Mark Verwoert is the co-owner of SimRacerZone, a prominent simulation racing business based in Europe. As a leader in the competitive sim racing industry, Mark helps oversee operations and strategic direction for SimRacerZone, which likely provides products, services, or experiences related to virtual motorsports. His role suggests a passion for racing simulations and a deep understanding of the growing esports and sim racing markets in Europe.
Company: SimRacerZone
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company
Mark Verwoert: Hey there! Thanks so much for having me on ValiantCEO Magazine. I’m Mark Verwoert, and I’m pumped to chat with you guys today.
So, a bit about me – I’m just a regular guy who turned his passion for racing into a pretty cool gig. I co-own this awesome company called SimRacerZone. We’re based in Europe, and we’re all about bringing the thrill of motorsports to people’s homes through sim racing.
If you were in an elevator with Warren Buffett, how would you describe your company, your services or products? What makes your company different from others? What is your company’s biggest strength?
Mark Verwoert: Our company’s biggest strenght is the availability of premium and rare gear. Let’s take sim racing wheels, most of them come from all over the world. Thanks to our fast and wide distribution network, we can deliver rare wheels fast and reliable. Furthermore, our sim racing shop brings sim racing to every country in their own language. We are the largest EU webshop for sim racing.
Quiet quitting, The Great Resignation, is an ongoing trend causing many businesses to struggle to keep talent engaged and motivated. Most are leaving because of their boss or their company culture. 82% of people feel unheard, undervalued, and misunderstood in the workplace. In your experience, what keeps employees happy? And how are you adapting to the current shift we see?
Mark Verwoert: I think the key is to stay as communicative like a business was when it was founded. Too many layers will make people feel unheard and unimportant. Empowering every employee with their own responsibilities and create ownership is the key.
Online business keeps on surging higher than ever, B2B, B2C, online shopping, virtual meetings, remote work, Zoom medical consultations, what are your expectations for the year to come and how are you capitalizing on the tidal wave?
Mark Verwoert: Looking at the sim racing industry, virtual racing is only becoming bigger. It’s an easy way for anyone to feel the thrill of racing against others, but without breaking the bank. For us as a webshop that means we see more and more business. I expect the growth to continue for a long time because of how young the sim racing industry still is.
Business is all about overcoming obstacles and creating opportunities for growth. What do you see as THE real challenge right now?
Mark Verwoert: I think the real challenge is within supply chain management. A lot of webshops are struggling to keep their stock levels on a good level. That’s why we invested a lot in a wide distribution network in Europe to stock more and switch stock between the warehouses when one runs out.
In your experience, what tends to be the most underestimated part of running a company? Can you share an example?
Mark Verwoert: The most underestimated part is good old ‘working hard’. I think a lot of entrepreneurs are starting to treat their business like a 9-5 job. It’s why our growth has been crushing the competition. We just put in more hours and try to work as smart as possible.
On a lighter note, if you had the ability to pick any business superpower, what would it be and how would you put it into practice?
Mark Verwoert: The capital allocation skills of Jeff Bezos. Knowing in what to invest and what not to maximize results is a true super power.
What does “success” in 2024 mean to you? It could be on a personal or business level, please share your vision
Mark Verwoert: Success in 2024 means we enable more people to feel the thrill of racing in their own living room. No expensive car costs or sponsorships, but fast and fun driving in your own racing simulator.
