AGA Member Spotlight: Dennis Steinman, Serial Entrepreneur and Plainscraft’s Chief Executive Officer
Dennis Steinman, CEO founder and serial entrepreneur serves as Plainscraft’s Chief Executive Officer, overseeing and managing all business operations. Steinman has over 30 years of experience in Business Management, Manufacturing Management, Sales, Marketing, Engineering, and Operations. Steinman founded, managed, and sold a successful electronics manufacturing company, P.C. Boards, Inc. The company manufactured and supplied printed circuit boards to the instrumentation, medical, aerospace and military segments of the electronics industry under his leadership. P.C. Boards, Inc. was military approved; ISO 9002 registered, and supported more than 200 internationally renowned customers including Cessna Aircraft Co. and Tektronix Inc.
Steinman’s other successful corporate activities include roles as CEO and Founder of Summit Capital LLC, and Gamevector LLC. Steinman is a lifelong outdoorsman and an instrument rated pilot. He was named as a Pipeline Entrepreneur Fellow, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Pittsburg State University.
Q: Tell us a bit more about why you started a company in the glamping industry.
A: My wife, Donna, and I have started several businesses in the past and were looking for the next chapter in our business lives. We have always loved the outdoors and were looking for a business/industry that was exciting, growing and fun. We discovered the outdoor hospitality industry and began the research process. The glamping market caught our eye and we found that it met the criteria we were looking for. Both of us have extensive experience in manufacturing very high-quality products so a manufacturing base business was the answer.
I have always been fascinated by the westward migration of the pioneers and we live just a few miles from the head of the Oregon Trail. I grew up spending a lot of time on horseback and working around the farm and ranch. The covered wagon seemed like the perfect product. We decided to manufacture the wagons to the highest quality spandards possible and to work with customers to provide an amazing experience for their guests.
Q: Tell us a bit about where your glamping business is today? Where do you see your business in the future?
Today the business is prospering. We will continue to grow, to improve everything we do and work to provide opportunities for our customers and our team. I see the glamping industry as being in its infancy. The opportunities are many and the fun is just beginning.
Q: Do you have any advice for those that are just starting out?
My advice to anyone entering the industry is to make sure it is your passion. Focus on your customer by providing great products and experiences and have fun doing it. No business is easy and there will be ups and downs in the market, the economy and our lives in general. Take the attitude that failure is not an option and be willing to change along the way. Keep your priorities straight.
