 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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The sales growth is impressive but it isn't obvious what is going on from the material on their website. I would want to know a lot more about what is actually driving that growth before I committed to anything.
If you were buying a new freeride ski from an indie manufacturer why would you choose Faction over Black Crows or Whitedot?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@gorilla, yep the growth forecasts look ambitious but they seem to be the current #cool brand in Verbier, expanding into clothing, the Candide Thovex association was smart, experienced mgt team, global platform in place. I'm tempted...
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Faction are lovely, well built, skis.
They have been going for a long time - already well established in 2007/08.
Having the Verbier heritage can only be good for the marketing and image.
Their line up of skis is probably equal to those brands mentioned above.
As an investment my biggest question would be that it is a very crowded market place...
There are literally hundreds of companies making customs skis - some of them good, some not so.....
You are not only competing with other indie brands - but also Dynastar, Volkl,Movement <etc>.
The Candide connection was high profile - but it didn't exactly work for Core-upt (who also made decent skis)
So will Faction make it to the next level ? And is manufacturing outwear actually sensible ?
No reason why they couldn't make the next step transition from life style company to PLC....
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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The outerwear expansion is an interesting concept – I see Black Crows have also recently done the same. I guess the success will depend on the markets they are targeting – I’m not sure the overall skier market is growing at a fast rate and can support all these different brands and their various expansions, but I believe the ‘backcountry’/touring market might have a faster growth rate, albeit from a small base. Is it enough to support all the brands though?
Note: I have no idea what the numbers actually are, I’m just guessing for the above. And I don’t know how many different brands there are, and who they are actually targeting either  Just curious speculation on my part!
Anyway, I’ve never tried Faction skis, but would like to – and saw they will be demoing at the Cham date of the FWT, so may pop over.
(I know it’s easy to test Zag and Dynastar skis around Cham, the WhiteDot guys put me in touch with the lovely guys at EchoBase in the past to try their gear, and I just emailed Black Crow yesterday to see what local set-up they have too for testing… )
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@BobinCH, were it me I would want to see a breakdown of sales by ski model and sales region and the split between soft and hardgoods, again by region. I would also want to understand how long they have Candide on their books for and under what conditions he can walk.
I'm not saying "don't do it", indeed it may be a fun thing to do but I get the sense that indie ski manufacturing can be a bit of an up and down affair.
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| Quote: |
Their line up of skis is probably equal to those brands mentioned above.
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@Haggis_Trap, I'm sure they make great skis. The point about the Whitedot and the Black Crows line ups is that they are distinct from the major brand offerings. They are niche products aimed at a certain kind of person. Someone buying an R108 probably does not have the Soul 7 in their consideration set.
I don't get the same sense of strategy from looking at the Faction line up. At a guess, I would say the approach is to make a great product with a wide range of appeal (probably wider than Whitedot or Black Crows) and then market the product heavily using Candide. That's a perfectly reasonable thing to do. The question there is does that provide sufficient competitive advantage over the long term?
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^being blunt : I think much of indie ski manufacturer trend is a lot of hype over substance.
White Dot, Black Crows, Faction are all nice skis...
But are they honestly any better (or cheaper) than what you can buy from Volkl, Dynastar, K2, Rossignol, Kastle, Blizzard <etc>.
The whole point of indie ski manufacturers is primarily because people like something "different" ?
A bit like craft ale / beer there is probably plenty room for lots of small manufacturers ?
But making the jump to major producer is inevitably tricky.
... and also means that you risk losing your niche roots too.
Faction certainly have interesting and diverse "freeski line up" that is as good as any manufacturer..
The Agent 100 @1.4kg looks like a great touring ski ?
http://www.factionskis.com/skis/ski-1516-ag100
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@Haggis_Trap, agree – and why I always want to actually test skis out before I'd buy any. But I imagine many people (possibly even the majority of their customers?) are happy to go along with the various marketing perceptions etc.
I guess in the end it’s down to whatever makes them money and keeps them going as a company - so that there is a bigger choice of skis for me to try
But in reference to the actual OP, it’s not something I know enough about to actually invest in it myself…
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Hello, everyone!
Thank you so much for your interest in Faction’s skis and our investment round. I’m Alex, co-founder and CEO and have the envious position of being based between Verbier and London. I’ve been a Snowhead since about 2007!
We here at Faction are very excited about the way the Crowdcube campaign has let us have a great conversation with ski addicts everywhere, even if they are not typical big-ticket investors.
Your questions and comments are right on point – hopefully this helps and if not, ping me on alex@factionskis.com! Brace yourselves, here's a fair bit of info...
Here’re the main themes I picked up in your thread – let me know what I missed or what else could be helpful!
1. What is driving our growth? Why do we think it can keep growing to match our expectations? Might we lose our niche appeal? What is our global breakdown of sales? What makes Faction stand out from the others in the marketplace – both incumbent and indie? How do the lines breakdown? What’s the Candide relationship? @gorrilla @haggis_trap @fixx
2. What’s going on with the outdoor clothing launch and how will that work out? @bobinCH @fixx @
3. Where can you demo in Chamonix? Anywhere else? @fixx
1. What is driving our growth? Why do we think it can keep growing to match our expectations? Might we lose our niche appeal? What is our global breakdown of sales? What makes Faction stand out from the others in the marketplace – both incumbent and indie? How do the lines breakdown? What’s the Candide relationship?
As you noted, we’ve been working to get our skis right for nearly a decade now. Tony McWilliam and I met in Verbier in 2006 where he was making skis in his chalet, was a pro comp ski judge and incredible graphic designer and I was spending seasons in the backcountry after building up an online auction company and listing it on AIM.
We were convinced that the majors were just not innovating, not keeping up with the times. Snowboards had been innovating a lot – but we wanted to push limits with shapes and materials and frankly have gear that looks as great as it rides. We even wrote a manifesto which is almost embarrassing that we dug up but it’s true to our goals. We really believe that skis are more than products – they are mediums for self-expression and tools of escape. Yep, sounds like ad copy but that was from the heart.
For the first five years we mostly focused on dialing in the quality, trying all kinds of materials – we even tried recycled PET which was cool, but the durability wasn’t where we wanted it. In time we honed into that feel that you just get with Factions – tortionally stiffer, but nimble. Versatile, but the right tools for what you need.
In 2012 we were a nice little company… with a lot of complexity. We focused on what you are saying – there are about six mega-corp majors knocking out about 1.9 million pairs of skis and there are a few dozen small ‘niche’ brands (I’m American, I said “nitch” there ) selling a couple grand each… but if we wanted to follow our ambition to make the best skis, to innovate, and to get let our skis be those tools of escape for a lot of people, it was time to build a serious platform and make things happen (gulp!).
The first million bucks Tony and I put in along with years of dedication. Three years ago we knew it was time to get more people on board, turn up the volume to get the word out, and we started investing. We took on investment from some smart angels and a London-based pension investor you may know called Octopus – all EIS-qualifying stuff in the UK.
We’ve now build a platform and our revenues are growing far faster than our opex. All up we’ve invested £7.5m in the business so far, and that has given us a base in Design & Manufacturing, Marketing, Sales, and Infrastructure & Systems, and most of all people.
We hired a 2x extreme champ who happened to be an ex-Head sales and team manager to run North America, a great woman with ten years experience at The North Face for our clothing line, a hard-core materials engineer, a writer with experience from Powder Mag for marketing, and the list goes on. That’s added up now to 19 people dedicated to making the gear * we * want to ski… not just what some exec in khakis says costs less or that sold well last year. We pick ‘em. We don’t always get it right, but but we seem to be doing something right, we’ve racked up 50+ industry awards from 8 countries.
So, @gorrilla, just to give you a sense for what we are doing different by market, we have a wholesale sales force we manage directly 9 of the top 10 ski markets in the world and our sales largely track to that scale, with France our strongest country, but the USA growing fastest, Switzerland has been weak on the German side so it’s under-performing but we’ve hired a super-experienced rep to cover that market at last and the exploits of Sam Anthamatten, Zermatt-based guide and feature film explorer should make a dent. The UK over-performs versus international rankings, we’re pleased to say, but we’ve got a long ways to go, and we also manage directly Germany, Austria, Canada, Italy and Sweden. In total we are in 31 countries – although some include Macedonia and Lebanon (kid you not!) – and working with over 350 retail shops partners to get or gear in the hands of avid skiers everywhere.
So where’s the growth coming from? Getting our sales force in place (we added 11 of 44 regions last year), getting the word out (our videos reach over a million users now), and making better product for what people are looking for. We agree that the website isn’t as clear as it should be – expect a nice step up in that clarity next week! But we’re very confident that our lines are reaching to people with specific needs, from the Standard series nailing it for patrollers and industry pros to the Foundation series where our Prodigy won Skiing Magazine’s Ski of the Year award 2015 to the Chapters which put a bit more forcefulness into what we feel like is a sometimes too-soft five point offering on the market.
And then there is Candide. He’s a master, he’s versatile, he allows us to showcase some of the hybrid super-light technology we have implemented and he is a shareholder in Faction. Full of surprises and longevity, we’ve been working on the long game together.
We are growing in Verbier as well, but that’s our R&D ground, our playground, a place where legends tell us how to make things better from our office a couple hundred metres from the lift. But only this year do we see it as our ‘coming out’ year in Verbier. We only have a quick phone shot of this sign now at Medran which is exciting … but Switzerland is only 12% of our global sales.
We don’t worry much about being niche or different or craft. We just focus on making the best gear we can and getting better at talking about it, getting people pumped to ski. Right now we are about 0.4% of the ski sales market and 0.1% if you include outerwear. We believe in a future where brands are mega-corps, but lean and mid-sized, allowing for personal choices and not just chocolate or vanilla.
As to how we compare to other brands, first off, @Haggis_trap if we are ever cheaper than K2 or Dynastar, we’ve definitely mis-priced – we focus not on being the cheapest but on being great value. We believe that we spend more on materials than the majors, but price only slightly above most of them – partially because we can because we don’t have a lot of overhead. We’re pretty crazy-lean.
As to brands like Zag, White Dot, and Black Crows we are all quite friendly. None of us believe that we are going to win or lose by stealing sales from one another, but by making great product. Black Crows in particular seems to be growing along with ourselves. But all of us combined barely pip the 1% of skis threshold. It’s all to play for. And we feel like Faction has the team and momentum to go big. And so far, our retailers think so too.
We’re excited to say that we have shipped our 10,000th pair of skis on Monday – as best as we can tell, that exceeds most of the smaller brands and breaks us into the ‘mid-tier’ territory, where we aim to keep that pace. Our pre-season orders were up 146% going into this season and we anticipate keeping our growth rate well above the industry average over the coming years on a firm bedrock of design, production (we produce in Czech and Poland), some great marketing ahead and a solid sales team.
2. What’s going on with the outdoor clothing launch and how will that work out?
It was May 1st 2012 and Tony and I were talking. We were annoyed that a lot of our friends were wearing snowboard gear because it had style, but we wanted the technical aspects that were in skiwear. But did not want to look like Jean-Claude Killy (well, he was a great skier, but let’s say his look better suited a past era!). We also thought about how rarely most people actually buy skis. Some never in fact. But we were getting fans and friends around the world who wanted to be part of The Collective we had kicked off. So we decided to make outdoor clothes, as long as they adhered to the principle of being clothes we wanted to wear. Clothing is hard. So we’ve kept it on a slow burn, but we brought in experts and our W1516 line is really getting the pace. Clothing is only about 10% of our revenues now, but we see that growing along with our skis.
3. Where can you demo in Chamonix? Anywhere else?
We have a demo centre with ConceptPRO in Cham, sell in Otavalo and due to our shared relationship with Candide we have quite a few demos at Quiksilver’s Boardriders shop. Wherever you are, ping us on our website or email us at europe@factionskis.com and we can try to direct you to our demo partners wherever you are. We also have an office in Shoreditch, but not a lot of demo options
We hope that gives you a bit more of a sense of what we are doing. As mentioned, our crowdfunding round is closing on Sunday. We’ve gone with the Crowdfunding approach because we are nearly to profitability and want to keep the funding angel-friendly rather than going to institutions and intermediaries and also give our fans the chance to get involved and be part of this crazy journey! There’s a lot more information there on financials and, well, everything – www.factionskis.com/invest
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Well I for one can't wait to get my Royales in some powder this winter! I've got a lot of time for Faction and I know that a few people that I spent a season with in 2008 loved their skis, and I'm sure they have only improved in time.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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You rang m'lud?
Best skis ever. Hands down.
That's all.
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@parlor, LONG time no speak/hear!
Send me a PM with your number...we should speak, there is a lot to tell each other!
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You know it makes sense.
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righto, lets cut to the chase : how much weed does Candide smoke every day ?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@parlor, are yours still alive?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Now i need to try some, despite the earlier comment about soul7's (my very satisfactory ride for last 3 years), am very much in your demographic.
Will email regarding where when & which.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Arno wrote: |
| @parlor, are yours still alive? |
I've still got his old 13s in my garage - last had an outing on Raise a year or so ago. One edge is a bit blown but they'll still do rock duty. Hoping to give them a spin down the mean couloirs of Box Hill and the Betchworth Bowls this winter.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
| Arno wrote: |
| @parlor, are yours still alive? |
I've still got his old 13s in my garage - last had an outing on Raise a year or so ago. One edge is a bit blown but they'll still do rock duty. Hoping to give them a spin down the mean couloirs of Box Hill and the Betchworth Bowls this winter. |
Haha, done that with the OH as shuttle service 
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@factionskis, Had a few years off after doing Morzine in 07/08 when I was living with the Snowfix lot and lending my bed to Bungle when I wasn't there, therefore there were a few pairs knocking around at the time!! Anyway after a few years I've finally got my hands on a pair! Live down in the pyrenees full time now so just waiting for the snow to arrive! Must get myself sorted with a pair of your park skis as well though.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@factionskis, really liked the look of your prospectus and therefore had a punt on a few shares , looking forward to 20% off a new pair of agent 100's . good luck for all the future plans . exciting times 
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@dabber - welcome aboard! We're definitely cranking to make it worth as much as possible for you, but meanwhile, definitely hope you enjoy the Agent100s - ski up, ski down, repeat! of-a-kind. Let us know if you make it by Verbier.
Sweet, @pumba, I'm going to try to get to visit our Baquiera / Andorra guys this Feb, but I've not yet spent winter time in the Pyrenees - but we've definitely got a crew down there riding as you have no doubt seen. Bungle. One-
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Looks like I hand a premature send there @pumba: Bungle, one-of-a-kind for sure.
@paulc1984 - those Idiom's are something we really put a lot of time thinking about in the past two years - we frankly had too many freestyle / park skis and wanted to concentrate on two that would rock and offer a different, 'premium park' feel - it's a sweet ski. A few more years and you're small pal will grow into the I-jrs
Btw, anyone who wants to join @dabber and a couple hundred others, the funding closes tomorrow (Sunday) at midnight. Totally cool if not though, we've hit our targets but it's great to have shareholders who dig the gear. We're planning to have a shareholder ski day and try out next year's gear in the spring - should be a bit of spring shred. It's been great to hear from so many of you guys.
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| factionskis wrote: |
A few more years and you're small pal will grow into the I-jrs
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He certainly will, and the topsheet is the same which is cool (for him )
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You know it makes sense.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I've had a little nibble too. Was up there yesterday and lots of Factions skis around - need to try some out. One of the ski schools was decked out in the new gear which looked good.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Thanks @BobinCH and everyone else who got involved!
Look forward to what's ahead.
Definitely ping us if you guys have thoughts or feedback.
Best,
Alex & the Faction crew
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Tested the Candide Thovex 3.0 yesterday afternoon courtesy of the friendly people at the Faction office and Ski Service Les Ruinettes.
Lovely skis - solidly built, super smooth and surprisingly agile on the piste and in the bumps off the side. Apparently Ski Service do complimentary ski tests every Sunday morning from Ruinettes if you want to try them out!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@BobinCH, how'd they compare to the whitedots you tested in chamonix ??
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Comparable to the directors rather than R1.08's. Damper, more solid feel, less playful but provably better at speed and in chopped up conditions. I was skiing with my son so didn't really have the opportunity to ride them hard but they feel like a ski that needs an active rider and doesn't have a speed limit. Looking firwRd to trying them in softer snow!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@BobinCH, hope you don't have to wait to long 
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@factionskis, Hi Alex, just demo'd a pair of 106s at Taos, Dave was working the stand and suggested them as a good replacement for my Soul7s. Well damn, 2 runs and i was begging him to take my money please. Alas dave says i have to wait until mid jan to get that pair, oh well.
Also i told alain veth from le ski mastery how good they were. I think he is talking with you guys about being a dealer. That would be good - have been buying from Alain for 20years, great guy and awesome skier/coach.
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FAQ
excited to be part of a business in a sport i love 