Articles by Kim Schmidt

FWEDA Members Vote Against Merger with WEDA

By Kim Schmidt posted on December 16, 2016 | Posted in Dealer News

FWEDA Chairman Craig Kleindl, director of pricing at RDO, says dealer members felt the decision was rushed and some of their concerns weren’t addressed.

Season-to-Season

Power Centers of Madison: Gearing Up for Winter

Following a wet summer, Power Centers of Madison was still supporting mower customers as the team prepared for winter sales.

By Kim Schmidt posted on November 12, 2016 | Posted in Dealer News, Best Practices

As fall rolled around in southern Wisconsin, the grass was still growing following a wet summer. Power Centers of Madison still had selling and servicing mowers top of mind, but the process of getting snow removal equipment into the showroom and displayed outside was also well underway.

Season-to-Season: Power Centers of Madison

By Kim Schmidt posted on November 9, 2016

Duane Nolden and Ed Prochaska, owners of Power Centers of Madison, had been working together at another rural lifestyle dealership in the Madison, Wis., area for 15 years before they went into business on their own. At that dealership, Nolden was the general manager while Prochaska managed the shop. “We were pretty much running the business. The owner of the dealership was trying to sell it at the time, but things didn’t come together the way we wanted to buy the place,” Nolden says.

Gravely Partners with Yamaha on Launch of First-Ever Yamaha V-Twin EFI Engines for OPE Industry

Gravely and Yamaha have partnered to offer the first-ever Yamaha V-Twin EFI engine for the OPE industry. The engines can be ordered now and will be available in Spring.

By Kim Schmidt posted on October 17, 2016 | Posted in Manufacturer News

Gravely and Yamaha have partnered to offer the first-ever Yamaha V-Twin EFI engine for the OPE industry. The engines can be ordered now and will be available in Spring.

[Webinar] Digging Up Accurate Used Values

By Kim Schmidt posted on June 28, 2016 | Posted in Rural Lifestyle Market

There is no silver bullet when it comes to sourcing accurate used equipment values. During this webinar, Trent Hummel, a core trainer for the Western Equipment Dealers Assn. Dealer Institute, discusses how to review multiple sources and data fields in order to most accurately value used equipment. This FREE webinar is brought to you by the WEDA Dealer Institute. [To view any of our webinar replays, you must be logged in with a free user account.]

Season-to-Season

Matching Customers with the Right Product All Year Long

Power Centers of Madison shares best practices for working through the seasonality of the outdoor power equipment market in the ‘Season-to-Season’ series.

By Kim Schmidt posted on April 23, 2016 | Posted in Best Practices

[Webinar] Drivers of the Business: Financial Metrics for the Non-CPA

By Kim Schmidt posted on April 18, 2016 | Posted in Data & Forecasts

During this webinar, Mike Hedge reviews how basic financial statements fit together and what they measure. He also introduces a few key metrics that he believes are key to helping dealers maintain a healthy business for the long run. This live event took place at 2:00 p.m. CDT on April 26, 2016. [To view any of our webinar replays, you must be logged in with a free user account.]

Kubota Sees Increased Sales in Farm Equipment

By Kim Schmidt posted on February 26, 2016 | Posted in Manufacturer News

Earnings for the 9 months ended Dec. 31, 2015 with $11,024 billion in sales, up 9.2% from the same period in 2014.

Market Opportunities: Exploring the Rural Lifestyle Market

A look back at how the market has changed over the last decade through the “Market Opportunities” series.

By Kim Schmidt posted on January 25, 2016 | Posted in Best Practices

The markets served by rural lifestyle dealers are far and wide. The customer base can range from professionals who know the equipment they need to keep their businesses running and profitable to inexperienced homeowners who require a lot of guidance and education.

[Webinar] Strategies for Marketing Used Equipment

By Kim Schmidt posted on January 13, 2016 | Posted in Rural Lifestyle Market

This Farm Equipment webinar event featured insights from Greg Peterson, known in the industry as Machinery Pete, and Rick Vacha, regional sales manager with Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers’ ag division. The presenters discussed the current used farm equipment market and how farm equipment dealers can market their used equipment and use auctions to their advantage. [To view any of our webinar replays, you must be logged in with a free user account.]

Must Read Free Eguides

Download these helpful knowledge building tools

RhinoAG Production Tour to Mark 90 years

Lessiter Media editors visited RhinoAG in Gibson City, IL to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the production processes and attention to detail that have contributed to their longevity as they celebrate their 90th anniversary in 2024.

Top Directory Listings

Yanmar

Yanmar America is the North American headquarters of Yanmar Holdings. Ranked #1 in Product Quality for five years in a row by the Equipment Dealers Association, Yanmar provides innovative solutions for Rural Lifestyle and Industrial Equipment customers.

Yanmar was the world’s first manufacturer to develop a practical small diesel engine in 1933 and has continued to push the boundaries of innovation and technology ever since. As a manufacturer of diesel engines, compact tractors and utility task vehicles, construction machinery, and industrial equipment, Yanmar's products are sold in over 130 countries.

At Yanmar America, we are committed to providing our customers with the highest quality products and services, backed by a strong team of professionals who share our dedication to excellence. We look forward to the opportunity to work with you in achieving your goals.

Stihl Inc

Virginia Beach-based STIHL Inc., produces a full line of high-quality, handheld outdoor power equipment including blowers, trimmers, brushcutters, and multi-task tools, as well as the number one selling brand of chainsaws worldwide. STIHL Inc. manufactures over 260 model variations of handheld outdoor power equipment for sale in the U.S. and around the world.