The Ski Ambassador: How One SidelineSwap Seller Turned His Passion Into Profit
In our Pro Seller series, we spotlight a standout seller from SidelineSwap's talented and ambitious community and offer readers a look at their process and story. This month, it's all about skis with SkiAmbassador, aka Ben Goodman. Since 2022, Ben has sold 450 pairs of skis out of his 1000-sq-ft Denver apartment.
Getting Started in the Ski Business
Ben's journey began after he moved to the Rocky Mountains in 2020. Struggling to land a job at the height of the pandemic, he tried his hand at resale – first, by flipping furniture online. But when he sold his first pair of skis, things really clicked.
“I bought a cheap pair of skis, tried them out, and then sold them for a little more money,” Ben explains. “I found that skis didn't take up as much space as say a couch or dining room table, so I shifted my focus entirely to the sport I love."
In 2021, Ben started his company Ski Ambassador LLC, with a mission to make buying quality, used ski gear more accessible to people outside of major ski areas. Eventually, Ben began using SidelineSwap, drawn to the platform’s technology, market share, and seller support.
Since then, Ben has sold more than 450 pairs of skis and racked up hundreds of positive reviews, garnering a 99.8% positive feedback score in the process. Some shoppers mention the speed at which he ships, and others say that he will hand-deliver merchandise in his area, going that extra mile to ensure people get their skis in time for opening day on the mountain.
Building a Competitive Edge
Ben has developed some key strategies to stay ahead of the competition. First and foremost, he focuses on quality.
"I try to buy good quality skis within six years old. Most are in great shape and ready to ride. If there's some rust on the edges though, I'll remove it with a soft gummy. If there's a little core shot, I'll put some Ptex in it."
Pricing is also crucial.
"I have a good feel for the price skis will sell for. Many companies will have their skis expensive during the winter and cheaper during the summer…. I keep mine fairly priced all year round. I don't have the overhead that other companies have, no employees, storefront, etc., so I can weather out the summer better than bigger companies."
However, Ben's edge over other sellers is the large inventory he has acquired over the years. Building this inventory takes work and a little bit of luck.
"One time, I had an opportunity to buy from a rental store. I drove there in my Prius and paid for 35 pairs of skis in cash. I aim to purchase 40 skis a month with two months off, so 35 at one time was an awesome score.”
According to Ben, it adds significant value when people can shop around his locker and choose from over 200 different ski models. While someone on Facebook might be selling one ski that's 163 centimeters and 90 millimeters wide, Ben might have five skis that size that somebody can choose from.
Ship Fast and Personalize
In addition to his inventory, Ben's commitment to fast, friendly service sets him apart. Ben prioritizes speedy shipping, with most orders going out the next day.
"Whenever I make a sale, I send a personal message: ‘Thanks for shopping with me. This is when I'm going to ship your skis’. Having a personal message come from me, rather than something automated, gives buyers a lot more confidence."
This personalized touch is all part of Ben’s strategy to position himself as a real person, not just another faceless online retailer. "I'm proud of the connections I've built in the ski community, here in Colorado but also with all of my buyers across the U.S."
A Passion-Fueled Lifestyle
For Ben, the ski resale business isn't a side hustle—it's a way of life. Having grown up in Alabama with limited access to skiing, he can now indulge his passion almost daily. This can make for a delicate work-life-ski balance, but it also means that when he’s working, he’s helping somebody else get out on the mountain.
"I love my lifestyle and getting to work from home...I also get to ski as much as possible, which is the goal. I do work all the time, weekends included. Sometimes it's 7:30 p.m., I check my phone, and I realize I still have work to do, communicating with potential buyers and negotiating purchases of my own. I'm always on call, basically."
Ben says he budgets about four hours to sell one set of skis on SidelineSwap. That includes the time it takes to find, procure, clean, photograph, write the product descriptions, set the price, and eventually ship out, as well as business housekeeping items like accounting and inventory management.
"If I buy and sell 400 skis in a year, that's 1600 total hours, slightly over 30 hours a week. So, it's very manageable for me to run this business and get to ski every day. The best part is, a lot of the work I do is on the mountain. I get to test skis, network, and make purchases and sales on the way to and from the resorts.”
Navigating the Slow Season
Of course, running a ski resale business has its challenges. Ben says September is the most nerve-wracking time of year, as that's when sales typically start to pick up after the slower summer months.
"I lose money in April, May, June, July, and sometimes August. September is the first month where it's supposed to pick up, and I'm always a little nervous because I really want somebody to buy a pair of skis," Ben says, laughing.
But Ben has learned to weather these seasonal fluctuations.
"In my experience, you feel the raindrops before you feel the flood. And in September, I'm waving my arms around, saying: okay, I feel a few raindrops. Is it going to flood? And for the past couple of years, at least, by mid-October, it's flooding."
Looking to the Future
As for the future, Ben has his sights set on continued growth—but on his own terms. He aims to reach around $60,000 worth of inventory by the end of the year, which will provide him with a comfortable financial cushion.
"My goal has been to build my inventory to 200 pairs of skis by the end of a year. It’s taken me about 4 years, but I should reach my goal by the end of this year. At that point, if the ski industry continues to boom, I’ll have a good foothold. If it begins to decline, I’ll have enough skis to continue selling for a couple of years. When operating a small business, not every year will be good, so you want to be prepared in case of a slow season.”
Beyond that, Ben is content to maintain his current lifestyle and avoid the hassles of scaling up too quickly. For this ski-loving entrepreneur, the ultimate reward is the freedom to live and work on his own terms.
"Each year that I expand my inventory by 50 skis, I feel like I’ve gained half a year that I can keep doing what I love. I look forward to continue selling and living this independent dream of mine.”
To check out Ben's impressive SidelineSwap locker, visit sidelineswap.com/locker/SkiAmbassador.