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

Hi Diaa , thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Unofficially, Ventum’s mission statement is that we are not a bike company that has a customer service department, we are a customer service company that happens to be selling bikes. This statement really gets down to the core of our ethos. When the company was first created in 2014, we felt that the level of service customers were receiving at bike shops did not match the incredibly high price tag of the product.

So, we set out to change the model.

Being a direct-to-consumer brand, at least at our inception, allowed us to control the entire purchasing experience from presale, sale, to post sale. This is a particularly meaningful mission to me as I started my career as a customer service rep, and I believe that I’ve had the customer-first approach my entire professional life.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Diaa Nour and I am the founder and chief executive officer of Ventum, a manufacturer of high-end carbon fiber bicycles.

Ventum was started in 2014 in Miami Beach, and its first product was a triathlon bicycle purpose-built for use in IRONMAN competitions. At the time, no other brand was focusing solely on triathlon — which we found odd as it was the second largest growing sport in the country. Before starting Ventum, I was in the IT and Communications world and was looking for something to do in health and wellness. My brother was a professional triathlete at the time and I was able to see firsthand the lack of innovation in his equipment; that was really the catalyst of it all.

From triathlon, we expanded our product line to include road, gravel, and, most recently, e-bikes. We continue to keep our customer-first approach as we grow into a multinational company. I still think to this day, 10 years later, that our biggest differentiator outside of the product and its innovation is our customer service standard

Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?

As a small business we have flown close to the sun too many times to count. A month of mediocre sales can mean the end, as opposed to a larger company who can afford longer periods of down sales.

I remember specifically one period in our second or third year where it was clear that I was not going to make payroll. I had already pulled any and all levers — including borrowing from family and friends, taking out small institutional loans, and even putting some expenses on credit cards. The only solution I had left was to sell my car.

I remember being particularly scared at the time because I had no idea if that would plug the hole once and for all. This meant that if there were hard times ahead, not only would I once again not be able to make payroll but that I would also be without a mode of transportation. The good news is that the gamble paid off and the car sale gave me enough breathing room for a couple payrolls as we entered the busy summer season. Sales improved and I was able to lease a car soon after and continue to grow the business as I do today.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

The answer here is simple: authenticity. The cycling market is insular and incredibly high affinity. Consumers in our world are hungry for brands that practice the marketing they preach, and can be ultra-sensitive to insincerity and jargon.

We’ve stayed true to our brand principles and the way we do business since day one and we really lean on our customers to help tell our story. In the end, this tactic has brought a much more authentic voice to the brand and has kept us in-step with the needs of our customers as they evolve.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ventumracing.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diaa10/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ventumracing
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diaa-nour-754bb12b2/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLVrUtr6KfUDT-tHgr5x_tQ