by Sponsor • 01/20/2023 12:00 am - Updated 01/19/2023 10:54 am
Business icons in all industries know that bold moves lead to big things. It takes just one calculated risk to plant the seed for expansion, growth, and endless opportunity. For Jason Haugen, that pivotal moment occurred in 2018 when he took ownership of an RV dealership that needed a new direction. The Haugen RV Group has come a long way since then, and as CEO, Jason has branched out into many other ventures to fuel his brand and reach new heights.
Now, Jason finds himself at the center of a thriving business ecosystem built on a foundation of family, effort, action, and some old-fashioned intuition. From consulting to podcasting and much more, he has mastered the balance of the digital and physical business world. Let's find out how Jason transformed an underdog RV franchise and used this launchpad to construct a massive personal brand while inspiring a new generation of high-energy entrepreneurs.
The Origins of Ambition
Honest entrepreneurs are eager to share their origin stories, knowing that dreams don't always materialize as planned. For Jason, ambition was part of his personality from a young age, inspired by his father and the leaders in his community. His father was a serial entrepreneur, owning more than 30 businesses ranging from contracting to mortgage firms and regional banks. Jason and his siblings were inspired by his family's success but received no handouts. From a young age, he was expected to forge his own path and started working as soon as he could.
Jason quickly got on the entrepreneurial path, and by his mid-20s, he had launched a network marketing brand. He got his first taste of success, developing skills in direct sales, communications, and leadership. As he gained experience and momentum, Jason wanted to build a business that more closely reflected his values of culture, community, and family. Having grown up traveling the country in RVs, Jason couldn't pass up the opportunity to purchase his first dealership and set his sites on the fast-growing RV industry.
Using knowledge from industry insiders and having a keen eye for quality, Jason founded Haugen RV Group and acquired a Utah franchise as his first move. What seemed like a small acquisition at the time turned out to be a huge catalyst for Jason's business and overall career.
Record-Setting Results
The creation of the Haugen RV Group wasn't just a cut-and-paste process followed by many holding companies. Jason knew that the industry required a high degree of customer care, and an autopilot approach wouldn't fly when it came to his vision for RV sales and service. Jason also recognized the power of playing the long game, letting a business grow organically over time instead of forcing results all at once.
He started slow and focused strictly on quality, raising standards for customer care and the culture within each location he acquired. His efforts paid off within a few years, and now, Haugen RV Group runs eight dealerships across Utah, Oregon, and Missouri. The company is widely regarded as a leader in customer service and employee engagement, two of the most vital metrics in a people-first industry.
While he has his hand in other ventures, the Haugen RV Group is Jason's top priority right now. With his laser focus, he has been able to take the company from $12m in sales to over $100m in five years' time. Jason has the keen ability to scale a company without losing its core; it's a company that people are attracted to, whether that's wanting to work for them or buy from them.
Haugen RV Group is renowned as a fully locally and privately owned company, avoiding the pitfalls that come with large investors who have little personal stake in their brands. Jason's philosophy isn't just a theory—he backs up his word with his own time, money, and hands-on involvement. It should be no surprise that the Haugen RV Group continues to grow, working hard to meet the steep demands of the RV industry without compromising on core values.
The success story of the Haugen RV Group is enough to impress any seasoned entrepreneur, but for Jason, it has only been a warmup for bigger and better things. Through his tenure as CEO, he has accumulated stories and revelations worth sharing with the world, and that's precisely what he aims to do through podcasting and public speaking.
As a longtime fan of business development thought leaders like Tim Ferriss and Grant Cardone, Jason made the big shift from content consumption to creation. He launched his podcast Culture Camp in early 2022 and has already gained a substantial following on various distribution platforms.
The podcast is a culmination of Jason's personal wins and insights but also spotlights entrepreneurs across industries like fitness, marketing, medicine, pro sports, and even aviation. Jason balances a casual, conversational approach with hard-hitting truths about the business world and what it takes to rise above the rest.
In addition to his podcast, Jason has appeared on several shows to share his own story. He was featured on the Entrepreneurs on Fire podcast, as well as Dropping Bombs with Brad Lea. Jason also detailed the journey of Haugen RV Group on the In Tow with RV PROpodcast, solidifying his all-star reputation in the RV space. With audiences craving authentic content and positive messages from business leaders, it's no wonder why Jason is in such high demand on the podcast circuit.
Stepping Up to Public Speaking
Once Haugen RV Group hit cruising altitude, Jason put a portion of his efforts towards public speaking and inspiring people to follow the path of entrepreneurship and self-development. His father was a well-known public speaker, appearing at seminars and conferences throughout the country. With experience from his network marketing career, Jason has taken to public speaking naturally and fills his calendar with as many engagements as possible. While he's still heavily involved in expanding his RV business, he's now beginning to give back and share the knowledge he's gained.
On stage, Jason expands on his business insights and encourages audiences to double down on community, customer service, employee engagement, and other key elements that have brought him to the top of his game. He also shares gems ranging from family and faith to health, fitness, and personal finance. Although Jason recognizes the power of digital formats to expand his reach and personal branding, he argues that the in-person experience is still the most impactful for transmitting his message and inspiring audiences nationwide.
Consulting Opens Up New Doors
With a fast-growing RV empire, a popular podcast, and public speaking engagements across the country, Jason already has his hands full. However, this doesn't stop him from looking forward to the next challenge, with business consulting being his next area of focus.
Jason has been consulting for three years now, but this project is taking on a life of its own as he gains more real-world experience and guides clients to build successful ventures of their own. His signature "culture coaching" approach is designed to help CEOs navigate interpersonal challenges with employees, clients, and executives alike. Jason loves getting to help people through obstacles and see them succeed in different ways; whatever success means to an individual, he wants to help them find that.
While Jason's specialty is culture, he doesn't hesitate to drill down into the details of a company and set clients up for success. He takes his time researching every aspect of the business, getting to the heart of objectives, goals, and obstacles. The goal with each client is to work through problems and implement solutions quickly yet thoroughly. With so much already on his plate, efficiency is everything for Jason, and he wants clients to hit the ground running with a revamped strategy as soon as they can. Having his portfolio and business acumen built up, Jason is confident in his ability to "walk the walk" with consulting and help transform companies for the better.
Insights, Advice, and Encouragement
By all accounts, Jason has succeeded in every area of life by his late 20s. But from his point of view, the real work has only just begun. He wants to continue building his RV empire and make strides with the Haugen Family Foundation, which supports single mothers, children, veterans, and other overlooked members of the community.
Jason wants to help as many people as he can and be known more for who he is, not just how much money he makes. While money and wealth motivate him, as they do for any entrepreneur, it's more of a cherry on top for Jason; it's what he can do with the money that motivates him. All the while, he maintains a healthy, well-rounded lifestyle, excelling in fitness and strength training to keep himself in peak mental and physical condition. Between all of that, he takes on the challenges and triumphs that come with being a great husband and father each day.
Jason's philosophy on business and life is hard to summarize, but he puts it concisely by telling us that "success is when you can look at yourself in the mirror and say that you are truly happy." Between Haugen RV Group, his growing podcast and public speaking career, and giving back to the community, there's no ceiling to what Jason can achieve moving forward.
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