We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sara Cifelli. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sara below.

Sara, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

The initial idea formed shortly after graduating college and looking at a difficult job market. It was very hard to find polocrosse equipment anywhere in the US, so I saw the gap in the market and an opportunity to use what I had learned in business school to start something profitable. To get going, I talked to someone who previously had been a main supplier of equipment in this country. They gave me valuable insights on vendors overseas and I bought out some of their leftover inventory to get started. The next month was just getting my footing by getting some product imported to sell and start gathering some customers. It took a little bit of time to get going, as I picked up a full time job as well while building this business, By the end of the first year I had finally gotten a solid relationship with a couple of vendors, I had built an online store -however rudimentary the initial one was – to ship orders around the country, and had begun branding the business to gain recognition. The initial launch did not take much, and was somewhat rocky. Over the next year I really got things moving and customers began to know about the business and look for me at events, as well as share my info with their friends.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I have been playing an exciting sport called polocrosse, which is kind of like lacrosse while mounted on horses, for over 20 years now. This sport has allowed me to travel overseas to compete and meet many new and interesting people over the years. I felt inspired to create a business selling equipment for the sport after college graduation, to both provide affordable equipment to players in the United States and also help grow awareness about the little known equestrian discipline in which I was so heavily involved. Through this company, that I started almost 10 years now, I have been able to supply quality rackets to new players all over the United States. This has included many groups trying to get started and looking for a large amount of rackets and balls for new players. By producing some new products of my own, and no longer relying on foreign suppliers, I have been able to consistently carry inventory when others could not. I think it’s important to have what people need when they need it, and I strive to keep the essentials in stock so players are set up to play their best in this sport.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Luckily for me, I had a bit of a reputation as a player before starting this business. I had been competing for many years and attended several tournaments every season prior to starting up. After that, being consistently available has really helped build the brand. My pop-up store is a regular fixture at most East coast tournaments and people are prepared to come shop for what they need while on site. Guaranteeing the quality of the products I sell has kept customers coming back year after year as well. Between being known as a player and an honest business person, my reputation has spread through word of mouth from those who interact with me in either role.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Over the years there have been several competitors that have popped up and tried to compete with me. They have made things a bit difficult at times, often undercutting all my prices slightly and adjusting their marketing to offers better deals immediately after I have advertised sales. I have prevailed over the course of time with honest business practices and superior customer support. These competitors often have more funding and are able to spend more time and effort on their ventures than I am. Many customers have stayed with me over the years despite opposition because I am more knowledgeable about the products and make sure the customers are happy with what they receive. As a result, I have bought out the leftover inventory of some of these competitors after they decided to close up shop.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.scpolocrosse.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sc_polox_equip/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scpolocrosse
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/saracifelli/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC494M6rmkJJ4hv3CshllBkA

Image Credits
Head shot – Aura Marzouk of AMP photography Horse photos – Patti Cifelli