Nature/Outdoors | Page 5

for products that we can sell for next year. I meet with representatives from ski companies during the months of February and March to see what styles and what products will be popular over the next year. During these meetings, the representatives, myself, and a few of my employees go over trends in brands and styles for the previous years and upcoming year. After these meetings, my wife and I go over numbers from the previous year and budget for the following year. We also use the farmer’s almanac as a good reference as to how the winter will be in New Hampshire. This will show us how much we may need to prepare and budget for the upcoming season.

“I do a lot of behind the scenes work to ensure that my business runs smoothly.”

“Location is everything for my business.”

-John Gallagher, Owner, Ski Fanatics

Do you test out many of your new arrivals and demo skis?

I personally test nearly all of our products purchased for the next year. I do this at a three-day event at Stratton Mountain in Vermont and another day at Loon Mountain. During these days, our sponsors allow local ski shop owners and employees to test out new products that will be on our shelves during the next ski season. After we test out these products, my sales team, my wife and I go over the potential products for the next year. This is to see what products we will buy for the upcoming season.

What marketing do you do for your business?

We market our business on several sources of social media. Through this type of modern media, we reach the younger age group of skiers. As well as social media, we sponsor local events, hand out stickers, and have the common word-of-mouth advertising.

What does your business do in the offseason?

Ski Fanatics does a much slower business during the spring, summer, and fall months. To help us get from season to season we rent kayaks and canoes, as well as give kayaking trips to customers down the Pemigewasett River. During the offseason months, we look forward to the upcoming ski season and prepare our product for the following year.

The ski industry gives way to a lot of traffic and commerce in New Hampshire. Local business such as Ski Fanatics and many others draw in visitors to spend their money within the state. In cooperation with the ski mountains of the state, and the weather of course, Ski Fanatics is a booming business come winter time. When many think of skiing, they think of carving down a mountain. For John and other ski shop owners, they think of business. This business is a time consuming one, as it takes nearly a year to prepare for the next season. Skiing is often a family venture, but for the Gallaghers it is a mode of life.

Pictured above: John Gallagher, owner (left), Stratton sales representative, Taylor Cook, manager (right). Testing out new skis for next year’s season at Stratton Mountain, posted to Ski Fanatics Instagram account Thursday, February 22, 2018.