7 days and counting!
My team and I are looking forward to seeing everyone at the Snow Show next week and the agenda for Denver is stacked. First off, you will notice changes within the Show – from the overall look and feel, layout of the floor, new exhibition areas, and social events, to the big Town Hall meeting on the final evening, there will be a renewed level of energy throughout. Industry + Intelligence has been streamlined to provide content that is even more relevant to your business. And we are excited to welcome brands that have previously taken a break back to the Show by creating new and flexible ways to exhibit. All of this is aimed at not only enabling the business at hand, but also strengthening the sense of community among us.
The bottom line is that, in order for the Show to be successful, YOU must be successful. For me, success is when retailers, reps, buying groups and suppliers all work in tandem. Only then does the Show, and the industry, really sing. Coming out of the 2017 Snow Show, we need to examine the industry as a whole, highlighting the area of success and weakness, and take a serious look at what’s working and what’s not. This is not a new sentiment – I have been saying this since day 1, and it becomes more important each day. How can the different segments of the industry work in sync together, rather than against each other? How can we work together as an industry to create efficiencies to reduce financial and human resources so that we are not stretched so thin? You, the individual stakeholders are central to this discussion, as is the entire tradeshow eco-system, buy-sell cycle and the potential collaborations/consolidations with the outdoor industry. If our goal is to have a vibrant and thriving industry, we must be willing to put all of our cards on the table to figure out how to reach the end goal.
So I ask you, when you come to Denver next week, come willing to participate in conversations in the spirit of finding solutions. Be willing to entertain new and different perspectives. Engage in discussions with reps, suppliers, buying groups, retailers and other stakeholders to find out what makes them tick. Use your passion for the industry as common ground, and then delve into your differences in search for creative solutions.
And come to the Town Hall on Saturday, 5pm at the Bridge. We will have beer to wet your whistle and positive conversation to stoke your passion for the industry.
For those that can’t make it, let’s be sure to find a time to catch up soon.
See you at the Show,
Nick Sargent
