Today we’d like to introduce you to Wayne Sosin.
Hi Wayne, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
While attending St Johns University in the evenings to obtain my MBA, I was working for a fortune 500 company representing them to customers in the New York Metropolitan NYC area. I had visited the Worksman Cycles factory as I knew the family that owned the company. They knew I had a background in sates and was receiving my MBA degree in marketing. Mr Worksman said they were very good at making cycles, but not really strong at promoting and selling them. The company was entering their third generation of ownership and made wonderful Industrial Grade Bicycles and tricycles.
I felt that at a fortune 500 company, though it was very prestigious, I would not get the chance to put my ideas to work, so I accepted a job with the Worksman Cycles Company to head up their sales/Marketing efforts. My thought was that operating in a small company environment allowed me to have a real impact. That was in 1979, and eventually a family Worksman Family member and I bought the company and have managed it ever since.
We were a NYC based operation until 2015, at which point we decided to relocate to SC based upon many factors, and now all of our bicycle manufacturing operations are in Conway SC. That was certainly one of the biggest decisions of my career and one of the most demanding. However, it has set up the company for success for the future.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Running a small business is NEVER smooth sailing. Owners must wear MANY hats. Some days I’m in sales, others I’m in human resources, inventory control, production planning, team psychologist, and more. We’ve fact many specific challenges from competition, changing supply chain to the recent tariffs. All the while, we have been committed to making Worksman Cycles in the USA, a path very few bicycle companies chose. While it has all be worthwhile, it has not been easy.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Worksman Cycles is a small company with less than 75 employees. However, we deal with the largest companies in the world. Our Industrial Tricycles are used by large companies for personnel movement at expansive factories, refineries, distribution centers where workers such as maintenance professionals, supervisors, parts pickers and others need to get about the facility while carrying supplies. This is an environmentally friendly alternative to golf carts or other motorized vehicles, promoting employee health, productivity and cost savings. When dealing with large businesses, our approach is to act like we are as large as our customers are. Being part of a company with its own brand is so exciting. Seeing Worksman Cycles in use on city streets, college campuses, in park or at the beach is still exciting to me today as it was 40 years ago.
We have customers around the globe using Worksman Cycles and our cycles are considered to be the Industry’s best. Its a wonderful to have international customers whom I’ve become close to on a personal level. Hearing from families that use our tricycles for a special needs requirement and learning how our tricycles have had such an amazing impact is a priceless reward.
Besides the quality of our cycles, virtually all of our competitors are simply importers of complete cycles, mostly from China. Worksman Cycles is now America’s Oldest Bicycle manufacturer with our founding dating back to 1898. having USA based factory workers is amongst the greatest source of pride for us and surely sets us apart from competitors.
In addition to our industrial customers, Worksman Cycles also makes consumer Adult tricycles, heavy duty bicycles for “plus size riders” and Adaptive needs tricycles. In other words, cycles for those who otherwise may not be able to enjoy bicycle riding. We’ve worked with associations for the blind, MS organizations, make a Wish and other organizations that are critical to those in need.
My most recent source of pride is a program we did being the Bicycle supplier to a relief organization in Ghana that uses our bicycles to get medical professionals to remote villages. Seeing the faces of villagers when the medical help comes was worth its weight in gold. Knowing Worksman Cycles played a small role in this effort was incredibly satisfying.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Growing up in a wonderful neighborhood in Queens NYC with supportive parents and making lifelong friends. There was always a strong focus on playing sports (mainly baseball and basketball) , which has played a large part of my personal life to this day. As long as someone had a ball, we could keep busy from morning till darkness.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.worksmancycles.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/worksmancycles
