Business View Oceania - May 2024

By 2017, Evo Cycles opened seven stores; while profitability remained elusive, Fletcher’s constant belief in Evo Cycles’ potential never wavered. PROPELLING GROWTH In 2018, Fletcher experienced a moment of clarity— an epiphany that would shape Evo Cycles’ trajectory for years to come. “There’s no point in opening just one store a year. So, let’s open heaps.” Fletcher’s words echo with a determination that fuels Evo Cycles’ ambitious expansion. Armed with little more than a nail gun and a vision, Fletcher and his team set out to redefine the brand’s presence in the cycling industry. The expansion was not without its challenges, but Fletcher’s ingenuity prevailed. “We came up with a bit of a template to do the store fit-outs that wasn’t going to cost us huge amounts of money,” he notes. The resourceful approach allowed Evo Cycles to scale rapidly while keeping costs manageable. From 2018 to 2020, Evo Cycles transformed, adding twenty new stores to its roster.“We went from seven stores in 2017 to thirty-one by the end of 2020 and we are anticipating to reach thirty-two stores,” Fletcher recounts proudly. This accelerated growth expanded Evo Cycles’ footprint and solidified its position as a powerhouse in the cycling world. STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 posed yet another test for Evo Cycles. However, instead of retreating, Fletcher seized the opportunity. Despite facing setbacks in logistics and navigating through 60 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 06, ISSUE 05