SAF Amelia Island 2019, the Society of American Florists’ 135th annual convention, consists of dozens of educational programs leading up to the grand finale, Stars of the Industry Awards Ceremony and Afterglow Party. Before cutting loose, however, there’s one last chance to soak up every bit of knowledge to help your business thrive: SAF’ Next Level Idea Exchange.
Stop by this informal session for dedicated peer-to-peer networking time on key topics addressed throughout convention, such as company culture and talent issues, digital marketing and social media, consumer trends, user experience and future planning. Select speakers will also be on hand to offer additional insight and guided practice. (Think of it like taking advantage of a college professor’s office hours for more in-depth discussion or clarification.)
“This is an opportunity to meet with other attendees and speakers to unpack what you’ve learned in the previous sessions, extend the conversation some and even start making plans on how you can put some of the lessons into action,” said Laura Weaver, SAF’s director of meetings and conventions.
Former SAF President Shirley Lyons, AAF, PFCI, one of this year’s featured speakers, credits many of her past successes to something she picked up at past idea exchanges.
“Often something I heard from one of my peers became the springboard for something new we tweaked and used in our store,” she said. “Always fun and energizing, like a mini business percolator session with some of the best minds in the industry. You get tried and true ideas from other florists who have their boots on the ground.”
During this program, the room will be set up with tables arranged by business categories to facilitate focused conversations.
Here are just a few of the speakers who will be at the Next Level Idea Exchange:
- Clara Gonzales, Fleurish Consulting
- Barry Gottlieb, Coaching the Winner’s Edge
- Glenna Hecht, Humanistic Consulting
- Vonda LaFever, AIFD, PFCI, TeamFloral
- Jackie Levine, Central Square Florist
- Lori Wilson, TeamFloral
Katie Hendrick Vincent is the senior contributing editor for the Society of American Florists.
