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Millennials Shaping The Lake: Justin Wagner Sounds Off, On Waves & Wheels Success

Millennials At Lake Of The Ozarks - Pt. 1

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Millennials Shaping The Lake: Justin Wagner Sounds Off, On Waves & Wheels Success
Justin Wagner of Waves & Wheels

photo by Al Griffin

 Al Griffin

Intro

Some say Millennials have been handed too many trophies they didn’t earn. Others say they have unrealistic expectations about college, careers, and even political candidates.

Social scientists believe Millennials may be addicted to electronic devices and need a specialized 12-step program. These same scientists have noted Millennials choose the place they want to live and move there, then set about finding work. Location matters more than the job. Millennials prefer to work from home anyway.

They don’t like to be restricted to 10 business days of vacation every 12 months. They need more "Me-Time," and they require a fair number of amenities. Some of the more notorious Millennial work places have stairs and elevators, of course, but also slides. Napping while at work, taking dogs to work, and dressing casually every day are all part of the Millennial reality. 

Sometimes called "Echo Boomers," Millennials are the children of Baby Boomers, and their numbers bear that out. That outsized presence amidst the culture guarantees that they, like Baby Boomers, will drive the market. What they like will sell, and what they don’t care for will not... so economists and market analysts pay attention to them. Cities strive to keep the ones they have and attract more. They should. Millennials are—like it or not—the future. So we at LakeExpo set out to find out more about Millennials who are living and working at Lake of the Ozarks, and shaping its future...

It’s hard to believe Justin Wagner is young enough to be a Millennial. He’s accomplished so much so far that it would be easy to imagine him a middle-aged man. He’s not. He’s a young man with vision and drive. He’s also a man with “heart,” his dad, Mark Wagner, says, and that may be enough to have made all the difference.

Premium, quality sound is something that has always held Wagner’s heart. He grew up around the auto audio industry and challenged himself to excel by entering the World Finals Sound Off competition. He took third place and received an offer for work at a car audio manufacturer in Phoenix. Justin accepted, left his home near the Mississippi River, and learned as much as he could about design and manufacturing.

Wagner also met his bride-to-be, Cicely, in Phoenix. When he proposed to her, he also proposed a move to Lake of the Ozarks where his parents had recently retired. She said “yes” to marriage and Justin’s business idea. They began with $300 left after their move, but with full, emotional support from his wife, a newborn daughter, and his parents as well as his passion for marine audio, it was all he needed.

The Red Van: Waves & Wheels' First 'Shop'

photo by Al Griffin

A red van served as the Waves and Wheels showroom and mobile billboard while Justin worked to build a business focused on custom marine audio projects. Now, 16 years later, the business has local, national, and international repeat customers who value the quality of service and product Waves and Wheels provides. In each year of its operation, Waves and Wheels has shown at least 10-25 percent growth. In the lean economic downturn from 2008-2010, Waves and Wheels still grew 15 percent from year to year. 

Business growth is more proof of Justin Wagner’s “heart.” He’s grateful for the growth, of course, but he’s more grateful to provide year-round work for a team that Justin calls “amazing.” From a one-man business in 2001, Waves and Wheels now employs nine, and none of those nine has been laid off during the winter. In fact, in early 2017, there was no winter slump. Several loyal clients have their boats delivered across country to make use of Waves and Wheels’ expertise.

One of the reasons Waves and Wheels has been so successful is the business model Justin uses, and it begins with his faith. He says simply, “be righteous.” He believes in hard work, standing behind his word, and “over-delivering” to give the customer what he needs and orders.

Justin thinks outside the box. When the economy slowed, he began to offer restoration and remodels for boats at a time when many were reluctant to buy a new, expensive boat. They were, however, comfortable with reinvesting in the boats they owned at the time.

Being in the restoration and re-design boat business means that Waves and Wheels expanded its services to include custom fabrications for audio plus upholstery expertise. Today, Waves and Wheels is not only known widely known for marine audio, but also for upholstery artistry and style in the power boating community.

Thinking outside the box also means that Waves and Wheels has developed its own products, including audio speaker enclosures and solutions. In addition, for the past two years, a new line of “pro audio products, engineered exclusively for the marine industry” has been in development. The product line known as Bluave (pronounced Blu-Wave) is available to consumers as of April 2017. Wagner’s goal for Bluave is to be known for premium sound around the globe, and he is currently developing a national network of representatives and certified Bluave dealers.

Statement Center Console at Waves & Wheels' Shop

photo by Al Griffin

Justin Wagner’s “heart” is in evidence again when he gives some of his own time and labor to others. At Lake of the Ozarks, he’s one of the many volunteering to make lasting memories while fulfilling wishes for children who are seriously ill. He used his Iron Man boat to thrill one little boy whose hero is Iron Man. Wagner made the Iron Man boat available for a Make a Wish boat ride during the Shootout.  He has since sold that boat, but hopes to introduce an Optimus Prime 46-foot boat in 2017. Wagner also lends his support to the annual Shootout Street Party where as many as 40 boats sported Waves and Wheels equipment last year.

Powerboats Line The Bagnell Dam Strip For The Shootout On The Strip 2016

The Bagnell Dam Strip was abuzz as crowds mingled around million-dollar powerboats and their racing teams, for the Shootout Street Party on Aug. 24, 2016.

Photography by Lake Shots

All photos under copyright protection. To purchase digital photos, e-mail ID number to lakeexpo@yahoo.com

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Justin Wagner believes Millennials’ love of electronics and social media has enhanced the ways in which he does business. His business was growing before technology became essential, but now that it has taken hold, he’s grateful that he can conduct business while traveling to boat shows in Las Vegas or Providence, RI. He also believes in striking a balance. In his own home with his family, he makes time to talk and unplug from all those sites and platforms.

At work, Justin is extending the business. It’s outgrown that red van and thrives inside a 5,200 square foot building on Highway 54. Soon a second building now under construction will bring that square footage up to a bit less than 20,000 square feet. Justin is naturally all “heart” about the growth. He’s grateful that his business warrants more space for audio, fabrication, upholstery, and the new Bluave product line. He’s also grateful that his wife Cicely’s salon Zen shares some of those square feet. He enjoys being able to work beside her and the Waves and Wheels team. In fact, Justin is proof that when you pour your heart into faith and work, the rewards are great.

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