from the President
Learn Together, Have Fun Together Celebrating the 10th Year of KnowledgeFest Dallas. This year in Dallas, we will be celebrating the 25th anniverWhile rewards are great, many with whom I speak tell me sary of KnowledgeFest. This is quite an accomplishment with they would be satisfied with enough business to keep the doors some very humble beginnings as I mentioned in the July issue. open, take care of their team, and feed their family. In times The goal then was very similar to today: to provide a venue for like these, it is imperative that we as an industry stick together. networking and a peer-to-peer education experience that beneLearn from and encourage one another. fits every specialty retailer with great ideas to grow businesses. We are fortunate to have groups of industry veterans who are Sharing knowledge is the core of what KnowledgeFest is all retailers, manufacturers, sales reps, distributors and service proabout. viders who’ve poured themselves into the industry by serving There is also another anniversary we are celebrating. This is as MEA’s volunteer leadership. Even the MEA team members our tenth Dallas KnowledgeFest since we re-launched in Octohave years of combined experience in the mobile electronics ber of 2010. We launched Dallas with 33 exhibitors and 550 in industry. It is this leadership that assists us and guides the assoattendance. The event provided educational workshops and a ciation, and thus the industry through these troubled times. Our few vendor training sessions. This year we have over 70 exhibmission continues to be the same: grow the mobile electronics itors occupying 110,000 square feet of exhibit floor. There are industry (although we updated our mission a few years back over 50 hours of educational workshops taught by nearly 40 with a focused statement: “Our Mission is To Educate, Inform industry professionals. Vendor training has reached epic levels and Empower the Industry!). with top companies together providing A very encouraging sign that we are over 80 hours of informative education coming together is KnowledgeFest. At on their technologies. the time of this writing (circa 2010) the When times are tough, and As I look back on what KnowledgeFit seems like all hell is break- event has more than 30 exhibitors. This est has become, I am proud to say that year, the theme of the event is to learn, ing loose, you must take a with your support we have fully estabexperience and connect. All is meant to lished an event that provides the value help your business. To ensure that goal is moment and look inside the our industry needs to flourish into the accomplished, KnowledgeFest will deliver core of who you are. future. the highest quality education experience. As I looked back over the past ten We have more than 25 proven industry years, I thought it would be fun to look at what I wrote ten professionals providing valuable knowledge for retail owners years ago in the magazine and do a refresh on the message. and managers, sales and marketing professionals, and installaWhat I found still rings true today. Please indulge me by reading tion technicians and fabricators. The KnowledgeFest experience a small piece from my editorial history. will include new business opportunities with a stellar group of exhibitors. Learn Together, Have Fun Together! To complete the event, we have several networking events Business is defined as a company that engages in buying and that will allow you to connect with your peers to share stories selling goods, making products or providing services. Is this of both failure and success while enjoying some great entertainwhat being a retailer is all about? For the most part, yes, but ment during the mobile electronics industry awards. (It sounds to be great in business you must have a suite of specialties that like we are still on the same track for 2019. This year, MEA make you the expert. These specialties can range from electrimembers will be celebrating the 25th anniversary together at a cian to carpenter, audio engineer to security and audio/video must-attend event at the House of Blues in Dallas.) specialist, salesperson to CEO. Add that together and you have This is your event and we ask that you do your best to get the the makings of a mobile electronics specialty retailer. most out of everything offered. Please let any of us know if we When times are tough, and it seems like all hell is breaking could do anything more to make this your best event ever! We loose, you must take a moment and look inside the core of who want you to head back to your store after the event energized you are. Take solace in knowing you are a talented human being with a renewed commitment to growing your business and thus who can make a difference. You have goals and dreams, and by our industry. opening the doors this morning, you are choosing this day to That was it (with a few notes) and I hope you enjoyed it as accomplish them. As a specialty retailer, you pour your heart, much as I did. I look forward to seeing everyone in Dallas! If soul, sweat and tears into your business to make the most out not, make plans for 2020 now at one of our upcoming events in of every day, and every customer experience. As each day, week Long Beach, Calif., Indianapolis, Ind. or Orlando, Fla. and year passes, you hope your efforts will be greatly rewarded.
74 Mobile Electronics August 2019
