beginnings in dirt biking: “At 14, I met Ciprian teach our applicants how to ride a motocross Popescu, who initiated me in motocross trainbike. “We have students from all age groups, ing and signed me up for the first national starting from the age of four. Our target public motocross competition. It all started as a is represented by both children and adults, game, then things got more and more serious. beginner as well as advanced riders. We are Later on, I met the Cociu brothers, who had a visited by people interested in off-road, as well very good Russian trainer, so that’s how I was as speed bikes and choppers. However, we admitted into a more complex training proalso attract people who wish to perfect their gram. My brother and I started participating in skills or gain more experience by racing in diffiinternational competitions and championships cult conditions, which, in the end, makes it in foreign countries, as the level was way higheasier for them to ride a bike on the road,” er and it helped us grow.” R\du]\ explained. For R\du]\, this sport is a way of life. “I still As with most beginnings, people were reluchave a training program, I always set new tant at first. It took time, patience and determigoals and I work hard to reach those goals. nation to get students to come in. R\du]\ That’s what keeps me motivated,” he told recalls that not many applicants signed up to Business Arena Magazine in an exclusive intertrain at his school in the early days. “After view. 1989, this sport Motivation and became rather Advice for entrepreneurs: passion are key dusty and forgotingredients that “I’ve opened my school because I ten and people keep his business weren’t so keen wanted to pass on to children the going. The transition on practicing it passion for motocross, as well as anymore. In from being a sportsman to being a busirecent years, lead them into competing in nessman was a natthings have international championships. ural step he had to changed though, Things evolved from there and take. “Rams MX and more and School was born more children everything turned into a real from my passion for and adults come business. To sum up, it requires a to join our classmotocross. As I already mentioned, es. Last year, we great amount of passion and I’ve been practicing had over 100 diligence in order to start up and this sport since students, 60 kids develop this kind of business on childhood, and from and 40 adults.” the age of 15 I have Why do people the actual Romanian market.” done it on a competcome knocking itive level. When I at his door? entered into the world of this sport, I didn’t People come to Rams MX School for various see it as a prospective business. It was simply reasons, says Adrian R\du]\: “Many have my passion and my ambition to grow. But time never used a motocross bike before and are passed and maturity happened, so I realized I willing to learn, others just want to refine their could successfully combine what I’d been skills and compete in championships. Thus, doing for years with having a business in the their expectations are different based on what field.” motivates them. What we can do is offer them It all went fairly smoothly from there. “In the best technical and safety conditions, so all 2001, I established the foundation for my of them benefit from professional training.” motocross track, which has been under ongoR\du]\ started his business in 2001, with ing development and steady improvement an initial investment of over 150,000 euro, since then, and I am referring to modernizing from his own pocket. “But it’s difficult to quote its design, its space, its infrastructure and a precise figure,” he admits, “as, in 2001, we facilities. We are proud to have the only also set up the foundation for our motocross enclosed motocross track in the country, with track, which, since then, has been undergoing its own irrigation system and electricity netcontinuous development and change. We are work covering all the available space.” now considering night racing facilities for this As a school, Rams MX’s main activity is to track, meaning a floodlights system. This year,
http://www.business-arena.ro
11