Objective:
Bike share, a rapidly evolving mobility platform, was still relatively unfamiliar to professionals across the transportation, urban planning, and cycling professions. Eric’s objective was to establish himself, as well as CycleHop, as bike share and mobility leaders, enhancing business development and enabling further product expansion.
Strategies:
By getting in front of as many leaders as possible on the local, regional, and statewide levels, Eric, alongside CycleHop, would become the go-to leader for any conversation within personal mobility, be it fleet vehicle sales and operations or urban infrastructure consulting.
Tactics
The aim to become the industry leader within the Tampa Bay and Florida market led Eric to search for speaking opportunities wherever possible. This included local business and engineering groups, regional transportation planning groups and industry meetings, as well as statewide summits and government committees. Some of the groups, organizations, and summits presented to are listed here.
Statewide:
- Florida Senate, Transportation Committee – 2014
- Presented as a guest of Senator Brandes
- Florida Commuter Conference – 2016
- Presented by Florida Department of Transportation
- Celebration of Cycling — 2014 – Gainesville | 2015 – Clermont
- Presented by Florida Bicycle Association
- Automated Vehicle Summit (FL) – 2016
Regional:
- Florida Department of Transportation – 2016, Regional Meeting
- American Society of Highway Engineers, Lunch and Learn – 2015
- Tampa Bay Institute of Transportation Professionals, Lunch and Learn – 2017
- Convention and Visitor Bureaus:
- Visit Tampa Bay,
- Visit St. Pete Clearwater
Local:
- Various Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) Boards in the following counties:
- Hillsborough County
- Pinellas County
- Orange County
- MPO Committee Groups in Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Orange Counties:
- Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committees
- Livable Roadways Committees
- Technical Advisory Committees
- Citizens Advisory Committees
- Various City Councils across the state of Florida:
- Tampa
- St. Petersburg
- Orlando
- Plant City
- Gulfport
- Various Business Associations and Transportation Committees across the state:
- Westshore Alliance
- Tampa Downtown Partnership
- New North Transportation Alliance
- Tampa Chamber of Commerce
- St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce
- Active City Conference (Tampa) – 2016
- Presented by the American Institute of Architects
- Sustainability Conference – 2016
- Presented by Hillsborough Community College
- Pecha Kucha Tampa Bay – 2014
Outcome
With an established presence across the state, this led to many opportunities that helped CycleHop not only survive, but grow. Eric reached his objective, establishing himself as a leader and becoming the first line in communication for any thought of bike share or personal mobility. This resulted in dozens of conversations about potential expansion, and where it made sense, he was able to move forward. In addition to the number of co-marketing relationships that were established, the two most significant victories of these efforts were the sale of more than two million dollars in equipment and contract to operate in the City of St. Petersburg and the University of South Florida representing additional revenue opportunities.
Late in his tenure with CycleHop, and with relationships established across the state by way of these presentations, Eric was able to reach out to a number of leaders requesting their assistance in shutting down 2018 Florida House and Senate bills focused on preemption of local regulations, not only jeopardized the company and his existing operations, but the public space in cities across the state.
Having formed a diverse network, he was able to quickly educate these leaders and encourage them to act with their local representatives during the short time that is available during the session in the state of Florida.
