falls is an incredible place to do business. We seriously have the best people in the world that genuinely care about how you are doing. So while I may put up some walls when people ask me, ‘how is business?’ I shouldn’t.

​In truth I’m possibly the luckiest business man in town. Besides working the majority of my hours in running shorts, I’ve made real relationships with our customers. In turn our community has remained loyal to us by making repeat purchases and referring others in their own circles to shop with us. By building our business with a community first approach our entire experience is more satisfying across the board. Our employees are excited to come to work, the owners are proud to be a part of the running experience in Sioux Falls, and finally our customers benefit from the best service and highest quality products available. So as our third birthday rolls around, you might be wondering, how is business at 605 Running Company? The answer is simple. Business is GREAT!

Greg Koch is the General Manager of the 605 Running Company, graduate of Washington High School, the University of Sioux Falls and a lifetime outdoor enthusiast. His contributions to the 605 Running Co. blog will appear periodically. You can follow Greg on Strava @GregKoch, Facebook @GregoryJohnKoch and Instagram @gregrun605. Story ideas are encouraged. 

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