David Cathcart Email & Phone Number

Do you remember the first hint of spring on a Saturday in 1991? I do. I was 15 and proud to be working in my local bike and ski shop – even though I was mainly just building bikes in the basement. But that day, the shop was busier than it’d been in months. The store manager called me up to the sales floor for the first time ever – and I ended up selling more bikes than anyone else. I found my true calling that day, and I’ve dedicated my entire career to growing sales for dealers, distributors and brands. What I bring to the table is a holistic perspective of the bike industry, having lived all aspects of this business: the rider, retailer, manufacturer, athlete and National Sport organization; a strength in strategic thinking and business planning; and an acumen for building successful long-term sales partnerships and collaborative cross-functional relationships that foster trust, mutual respect and innovation. Colleagues say they appreciate that I am cool under pressure, unafraid to lean into tough conversations and an excellent negotiator. I have been leading teams since I was 21 – when I was the team manager for an elite-level women’s road cycling team – and have led sales and marketing organizations of 50+ people. My leadership philosophy is similar to that of a Tour De France team director: A team achieves the best results when the riders have a shared purpose and goals, clear delineation of roles and the right strategy to break away from the competition. I’m always behind in support, coaching the riders to achieve more than what they thought was possible and offering a spare bike or musette/feed bag when they need it. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that leaders who win in business aren’t focused on a single stage win – but rather are looking ahead to the bigger prize and to leave a legacy of success. Career Highlights: > Global Market Development: Building out a global network of distributors for a privately-owned outdoor industry company. > People: Leading a culture shift for a manufactured goods company to a company with a strong bike centric culture that resulted in increased brand and employee loyalty. > Channel Strategy: Creating and executing a multichannel strategy for an outdoor industry company that resulted in exclusive category placement at DSG. > Growth: Delivering a 40% revenue growth and 10% share expansion in a contracting market. Want to talk? – Let’s go for a ride, then talk over an espresso and see what’s possible.

• 

  Mcmaster University

  Political Science