Renan Lore was born in 1982 and grew up in Brittany France. Studied Industrial Engineering in Nantes and then worked as a project manager for a CAC40 company in Slovakia, then Ireland, then Hong Kong and finally in China. In 2010 Lore offered help to a Western sporting goods company to design and manufacture their products in China and then began TecTecTec in 2014.
The Lore Story
At the end of 2008, I had the chance to interview with the director of a branch from a CAC40 company managing 70,000 people. It went well and at the end he told me, “Renan, I should probably not tell you what I’m about to tell you after working for this company for three decades, but I feel that it’s necessary. I’m retiring soon and I’ve worked so hard all my life, spending only Saturday evening and Sunday morning with my family in order to catch flights. Now my son is your age and I didn’t get to watch him grow up. I don’t know if my career was worth it.” I learned three things from this meeting: That becoming a high-level executive in a large company was no longer appealing. That time with one’s family is more important than professional time, and, finally, I needed to be sure that those working with me have adequate time with their family.
You wake up in the morning — what’s the driving passion?
I wake up every day at 5 am to either surf or work (I love both) before sharing breakfast with my family.
What was the genesis for TecTecTec?
In 2010, I started a first company designing and manufacturing sport accessories. The company never really took off despite having great products because our products were overpriced after paying wholesalers, distributors, sales reps and retailers before finally reaching the customer. In 2014, I started TecTecTec with one simple idea: Design and manufacture quality products sold directly online to the actual users with the best possible customer support.
How does your efforts in the rangefinder category differentiate from those of your competitors?
TecTecTec offers high-performance rangefinders at unbeatable prices with the best support in the industry. That is the reason why TecTecTec rangefinders have been bestsellers on Amazon.com since 2016.
Given the hectic nature of the business cycle I understand that from 4 to 6 pm you cannot be reached under any circumstances as you have prioritized this as family time. Do you provide the same situation for your employees?
Yes, most of our employees work from home and can arrange their schedules as they please. I believe in Ricardo Semler’s approach to give as much as freedom as possible to employees which ultimately leads to more happiness and productivity.
Numerous companies routinely tout the importance of customer service but only a handful match their rhetoric to actual implementation. Define the term and the approach you follow at TecTecTec?
TecTecTec is a family company and I work alongside my brother and some of my best childhood friends. We want every customer to feel as though they are a part of our family and, unlike other companies, we want to hear from our customers no matter what. We encourage them to reach out to us through our hotline or by sending emails. Paying close attention to how they feel and what they need lets us know which products we need to improve or develop.
Your business approach is to sell without the involvement of middlemen. How do you expect that approach to work via entrenched relationships here in America via brick and mortar outlets, green grass shops and more traditional business practices?
Our promise is to deliver quality, high-performance rangefinders at unbeatable prices with the support that customers deserve. If businesses want to offer TecTecTec products, it is only possible if we’re able keep our promise to golfers. Businesses may need to change their own practices to ensure that this is the case.
You began your career as an international industrial engineer for a CAC 40 company. Yet, in 2010 you turned your efforts into the field of sports accessories. What prompted the move on your part?
In 2010, in addition to working, I was also studying for the GMAT in order to enter an executive MBA program. I realize that instead of unloading my savings into an EMBA, I should create my own company instead. I did that and ended up losing all my savings — but I learned a lot!
The major golf organizations — USGA, R&A, PGA of America, PGA Tour, European Tour, LPGA — are all seeking ways to attract Millennials, women and minorities to golf. If you were counseling them, what would you advise be done to expand the range of people attracted to the sport?
One idea might be to explore golf in the e-gaming industry where Millennials, regardless of their location and financial situation, could discover golf online. After gaining an interest there they might be more likely to visit their local golf course.
If you could change one thing in golf unilaterally — what would it be and why?
I wish that everybody could see the beauty of the sport and that more resources were available to kids who want to try their hand at it.
Best advice you ever received — what was it and who from?
My grandfather told me, “If you want something, it is possible.”
For more info go to: www.US.TecTecTec.com
