вторник, 18 марта 2008 г.

Интервью с Kevin Holinaty, CEO, Southwest Greens Europe & Middle East

Сегодня небольшое интервью с очень интересным человеком. Это Kevin Holinaty, CEO, Southwest Greens Europe & Middle East. Интервью тем более интересно тем, что компания Кевина занимается очень интересным и очень экзотичным продуктом...

Kevin Holinaty, CEO
Southwest Greens Europe & Middle East


Has more than 15 years experience in sales and marketing, with a degree in Business Administration. Originally from Canada, Mr. Holinaty has successfully managed the Corporate Finance department for an International firm in London, UK before joining the Southwest Greens organization. Southwest Greens was started in Europe by Mr. Holinaty in 2003 with the first franchise being located in Spain. Since then, Mr. Holinaty has been responsible for the growth of the Brand across Europe. Today Southwest Greens has 15 offices throughout Europe and the Middle East, with installation coverage in more than 20 countries.

- How have you come to sports marketing? How has your company begun?
- Southwest Greens began 12 years ago in Phoenix, Arizona as an idea to provide a decent solution for a customer to play golf at home. The grass roots of the Company has been founded on this principle: To provide solutions for customers looking to improve the aesthetics of their gardens, while having a place to practice their golf game in the comfort of their own garden.

- Kevin, tell about your product. With which features is it really unique? I consider its really unusual product at itself and especially for our country.
- The product is unique because it is so versatile, as it can be installed in any climate, anywhere in the world. We are able to create exactly what the customer wants, right down to the final details on design and playability. Our Company has been successful because what we install is truly the best in the world, as it is the only product in the market today that mimics what you expect to see and play on the top golf courses around the world. We have an exclusive design partnership with Nicklaus Design, the world’s most prominent golf course architectural firm, to provide design solutions for our customers that Southwest Greens installs to the precise blueprint specifications. This combination of two market leaders in the golf industry allows us to truly provide the customer world class solutions.


- What makes the golf interesting? What is the portrait of golf-player? Who he is? Can you discrabe him?
- Golf is interesting because it is one of the only sport that focuses entirely on the individual playing it. You play against others, but what others do around you is totally irrelevant to what happens on the golf course for yourself and your score. It is the most mentally challenging sport Man has ever invented.

- You works in different countries. Is interaction to clients really different in different countroes? Is there any certain features of working in the certain country?
- Yes, we work in more than 20 countries across Europe and more than 35 countries around the world. In my opinion, there isn’t much of a difference at all in the interaction between the customer and Southwest Greens in the various markets. We believe that we are providing solutions for customers and bring our expertise and product to the market on this basis, and although there will be minor differences in the delivery of the message from one market to the next, the message always stays consistent.

- You cooperate with well-known sportsmen. How does your cooperation usually begin with?
- It really started many years ago by the Company developing its reputation of providing high quality solutions for top golf professionals. The PGA pros that have our product in their homes – players like Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh, Justin Rose, and Sergio Garcia, specifically chose Southwest Greens and came to us because of the reputation the product developed for itself over the years. We have continued to work very hard to continuously improve the quality of the product, and as such, the top Pros have continued to come to us.

- Tell, is Russia interesting market for your company?
- Russia is a very interesting market for us. We consider our product to be a luxury item – one that can be molded to the wishes of the most discerning customer. We see Russia as a very interesting market with individuals always looking for high quality products. We are actively looking for the right group to take the Southwest Greens brand to the Russian market.


- Are there any successes of which you are really proud? Can you tell about them more in detail?
- We have delivered some very impressive commercial installations around the world – too many to list here. Some of the most prestigious hotels –from Mexico to Florida to Spain to China have installed our product at their facilities. Many of the world’s top golf courses and Golf Federations have also used our products extensively. We are very proud of this, as the top golf courses and Federations are the most demanding customers of all—and if we can please them, we know we are doing something right.

- And once again about sport marketing. Today sports marketing is still starting to develop in Russia, nevertheless, many people would like to work and earn in this sphere. Can you advise them something? How is it better to begin? Where?
- To me, the most important quality for someone to have is passion. Passion for what they are doing and what they are representing. If the product is something useful and desired in the market, it will sell. If it is sold by someone with relentless passion, it will always be a huge success. This is the key trait I always look for when I am looking for franchisees to bring our product to each local market.

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