Entrepreneur Of The Year US National Award winner

When Coley and Ryan Brady left comfortable jobs in the recreational vehicle (RV) manufacturing sector to start a business, they knew there would be no coming back to the highly competitive, consolidated industry. What the brothers envisioned bucked nearly everything about how large RV manufacturers did business. And they were staking their money and their reputations on it. 

The Brady brothers knew their soon-to-be competitors were missing something that the industry sorely needed: human connections, with dealers and consumers alike. So in 2019, the Bradys launched Alliance RV, a towable RV manufacturer. Their belief in the power of relationships is reflected in the Elkhart, Indiana, company’s name. It soon became evident in other ways. Leveraging social media, the brothers engaged directly with RV owners. Today, membership in the Alliance online group is approaching 20,000. The company also nurtures partnerships with dealerships by having fewer, yet deeper, distribution points. Its independent dealer base now exceeds 200 and is spread across the US and Canada.

While still just beginning, Alliance set its sights on building a better “fifth wheel,” a type of towable RV. Before starting production, the company gathered six months of feedback from its online group, which at that time had 2,000 members. The result? Robust sales, rapid growth and even closer connections.

When it comes to employees, Alliance lives its motto: “Do the right thing.” The company wants to facilitate long-lasting careers, so it pays a median hourly wage above $40 and offers a 401(k) program with a company match, which is unique in the industry.

Alliance is also focused on doing the right thing for the planet, adding solar panels to its 120,000-square-foot lamination subassembly plant, incorporating electric forklifts into its operations, and launching a carboard and scrap metal recycling program.