STAFDA announces education lineup for November convention
The Specialty Tools & Fasteners Distributors Association will host a variety of workshops to meet the educational needs of distributors, manufacturers, reps, as well as newcomers and well-established leaders during its Phoenix Convention November 9-11.
Sunday, November 9:
Sunday morning workshops kick off the learning experience with four programs that run concurrently from 8:30 – 10 a.m. and then repeat from 10:30 – Noon. This allows attendees to participate in the two that interest them most.
The Self-Empowerment Cycle, Dirk Beveridge – Success in today's world isn't just about leadership titles - it's about taking ownership of your growth, influence, and future. The Self-Empowerment Cycle is a transformative workshop designed to help attendees break through barriers, take bold action, and unlock their full potential - whether in their career, leadership, or personal life.
Value-Added Selling with CoachVAS.ai and Paul Reilly will focus on the customer oriented philosophy to add value, not cost; sell value, not price. Value-added salespeople are more focused on making a difference than just making a deal. They know that a cheap price is not the only way to compete – they compete with their total value-added sqlution. Discover how to use tech – including Al – to help add value without losing the personal touch. Introducing CoachVAS.ai-an innovative, interactive Al tool meticulously crafted from the proven principles, strategies, and tactics of Value-Added Selling.
How to Be an Influencer in Any Market, Mike Staver – Markets change. People change. Circumstances change. They go up, they go down, and are unpredictable. That is obvious. What's not obvious is there are certain success principles that are market resistant. If you apply those principles consistently you will be an influencer in any market. Learn the success principles necessary to navigate and understand the conditions that lead to being powerfully influential.
Finding Your Why: Creating a Compelling Brand Story, Steve Yastrow – Why do customers buy from your company? Why would they be Joyal to you? The answers to these questions unlock your company's potential for success and differentiates it from the competition. Your company has a purpose - a foundational reason to exist. Find Your Why and unify your brand and your entire customer experience around it. Steve's approach to branding transforms how leadership, employees, and customers think about and interact with your company.
Women in Distribution Luncheon: Megan Greenwood – This year's Women in Distribution session is brewing up som thing different! Held at nearby Greenwood Brewing, founder and owner Megan Greenwood will speak in their outdoor Beer Garden. Founded in 2017, Greenwood Brewing is a local woman-owned, women inspired brewery. Greenwood started her brewery when she began to contract brew with a local brewer in order to get her product into the hands of consumers. In an industry largely dominated by men, women sometimes feel intimidated or underrepresented in the craft beer scene. Her goal was to create a beer allowing women to feel welcome in the industry. The women of STAFDA can relate!
Emerging Leaders Forum: The Art of Storytelling, Don Yaeger – Called "one of our generation's best storytellers" by many of today's great business and thought leaders, Don is a 12-time New York Times best-selling author who has spent a lifetime studying the most effective elements of a well-told story. From that experience, he'll teach attendees how to apply those elements to tell their own stories. Fine-tune your ability to share great stories with the next generation of leaders at your company. When you use the power of storytelling to influence others, you unlock the ability to convert your thoughts, experiences, goals, sales pitches, or presentations for greater impact and deeper connections. Yaeger was a well-received speaker at STAFDA's 2019 Nashville Convention.
Tuesday, November 12:
Economic Update, Alex Chausovsky – The U.S. macro economy finished 2024 on a strong note, with the consumer acting as the main growth driver. However, the industrial (B2B) sector faced substantial headwinds as aggressive interest rate policy decisions by the Fed mostly stamped out inflation but also raised borrowing costs and stifled capital investment. Now that the rate cutting cycle has begun, the Fed is looking to strike a balance between keeping a lid on inflation while preventing the economy and the job market from deteriorating. However, for 2025, President Trump's agenda – particularly his tax cut, immigration, and tariff policies – are bound to have a substantial impact. What does this mean for the economy and your business? This workshop will deliver practical and actionable advice designed to help attendees plan for future economic conditions and continuously improve their company's strategic planning initiatives.
Registration opens June 23 at 8 a.m. Central from the members-only section of stafda.org.
INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY MAGAZINE
The March/April issue of Industrial Supply magazine features an in-depth cover story about Industrial Supply Co. Plus, we're featuring articles by contributing writers Dr. Bharani Nagarathnam and Frank Hurtte, as well as interviews with numerous product and distribution industry experts.
