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Henrik Gustavsson interview – Sticker Genius

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Interview Tuesday 03rd May 2011 By Geoff Meyer

Swedish businessman Henrik Gustavsson knows many different area’s in the sport of Motocross. As a former racer and now owner of the company HG Design and Graphics Henrik has enjoyed the sport from both sides of the fence.
Being one of the Red Bull KTM Factory team’s sponsors also gets Henrik involved in the sport he has known since he was a small boy. We caught up with Mr. Gustavsson at the Grand Prix of The Netherlands and asked him about his company, and also how he got into the sport of Motocross
MXLarge: Henrik, thanks for your time. Can you explain to me how you got into the sport?
Gustavsson: I started when I was a little kid, just three years old. My father was a Motocrosser and I started in Sweden and when I was 10 I started racing. I wasn’t that good, I was training really hard, maybe 20 hours a week, but I never qualified. I had no success in the sport as a racer. I think I was too scared. I had possibilities with good engines, but I was too scared to go high speed in corners.
MXlarge: When did you start your business?
Gustavsson: I started my business in 2002, and that was for me a great way to leave the sport as a racer, and do something else. I was training really hard, but I thought I have to get out of the racing, I didn’t know what I should do. So I started my business. I always wanted to have nice bikes, I had a lot of sponsors when I was racing, I liked to have a good looking bike and that is why I started doing the stickers. It was a struggling in the beginning, but it was really cool.
MXLarge: Obviously being a Swedish company you must have been involved a lot in the Swedish MX scene?
Gustavsson: When I started in 2002 I was supporting many teams. I think the first year I spent like 70,000euro on marketing. In 2004 I was talking Tobi from KTM and he was amazed with the quality of the stickers I made. He said it was the best stickers you can find on the market, and I was really happy to hear that from somebody at KTM.
MXlarge: KTM are the giants of the sport. How was it to be able to deal with them?
Gustavsson: I started working really hard on marketing for KTM. We started with an Enduro team and then a Motocross team. I kept hearing how good the quality was and I didn’t believe it myself, I was amazed that we had such a good product. I mean we wanted to have a good product, and now many years later I realize we have a top product.
MXlarge: How did it start working with the factory teams?
Gustavsson: I have worked with Jacky Martens and his team. In 2007 I was working with Jacky, and then we moved forward with the complete KTM team. For me it is important to be involved with KTM. They are like a family, they always take care of me at the races and everyone is nice. As a team sponsor that is important for me.
MXlarge: And does working with KTM also mean your business improves?
Gustavsson: The sales have improved a lot also in the year we work with KTM. In 2008 we signed a contract with KTM, so I am the only company that can produce KTM stickers and sell it. For sure we have many companies that make decals, but they can’t sell it, they can give it away, but the replica stickers without the Red Bull emblem on it, we can sell and it’s a good market. We also do it for the Enduro team.
MXlarge: It seems in this time of less bike sales that many riders are just improving the look of their bikes. That must make your business also better?
Gustavsson: If you look at the amateur market, then a lot of riders are not buying new bikes, but are making their bikes look better. I know with our stickers they need just one set a year, and with other companies you might need to buy five sticker sets a year. I think people are tuning their bikes in the winter and then having a new looking bike in the winter.
MXlarge: Where is your main market?
Gustavsson: My main market is Europe, in Scandinavia we have about 10%, but in European countries we have bigger markets, countries like France, many riders there, we also get into Belgium and Holland. We have a good Danish company.
MXlarge: As a Motocross fan, who do you like to follow?
Gustavsson: I really liked Stefan Everts or course, he is my big hero, and when he started working with KTM I was so happy and it feels comfortable working with him. I also like Shaun Simpson, when we worked with him at KTM I felt really good around him, he is a friendly guy.
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