page 20 2014 Bernie Schreiber feature interview
I happily achieved my goals though. I try and do that still today. If you are sitting there miserably doing something you didn't want to achieve anyway, try to change it.
Are there any benefits of being a well-known motorcycle rider like yourself?
I think benefits and assets are only good if you know how to use them.
Did it help?
Yes, it definitely helps. I don't use it though, but I do use what I have learnt through that process. I think that's the most important thing. I would definitely use it as part of my CV, but people don’t go back that far. A World Championship title is like an MBA. One thing that I say, is that it’s only three letters in the alphabet. I also ask “Did you learn the rest of the alphabet?”. “Do you have any experience in the rest of the alphabet or did you just socialize in that”. I think my Trials win is part of the success, but only part of my life.
After eating, sleeping and breathing trials, did you cope easily with leaving it?
I achieved what I wanted out of it. I was able to leave no problem.
In the early days following your departure from trials, did you ever think, “How the heck am I ever going to able to follow that?”. You were World Champion and you’re now coming in to a normal work environment?
Are there any benefits of being a well-known motorcycle rider like yourself?
I think benefits and assets are only good if you know how to use them.
Did it help?
Yes, it definitely helps. I don't use it though, but I do use what I have learnt through that process. I think that's the most important thing. I would definitely use it as part of my CV, but people don’t go back that far. A World Championship title is like an MBA. One thing that I say, is that it’s only three letters in the alphabet. I also ask “Did you learn the rest of the alphabet?”. “Do you have any experience in the rest of the alphabet or did you just socialize in that”. I think my Trials win is part of the success, but only part of my life.
After eating, sleeping and breathing trials, did you cope easily with leaving it?
I achieved what I wanted out of it. I was able to leave no problem.
In the early days following your departure from trials, did you ever think, “How the heck am I ever going to able to follow that?”. You were World Champion and you’re now coming in to a normal work environment?
Bernie and Steve Saunders 1986. Whilst this was still a successful time for the young Steve, Bernie's years on the World Trial were over.
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Yeah,I did. My father said once “You have two choices. Either you’re a player or a spectator. The spectator pays to watch the players play and the players are out on the field you know. They're getting their ass kicked but that's how they are competing together”. If you want to do something you have to try and associate yourself with those type of people. This is especially true if you want to get up to a different level. When you change your career it was not so easy it was very tough, very tough, but again when are you learned from the bottom you can have a different perspective on the potential that you have. It doesn't all come down to just grades at school. I think it comes down to thinking about what matters to you and the things that matter most. Basically, I’m focused today on things that matter and execute that, not talk about. I've based myself in Switzerland for many years in the past and I love this country, just look at the flag. It's a big plus sign. That's what life is about. It's about adding value, something more, something additional. I'd prefer the kids today, before they learn the alphabet, they should learn how to use the calculator and use the plus a lot more than the minus.
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It must have been frightening for you coming out of trials?
It was. It was frightening for me wondering what I was going to do in a foreign country with a foreign language and two children. I think this was the most frightening thing. It was a very difficult situation. I started my own company, I tried to do things myself you know. I had other dreams for myself as well. It was kind of tough and a difficult situation. It was much more difficult than the World Championship , with much more difficult decisions to make. Riding trials is easy. It was a much easier accomplishment than growing children.
It was. It was frightening for me wondering what I was going to do in a foreign country with a foreign language and two children. I think this was the most frightening thing. It was a very difficult situation. I started my own company, I tried to do things myself you know. I had other dreams for myself as well. It was kind of tough and a difficult situation. It was much more difficult than the World Championship , with much more difficult decisions to make. Riding trials is easy. It was a much easier accomplishment than growing children.
You worked for Malcolm Smith and this took you back to the states?
I went back to do a couple of trial schools and stay down in LA with my parents a bit. I had the Go-Pro as well. This would let people train. I had a patent on that. The funny thing is that I went to sell that to Malcolm Smith he wasn't there. Instead there was somebody else and they said to me, you know Malcolm’s company had just been sold to a big holding company. Then they said “That’s Ok we still want to see you and everything you’ve got”. I had an appointment with this guy and I was going to show him my Go-Pro. His name was Max. I'll never forget this for the rest of my life. I walked into the office. It was a beautiful building in Orange County. He said come in, come in. Max was born in Zurich you know and was running this holding company. I made a presentation to him. I showed him a film about what I was doing and l of my stuff. Max was watching , watching and watching. Then he looked at me and said something I’ll never forget this for the rest of my life. He said “I can't believe what you have done, that is so innovative and so creative, but how would you like a real job” ha ha. That's how it started. My commercial background, it started from that. I said “What do you mean by a real job?”. He said we've got Malcolm Smith products and were going to be looking at all of the exports and we need somebody that has experience. I need someone to go to the trade shows and find good importers for Malcolm Smith in Europe. |
I said that I didn't know a lot about it, but he said that they had a guy who talks a lot but he’s good and will help me. He was my mentor on a commercial side. They made me an offer. This project with the Go-Pro, which I had been so involved with now, just fell to one side and I forgot about it. They wrote me a letter saying that they would look into the development of that, but I never heard another thing about it ha ha. So, I worked for Malcolm Smith products but after a while the holding company had problems in Hong Kong. Then the company started a bicycle side of the business and that's when I connected Alpinestars to bicycles and got them making bicycles. I then looked after Alpinestars in Europe especially with the bicycle side of their business but through the US office.
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It developed into a pretty good sized business and I was working with them on a consulting basis. Their Alpinestars story is remarkable and a great family owned company. Then I got involved Swiss watch maker Tissot. They were looking at a sports marketing manager and step by step by step I was off and I’ve never stopped growing from 1998 -2009.
Where do you live now?
Now, I'm in Palm Beach in Florida. This is where the PGA of America is based and that's where most of the World’s golfers live and base themselves around.
Where do you live now?
Now, I'm in Palm Beach in Florida. This is where the PGA of America is based and that's where most of the World’s golfers live and base themselves around.
What do you do with yourself now?
I've got my Swiss passport and I'm working and developing the golf initiatives in the US for the Swiss watch maker Omega, a company of The Swatch Group. They are the official time keeper of the Olympic Games since 1932. They signed a partnership with the PGA of America in 2011. Golf is also coming back to the Olympics in 2016 so it's a pretty exciting time. It used to be In the Olympics 100 years ago, and coming back. That's going to help grow and help the popularity of Omega. I really started to appreciate golf.
I've got my Swiss passport and I'm working and developing the golf initiatives in the US for the Swiss watch maker Omega, a company of The Swatch Group. They are the official time keeper of the Olympic Games since 1932. They signed a partnership with the PGA of America in 2011. Golf is also coming back to the Olympics in 2016 so it's a pretty exciting time. It used to be In the Olympics 100 years ago, and coming back. That's going to help grow and help the popularity of Omega. I really started to appreciate golf.