MONTEREY, Calif. (BRAIN) — Organizers of the Bicycle Leadership Conference have announced the agenda and speaker line up for the event, which is April 17-19 in Monterey, just before the Sea otter Classic.
Organizers say the theme for the 2018 event is: "Working to Reignite Growth in Our Industry. Breaking Traditional Models & Embracing Change."
Topics and speakers include:
- Industry Disruption: Innovation expert Shawn Kanungo will discuss how companies need to learn to reinvent their business or risk being extinct.
- Millennial Integration: With more than 1 in 3 American workers today being millennials, generational expert Matt Beaudreau will provide strategies to improve their performance.
- Today's Leadership Formula: Designed with the goal of helping organizations thrive in today's marketplace, world-renowned keynote Robert Stephenson will identify how to start, maintain, and deepen working relationships.
- Digital Presence for Brands: How do we, as a brand and as an industry, use digital media to grow the pie? Technology-driven marketing agency Basis Worldwide will answer this and more.
- Retail Report Card: NPD's Matt Powell, a recognized research and trends expert on the sports industry will present a strategic view of retail sales & consumer trends with insights on how brands can enhance near & long-term performance.
- Redefining Urban Mobility: A panel of experts will provide a variety of perspectives on the role the bicycle and new bicycle business models will play in transforming our cities over the next decade.
"The level of energy and knowledge that our lineup will bring to the BLC this year is going to be amazing," said Adam Micklin, BPSA's president. "The BPSA encourages all brands in our industry to send a representative to the BLC, and join us for two days of high level discussions, invaluable networking with our industry's leaders and unforgettable riding on Monterey's epic 17-Mile Drive."
Rounding out the content for the event is retail expert Dan Mann, whose Modern Reality of Retail session will provide methods to learn to predict and prepare for blind spots, and dispel the myths of retail's fall from grace. Jenn Dice, PeopleForBikes' vice president of business network and government relations, returns with a new DRAFT Meetup featuring speakers and brands that break with tradition and drive new growth, including Diana Seung/Backcountry, Gloria Hwang/Thousand Helmets, Hans Jones/Patagonia and Bernie Doering/Stages Cycling.
At the conclusion of the event during the group dinner, the BPSA will present their annual Lifetime Achievement Award to Mike Mercuri (aka Merc), one of the founders of SRAM in 1987 and chairman of the PeopleForBikes board from 2013-2015.
"I'm not sure I'm deserving of this award," said Merc. "But, I am proud that SRAM and World Bicycle Relief have been a positive force in the world of bikes, and I know I'm the luckiest guy in the world to have worked in this awesome industry for the last 30 years."
More information at bicycleconference.com.
