🐝 Cycle Cities Buzz - From Busy Operator to Better Business Owner 🚲

Hi Reader,

And just like that, we're saying goodbye to July.

It feels like every summer the heatwaves are getting closer together. What used to feel like a few isolated hot weeks now sometimes feels like one long, never-ending heatwave with a few cooler days in between.

For many of you, August will mean a change of pace. Some will be taking a well-earned break, others will be entering the busiest part of the season, and some will be somewhere in between.

Wherever you are, I hope you manage to find a little time to step away from the day-to-day.

And speaking of stepping away from the day-to-day…

Symposium News 🤝

Just a quick reminder that the Early Bird rate for Symposium 2027 ends in September.

If Hamburg is on your calendar, don't leave it too late to secure your place.

Secure your spot

Groupwork Gold Nuggets 💛

This week, we reach the final question from our conversation with the Efficiency Engineers: Lars Michaelsen • Jose Ferri • Luis Ulloa • Jos Teughels • Filipe Palma • Pedro Carmo

Is "growth" always the goal, or is there a "perfect size" for your company?

The discussion challenged the assumption that every business should constantly be getting bigger.

Some of the ideas shared:

The following content is only visible for the Cycle Cities Members.

• Questioning growth: The group agreed that growth isn't necessarily the best objective for every bike tour business.

• Strategic "de-growth": Some operators are actually scaling back, reducing services such as bike rentals to lower fixed costs like shop rent and standby mechanic wages.

• Lean operational models: Some companies choose to open their physical storefront only for specific group arrivals and departures, rather than maintaining standard opening hours.

• Expansion isn't always the answer: While larger shops and fleets can increase capacity, the long-term success of that growth isn't always guaranteed.

The takeaway? Growth is a tool, not a destination.

Sometimes the smartest move isn't to become bigger, but to become leaner, more profitable and easier to run.

And perhaps the real question isn't "How big can we become?"

It's: "What size allows us to build the business we actually want?"

Tool of the Week 🛠️

The Bike Tour Operator Dashboard: A Simple Monthly Business Review System for Independent Operators

Being busy is not the same as building a better business.

When you're deep in high season, it's easy to spend every day solving the next problem without stepping back to understand what's really happening.

That's why this week's resource is a little different.

The Bike Tour Operator Dashboard is a three-part system designed to help you move from simply managing the day-to-day to making better business decisions.

Part 1 — From Busy Operator to Better Business Owner

Understand why tracking a few key numbers can help you move from managing the day-to-day to making better business decisions.

Part 2 — Building Your Dashboard

Learn which metrics to track and how to use the dashboard, monthly reflection and review tools to understand what's happening in your business.

Part 3 — The Monthly Business Review Routine

Turn your numbers into action with a simple monthly, quarterly and annual review system that helps you identify priorities and continuously improve.

The goal isn't to create more admin, but to create a habit that helps you see what's happening, decide what matters and take action.

Download it here

Community — Highlights ➡️

I've noticed that some lucky members are taking advantage of August to step away, recharge and enjoy some well-deserved time off.

And honestly, that's exactly what summer should be about.

So, whether you're working through the busiest weeks of the season or finally managing to switch off for a few days, I hope you get some time to enjoy it.

One small favour, though…

If you're renting bikes to someone who isn't a Cycle Cities member, tell them about us. And if that person happens to be a former Cycle Cities member, even better: let them know what we've been building and what the community is doing now. 😉

You never know who might be ready to join or come back.

Have a fantastic August, whether you're riding, working, travelling, or doing absolutely nothing for a few days.

See you next week

Isabella

Managing Director (Interim)
Cycle Cities 🚲

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