Mark Foster has been selling boats for 11 years. He moved his business three and a half years ago because he outgrew the space. In the limited space in the old building, Mark had only enough room for one boat in the showroom and one boat in the servicing area. Foster Bros. Marine now can hold up to 20 boats in the showroom and 20 boats in the service bay.
At age 19 Mark got a job at Mullen Marine, but he didn’t know it would lead to something much bigger. “My dad was looking to buy a boat, and I needed a stint of work. I worked there for a few weeks, and that turned into a part time job,” explains Mark. Over the next few years, working at Mullen Marine became his summer job.
After graduating from North Dakota State University, Mark worked with Hank Mullen, owner of Mullen Marine, for one full year and then left to work at the North American Membership Group in Minnetonka, a media company that focuses on the marketing of various memberships, for five years. In 2006, when Mark heard that Hank was selling Mullen Marine, he went back to Delano to purchase it with his brother who specializes in service and repairs.
“Selling boats to the customers is my favorite part of the job,” says Mark. He also enjoys the marketing aspect of the business, but managing the tremendous growth they experienced has proven to be challenging. Recruiting the right type of employees who are willing to grow with the changing internal structure has been difficult. Foster Bros. Marine currently employs 10 to 12 people between full-time, part-time, and seasonal work.
“Since we’ve been in this building, we have experienced consistent double digit growth. I’ve heard that many businesses fail because of growth and can believe it. I found that changing the internal processes to keep pace with that growth is much more challenging that I had expected,” Mark explains.
Mark’s short-term goal is to put into place the right structure to manage the size of business as it is now and without much more growth. “We’re working towards obtaining the right system for what we have in front of us right now. Growth is a side effect but not the focus. Our product lines are taking care of themselves,” says Mark. The long-term goal is to reach 50% to 60% growth from where they are today.
When asked what he’s most proud of, Mark says it’s not something he thinks about often. He recognizes his team has come a long way, but he’d rather focus on the next steps. “If I had to pick one thing to be proud of, the fact that we’ve developed Foster Bros. Marine from a fairly old-school type of business and grown to the level that we’re currently at while filling out this building is big accomplishment.”
Mark’s daily work depends on the time of year. “This business is so cyclical. Some days it feels like I’m on a roller coaster holding on for my life, while other days are the exact opposite. I kind of enjoy the craziness of selling season, but eventually, even I need a break,” said Mark.
In the off-season, Mark spends time planning future marketing and website enhancements while enjoying his accomplishments from the prior season. It’s not an exciting time for his team, but it’s a time to regroup. Prepping for the boat show in the mid-winter is a lot of work. The boat show is always a kick-off to the new season and is a forecast of how the year typically goes, so it’s always a fun time with lots of anticipation for the months ahead!
When Mark first started Foster Bros. Marine, he wanted to begin working with a local bank. Mark preferred working with the personalities at Minnesota Lakes Bank over other banks in the area. “Since I opened Foster Bros. Marine, I’ve banked with Minnesota Lakes Bank: they are flexible and very interested in offering me what I need for my business. I know when there is a financial need, Minnesota Lakes Bank will stand behind me.”