Today we’d like to introduce you to Russell Ackner.
Russell, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My career started in design. Having gone through a vocational program in high school for commercial art, it was the direction I thought I would advance through college in. However, as my career started to accelerate, I found technology and network engineering to be important to successfully manage a business back in the late 90’s. At that point, the internet as we know it now was just shaping up to be the commerce engine it is today. I combined my skills as a designer and geek to start developing websites. I was fortunate to have a mentor at the time I was working for a publishing company in Connecticut who asked me “Do you want to crawl under desks for the rest of your life or make some real money?”. I knew getting closer to the revenue stream was the right move. I continued my studies and had a natural knack for marketing which flourished. Along with my design and technology background, the last piece of the puzzle was marketing. Hence, Ecommerce was the direction I was innovating and succeeding in. I literally started selling services and products over the internet using dial-up modems. Since those days, I’ve progressed through various start-ups, Fortune 500’s and have worked in various industries including consumer electronics, software, luxury and now performance automotive. Now at USP Motorsports, the opportunity to work with another visionary, the founder, and CEO Christopher Green, I’m incredibly grateful to be here. Sharing 25 years of e-commerce and marketing experience around the globe, bringing that to USP and leading a passionate and talented team into a period of hyper-growth.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Technology, design, and marketing are disciplines in their own right. I’ve been called a unicorn, rare breed and ace in the hole. All flattering but not without challenges. In this arena, and partly due to my impatience, the average tenure of a high-level marketing professional is 18-24 months. It’s a fast-moving industry and you need to stay on top of emerging tech, new players, and tactics. It’s easy to get left in the dust and quite literally, at USP Motorsports, where performance means everything it’s imperative to our success. I’ve lost my position as well which isn’t a good feeling at all. However, it did strengthen my relationships with those who I value most. Most of all my wife who’s been nothing but 100% supportive of my dynamic career. She’s been the driving force and absolute best partner through it all and continues to be. If anything, she’s softened the blows and made me a much more humble and better person for it.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about USP Motorsports – what should we know?
USP Motorsports is an established name in the South Florida area for high-performance German automobiles. It was started in 2001 by Chris Green, whom I’ve known for about 3 years. I consulted with him many times in various areas of the business over this period. During that time I’ve seen the same struggles as others have experienced and brought some ideas to the table that worked for USP Motorsports. Over time, I developed quite the admiration for the business, the cars and mostly, the potential. Chris and I decided it was time to join forces full-time and bring USP Motorsports to the next level. USPMotorsports.com specifically is an online specialty retailer of high-performance parts and styling accessories for German automobiles including Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, and BMW. We’re a real enthusiast’s business. An authority on performance and our core values reflect that in everything we do.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Empathy. Pure and simple. If you understand a situation from all sides; co-workers, bosses, employees, and customers, you make sound decisions. Commit to a plan and see it through. Some are home runs while others may only be singles. Of course, there’s the occasional strikeout but as long as you’re learning along the way, there’s no reason to look back. I’ve become a listener. It’s tough and demanding but if you truly listen and figure out the source of a problem, you can apply smart measures to solve it. Not fixing an issue temporarily only to come back and fix the fix later. It’s important to listen and be patient. Business doesn’t explode overnight contrary to some of the sensationalism I’ve experienced (especially during the dot-com heydays). There are events that unfold, albeit fast, there’s a reason. What are they, can I replicate them and will it work at my current company? Is everyone on board and does it make sense for the customer? Does it solve their problems? The more you listen, the more hear and learn. Being empathetic in those situations gets you farther, faster. High performance.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.uspmotorsports.com
- Phone: 888-755-7772
- Instagram: instragram.com/uspmotorsports
- Facebook: facebook.com/uspmotorsports
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