When A Career Path Leads To The Trail
Chatting It Up With Matt Boone & Jade Schantzen of Polaris Industries
Story By: Keith Hook
Photos By: Tyler Tate
Something can be said about the camaraderie that gravitates people to come from all walks of life over to the off-road industry, both personally, and professionally. Something that I have admired throughout my years in off-road, is that passion commonly outweighs personal agenda or personal gain. Most companies I’ve worked for or with, have been small to medium sized operations that started on the concept of building a business to support their hobby, so passion and devotion was their driving force to grow their business. All too commonly, once you get into corporate America, that story is lost.
At first glance, the structure and operations of Polaris Inc. falls into the corporate America category. Worldwide presence, huge teams of specialized skill sets, and layers of management that would challenge most family trees. It’s easy to stereotype the structure, but one thing you may not see on paper is that the passion remains intact throughout, even when you get into upper management. You don’t necessarily have to be a born enthusiast to be part of Polaris, but the idea of powersports cannot be foreign or even misunderstood. At Polaris, the drive and passion truly revolves around having a great time doing what you love, because they are not just heading to a job every day—they are developing the platforms to create stories, create memories, and make them last a lifetime. In order to do that, you must share the same aspirations as your customers.
On a recent trip to the Polaris HQ, I truly experienced this firsthand. In times of great social gathering challenges, the focus was turned on what Polaris was doing as a company, not just what they were doing as a manufacturer. The lack of events and organized appearances really had an impact on the team, from top to bottom. They missed the engagement and time with their customer, with their audience, with their friends. It became more clear than ever that they missed why they do what they do, without missing a beat of what they do. I was fortunate enough to experience all of this firsthand while meeting one-on-one with Polaris key team members, including new friends, Matt Boone and Jade Schantzen. They’re both incredibly interesting individuals, and got to know them just a little bit better.
Matt Boone, the Director of RZR Marketing hails from a small town in Minnesota that had a population of around a mere 500 people. He grew up there riding four-wheelers in his backyard and on his grandparent’s farm, so he had an interest in powersports very early on. He experienced his first real-world shock of the bigger world around him while attending college, where he walked into classrooms greater in population than his hometown. But being one of over 160 family members, just from his grandparents alone, he was used to building family-like bonds, which he did and continues today. Not sure he ever imagined the relationships he would go on to build nor the impact his career choice would have. His journey to get involved with all things RZR quickly began as he was coming out of school, as if he knew where he’d end up from the very beginning.
During this time, Polaris had a position for a sales program opening. Matt applied and was lucky enough to get it. From there, it’s been a little bit of a whirlwind for him, traveling to different regions, jumping between various sales positions, and now excited to be in his current position with RZR. All of this has allowed him to continue to develop himself as well as his relationships within the industry.
Matt: “The culture is fantastic here. It’s a group of riders first and foremost, and it really has changed me as well. I grew up liking powersports, and I started to notice as I became a part of it, seeing the lifestyle, I kept wanting to do more and more. Going out to events, riding with different people out there, and learning from all of them—that’s just become a part of our DNA, and I think that with some of the other changes at Polaris, it’s only going to grow further.”
Speaking of growth, Jade Schantzen, the Senior Product Specialist for the youth platforms, helps develop product lines based on a true understanding of what kids and parents find most valuable. Working for Polaris really brings things back home for her. Jade grew up in Minnesota where she spent a lot of time up north with family driving their RANGER around to do landscaping, hunting, and trail riding. Not only did that RANGER provide a means for Jade to learn how to drive, but it also brought powersports into her life at an early age.
As Jade got older and became a working adult, she strayed from the off-road environment and got into different industries. Eventually, she came to the realization that she really missed the fast-paced aspect of powersports, and that yearning kept pulling her back to all the fun memories she had with her family. Those personal experiences being with family and out riding are things she valued, and wanted to bring experiences like those to other people. After spending time talking with some of the folks in her neighborhood, Polaris soon wound up on Jade’s radar.
Jade: “I went and interviewed with Polaris, and when I met the people and how much pride they have in the product, how much they live the lifestyle, and how much they enjoy it, everything instantly clicked. I think the great thing about Polaris is you have people designing products that have products themselves and love to ride. These people are making those products for other people and their children to continue on the legacy, continue that love of riding, and getting outdoors—that’s what Polaris is all about. We want to see new people come into the category, which includes the youth, and parents bringing children into the sport with them. I think at the end of the day, it’s about getting out and making memories.”
