Welcome to Retail Checks and Balances, a podcast that takes you behind the scenes of the bustling world of commerce and culinary delights to help you grow your business and win. Join us as we explore the fascinating stories, trends, and challenges that shape the retail and hospitality industry, from cozy corner cafes to sprawling shopping malls and everything in between. And now, here's your host, Kevin Spencer. 

Welcome again to another amazing episode of Retail Checks and Balances. RCB, baby. Today, I'm going to dive into navigating your ideal conference experience. And whether you're a seasoned conference attendee or you're just starting your journey, I've got some tips and strategies to help you make the most out of your conference experience. So let's jump in. The first thing you got to do is set your objectives. Before you start browsing through conference schedule, take some time to define what are your objectives, what you hope to gain from attending a conference, you know, whether it's a retail, whether it's a hospitality, whether it's a construction, whatever the conference is, it doesn't really matter at this point, because we're talking about what you plan to gain. It could be networking, it could be learning, it could be career advancement, it could be something else, but having clear objections, objectives, sorry, will guide your selection process. You got to do some research. Once you know what you're looking for, it's time to find what those options are. You can use online resources, industry publications, social media, Find conferences that align with your objectives and interests. Pay attention to conference agendas, who the speakers are, who are the past attendees, and what reviews you could round up. Prioritizing your choices. With so many conferences to choose from, it's essential to prioritize. Consider factors such as relevance of topics, the reputations of organizers, location, budget, because you gotta pay for this, right? You gotta pay airfare, you gotta pay the benefits in your same city, airfare, hotel, car rental, possibly food, and then Use that to make a short list of conferences that best meet your criteria and focus your efforts on those. Planning your attendance, meaning that once you've selected the conferences you want to attend, it's time to start planning. Register early to take advantage of those discounts and secure your spot. create a detailed itinerary, including travel arrangements, accommodation, schedule sessions and events you want to attend. I mean, you could even schedule a couple of days off just to enjoy the city, you know, because sometimes, you know, after a long conference, you feel kind of drained and you want to recharge and get that, some of that energy back by just going to some sort of outing. Some conferences actually have those socialized, networking events, you know, it could be a catamaran cruise or a business mixer with, you know, that you can engage with the community there in the conference. You know, they, they give you excellent opportunities for networking and building connections within your industry. You got to take advantage of those networking events, workshops, and social gatherings to meet new people and exchange ideas. You know, one of the greatest things I would say is that I've been to conferences and I was networking in a swimming pool, just having fun with some guys, or I would say brothers, that we always meet at every conference that we share together. And the best moment is actually having discussions with these guys about our industry, where we see this industry going. And that's what you got to do as well. I'm not saying to do the same, but you got to make sure that these particular conferences, you got to show up, you got to be there as much as possible. And I would say, you know, when you take advantage of these events, you're building connections, you know, whether it's a workshop, whether it's a social gathering to meet people, new people and exchange ideas as well. You know, don't be afraid to introduce yourself and strike up a conversation with fellow attendees. They see your badge, they see your name, you're halfway there because they know you are them and they are you. So it's not that difficult to strike up a conversation with anybody in those conferences, because that's what they're looking for as well. Just as you are, they're looking for that as well. In the conference, you've got to maximize your learning. Attend the sessions because it could be overwhelming at first, but look at those specific sessions that you want to attend to ensure that you maximize that learning experience. Take notes, ask questions. If you get the opportunity to engage with the speakers and the panelists, do so because I'm sure you would have a question that you need. And these are the experts there to help you. And don't forget to follow up on the key takeaways and insights after the conference end. because that's why you went there. You didn't went there to write things in a book and just throw that book aside or leave it in your luggage. You want to take what you got and execute some sort of plan or execute some sort of item that you took from that particular conference to help you. to help everybody in your business as well. Because sometimes it will be your boss sending you and he wants to see what value was it that I sent you to this conference. Or you sitting down as a business owner and say, what did I get out of this? I got this. I formed a great relationship with this particular vendor. Or I formed a relationship with this particular guy that can help me with my business. And that's when the reflection comes in. What did you learn? What connections made sense? How can I apply this? Fundamentally important. And this is going to be short and I wanted to close this episode today because I just wanted to focus on conferences on the whole because I've got a bunch to go this year and I'm having difficulty selecting which ones I need to go to. But I'm going to make sure that it is significantly valued to my organization before selecting the conferences that I go to. And you should too. So have a great day or great evening wherever you are. And thanks for tuning in. 

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