Brian Jankowski from Oshkosh is taking another step on his entrepreneurial journey. His first venture, Dupa Leash of the dog, a business he owns with his mother, Kathy, is growing at a steady pace.
Laja, a dual dog caterpillar that does not pull or attract and includes a disposal bag holder, has proven not only to be a great product, but has also been a learning experience for Jankowski, who now owns parts of X -Golf in Oshkosh (Playxgolf.com).
“One of the things I learned is that it’s hard to run a business,” he said. “You have to be at the top of your 24/7 game and are working hard. Work and balance of life is important, but when you are running your business, it is hard. Through DUPA DUPA, my passion for business is blooming And it grows, and with X-Golf, I couldn’t be more excited about it. “
This passion for golf has determined his career. Jankowski graduated from Menasha High School before earning a degree from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and the American Golf Academy in Carlsbad, California. He received a Class A professional license as a professional through PGA America.
In 2006, he began his career in Golftec, a business that specializes in Golf Club’s equipment and training. From the 22 years he has spent the industry, 15 have been in the Golf house space. It was those experiences for years that brought him to his latest venture.
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“I was learning my craft, how to teach, how to help people improve their game,” he said. “I gave 12 to 14 lessons a day besides the club’s equipment, and I gave more than 25,000 lessons in my career.”
But leaving was not an easy decision.
“Golftec’s job was difficult. I have worked with the owner for years and it was difficult to say I was leaving. I learned a lot about his business and he was a friend and a mentor. When I started, he was opening his first shop; He recently opened his fifth, “Jankowski said.
They were divided into good conditions. Businesses have different models and are not considered to be competitors. While Golftec focuses mainly on equipment and lessons, this is less than 10% of the X-Golf business. X-Golf is considered a fun center for families, golf amateurs and the best, and the main feature is its high-level golf simulators. It also includes a restaurant and grass and a space for private parties.
Jankowski will do equipment and lessons, but he will also serve as a general manager.
“Really really progressing in my career,” he said. “When I was thinking of making the difference, I wrote the best and the bad and weighed them based on time and finance, and talked to people closest to me. It took only about two weeks to make the decision.”
The decision was made easier based on its exclusivity review. The first X-Golf opened in 2015 and has already increased to more than 200 countries. After deciding to make the difference, he left his job on December 2 and was working with the other owner to remodel a free 9,000 -square -foot space in a ribbon center. It was a difficult task.
He said, “We had to navigate everything, from building to wall decor, murals, lighting – everything. It includes seven bays to the Simulators of Golf for an eighth.”
There is also a bar with tables in the center of the building, the space of private events and a kitchen. The menu, one she is working on, includes elements like burgers and hot dogs. But there are also unique items like hot chicken sandwiches and protein balls.
While Jankowski travels from his home to West de Pere, he said he spends his time planning the business. He wants her to be a place where people, mostly players, can come and stay, enjoy a meal and experience what he says are some of the best simulators in the industry.
X-Golf proud to have spent 20 years developing a owner technology that combines Laser, light, influence and camera sensory technologies. He claims to be the most accurate and comprehensive imitator of the internal golf in the world. Simulators include the game in 45 different golf courses.
Although other units may not be as sophisticated, the general realism and accuracy of progress technology has implied a tremendous growth within the industry for both individual and business use. The National Golf Foundation estimates that there are about 4 million users of golf simulators across the country. Between 2021 and 2030, industry sales are projected to rise from $ 1.3 billion to $ 3.3 billion.
An interesting statistic is that half of the simulator users have never played in a golf course. League game is no longer limited to a golf course; A large part of the planned income flow.
Jankowski said, “One of our first goals is to create golf leagues. I am trying to connect with golf courses, corporations and events planners and I want someone who is interested in partnership with us to reach.”
He has other goals as well. He said, “Personally, I’m looking to improve marketing skills and learn different marketing hacks. I’m not a professional chef, but cooking is a passion of mine and I want to create an interesting menu.”
He will have a six to 10 staff to help. The criteria are simple – employees do not have to be players, but they must be removing, negotiating, good with people and focused on the help of customers to have fun.
With that mentality, he does not worry about the increasing competition that exists in the industry.
“Competition is good for everyone,” he said. “It brings more interest and illuminates the business. There are many players players and we want to be another great place in the community where players can come and enjoy. We are trying to grow house golf. People are coming to the idea that when they play inside, it can be much more enjoyable. “
And he will be there to help them achieve their goals with lessons and accessories. In his experience, he said the players he worked with were able to get on average 10 shocks from their results in one year. His versatility, he said, is able to deconstruct a golf rhythm and put it on building a better golf swing.
While he helps players to achieve their goals, Jankowski will focus on his goals to increase income and overall profit and provide a fun and entertainment place for individuals and families. In the next five years, he would like to open two other places in the northeast of Wisconsin, and is working to become a Master’s PGA professional, the highest level for his profession.
In his limited free time, he will continue to help his mother with the dog’s caterpillar.
“Now we’re working to expand to the retail stores in the country,” he said. “Internet presence has continuously increased and we have introduced a new feature in the caterpillar called” traffic gloves “which help the user check their dogs more easily in narrow neighborhoods. We have also expanded our dog caterpillar large with the use of the thicker and stronger ropes of the bungee. “
“I am an entrepreneur with a heart,” he added.
Tina Dettman-Bielefeldt is a co-owner of DB commercial real estate in Green Bay and the director of the last district for Score, Wisconsin.
