Join Us June 13 & 14 At The World’s Largest, Highest-Impact Business Conference For Independent Retailers

You need…

New insights into how retail is changing so you can be ahead of the curve, not caught helplessly behind it.
New skills and stragegies that are going to work NOW and keep working no matter what new craziness is in our future.
New mindsets that will allow you to confidently and quickly make important decisions, change directions on a dime and move forward without wasting your precious mental energy.

Tickets are On Sale Now!

Save Your Seat Today! Tickets are on sale now and availability is limited, so reserve your spot today for the world's largest business conference for Independent Retailers!

Use Coupon Code 2024 To Save $500

Meet Your Hosts, Bob and Susan Negen

Bob and Susan have a combined forty years of retail store experience – Bob as the owner of the Mackinaw Kite Co., a chain of kite and toy stores, and Susan as an executive at retail giants Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, and Lord & Taylor. In 1999 they founded WhizBang! Retail Training and for the last 21 years they have been helping indie retailers run super-successful stores.

In those 21 years, Bob and Susan have worked with hundreds of thousands of retailers, presented at trade shows and conferences all over North America, created numerous courses for retail owners, managers, and employees, and written a best-selling book on retail marketing.

Together they have a knockout one-two punch of sophisticated “big business” skills and street-smart small business experience!

What Past Attendees Have To Say About The Retail Success Summit…

WOW!!!! I only discovered the WhizBang! Retail Facebook Group about a month ago. The past 4 days of the Summit have been full of so much great information. I’ve hated to see each day end! From the info, to the breakout groups and getting to talk to others it’s been incredible. I just signed up for both the Retail Mastery System and the Retail Sales Academy and am ready to dive in from the high dive! Thanks Bob, Susan, sponsors, coaches and the entire team behind an amazing virtual experience!

Darin

Chef Darin

So excited…must post! Just completed my top 3 To-Do’s from the Summit! Feeling pretty good right now! Thank you Bob Negen & Susan Negen!! You guys are the best!!

Jody

12th Street Shoes

INCREDIBLE four days…. THANK YOU to the WHOLE WhizBang! team!!! So Grateful!!!! #virtualrss

Sherri

Heart's Desire

First time attendee and I am amazed at the amount of information that is packed into this summit! Thank you!!!!

Kara

Barrett's Garden Center

I am so thankful for the Virtual Retail Success Summit! I am reminded of the amazing things we learned each and every day. Every change we implement, no matter how small, is a step forward. Thank you Bob and Susan!

Stacey

Center of the Yarniverse

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! Sew-in-Stiches loves you guys!!!!

Traci

Sew In Stitches

Thank You, Bob Negen and Susan Negen for all the amazing ideas, inspiration and constant positivity!! And, for creating this wonderful community of like minded individuals who are all here to share and lift each other up and keep everyone succeeding. Also, your live streams at the beginning of the pandemic really kept us from wallowing and falling into “‘stinkin’ thinking.'” So, THANK YOU for all you do for us!!!

Lori

Toy and Party

The Retail Success Summit Experience

We are thrilled with the experience you’ll have at this year’s Summit. It’s got everything you love, and we’re so excited that it’s going to be LIVE, BACK IN PERSON!

Networking and Connecting

One of the BEST parts of the Retail Success Summit is meeting other super-smart retailers, making new retail friends, and learning from folks both inside and outside your industry. And with the Retail Success Summit being LIVE and in-person once again, Networking and Connecting is going to be even better!

Private Facebook Group

Speaking of connecting, every Summit attendee will be a member of a private Facebook Group so you can continue to collaborate, share, help, and just plain have fun together outside of the regular Summit hours. Want to set up a coffee klatch? Use the FB Group to connect. Need help with an idea you learned at the Summit? Ask your group members. You’ve been through it all together.

Breakouts

Yes! We will still be having breakouts!. Think of them like the discussion groups you had in college for your large lecture classes. This is your chance to think deeper, ask questions, reflect, do the work, and share.

Exhibit Hall

Not only will you be able to meet and connect with your fellow retailers, but also with some really great people whose companies are all about helping indie retailers be better, smarter, and most importantly, more profitable. During the breaks, you’ll be able to visit our exhibit hall to learn, ask questions, and discover new possibilities for growing your business.

Printable Worksheets and Handouts

Online or in-person, you’ll have instant access to any of the worksheets, handouts, samples, and templates we (and our guest speakers) share.

Action Items

It wouldn’t be aRetail Success Summit if you didn’t come away with a thoughtful, organized, and powerful list of Action Items! While we hope you’re engaged, entertained, and enlightened by each of the programs during the Summit, what we really want is for you to take action on the ideas presented and transform your business. We have this process “baked-in” so you can’t miss it!

Check Out The Fun At The Retail Success Summit

The Summit isn’t just non-stop work… we also like to have FUN! We’ve got some exciting stuff planned for you.

Swag

The Retail Success Summit wouldn’t be the same without some great SWAG! Now, I can’t tell you about the goodies that are going to be inside – it’s a secret – but I can tell it’s going to be awesome. Fun stuff to keep, fun stuff to use during the Summit..

Prizes

Are you feeling lucky?? Because we are going to be giving away a ton of great prizes – thousands of dollars worth!

Contests

Yep, in addition to some great prizes, we’re also going to have some awesome contests. Will you claim bragging rights and be the winner? Will you take home one of the contest prizes? Only one way to find out… Come join the learning and fun.

Cocktail Party

Of course! What’s better way to celebrate our return to a LIVE AND IN-PERSON Retail Success Summit than a cocktail party?

Network With Other Business Owners

There will be time set aside for you to mix and mingle with the many other retailers and small business owners who attend the event. Including the “always-a-hit” networking party where you’ll have a great time chatting with all your new friends, meeting our sponsors, hanging out with Bob and Susan, and exchanging great ideas for success.

The other attendees understand the ups and down of retail and many people find the time they spend talking to other people who “get it” is just a valuable as the time spent in sessions during the day. You’ll undoubtedly create bonds with other attendees that will last long after the Summit is over!

Tickets are On Sale Now!

Save Your Seat Today! Tickets are on sale now and availability is limited, so reserve your spot today for the world's largest business conference for Independent Retailers!

Use Coupon Code 2024 To Save $500

Location, Logistics & Other Details

The Retail Success Summit will be held at the DeVos Place Convention Center in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan on June 13 & 14, 2022.

In the heart of downtown Grand Rapids (named as one of the best places in the US to live by both the Men’s Journal and the Wall Street Journal Market Watch) the DeVos Place is situated on the lovely Grand River and is large enough to hold the 500+ retailers expected to gather for the Summit.

Check-in and name tag pick-up will begin at 8:00 am on Monday, 6/13/2022 and the event starts promptly at 8:30 am. The Summit will close at 5:00 pm on Tuesday 6/14/2022

Fly into the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR). There’s no need to rent a car, the airport is a short, 25-minute cab ride to the Retail Success Summit’s location at the DeVos Place downtown Grand Rapids.

The DeVos Place is connected via covered walkway to the Amway Grand Plaze Hotel and the JW Marriott, and is within easy walking distance of great restaurants, shops, and museums.

Closest Recommended Hotel: Amway Grand Plaza

Amway Grand Plaza (Connected by sky bridge to DeVos Place).

WhizBang! Retail Training is please to offer discounted room nights of $179 per night for our Retail Success Summit attendees.

Click Here to reserve your room online or call 800.253.3590, and mention the WhizBang! Retail Success Summit. The block room discount is limited so please make your reservations right away.

187 Monroe Ave. NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
800.253.3590 | sales@amwaygrand.com

JW Marriot (Connected by sky bridge to Amway Grand Plaza & DeVos Place)

WhizBang! Retail Training is pleased to offer discounted room nights of $209 per night for our Retail Success Sumitt attendees. Click Here to reserve your room online, or call 877.901.6632 and mention the WhizBang! Retail Success Summit. The block room discount is limited so please make your reservations right away.

235 Louis Campau NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49503
877.901.6632 | sales@amwaygrand.com

Tickets are On Sale Now!

Save Your Seat Today! Tickets are on sale now and availability is limited, so reserve your spot today for the world's largest business conference for Independent Retailers!

Use Coupon Code 2024 To Save $500

How to drive insane repeat transactions and digital sales with text message marketing

Nick McHenry, OneShop

You will learn how to effectively target your customers and send them personalized text messaging to drive 2 - 3X more frequent customer visits and keep them coming back for more!

About Nick McHenry

Nick McHenry is a fashion and retail industry veteran that spent nearly 10 years growing wholesale businesses for luxury brands such as Giorgio Armani and Philipp Plein before starting OneShop. After spending thousands of hours on retail store floors around the world, Nick saw an opportunity to create amazing customer experiences digitally by driving personalized communication and bringing the in store experience to customers no matter where they are. With this, OneShop now helps hundreds of stores engage their customers via text and other channels to drive repeat purchases.

Re-Imaging your Sales floor for the Next Golden Age of Retail

Anne Cecil, ONO Made In The 191

Your sales floor must accommodate so much more than product to meet today’s custom customer expectations. In this session we will discuss the functions your retail store must integrate on the sales floor to provide an engaging, pleasant, and successful shopping experience for the customer, while delivering sales and margins that provide a profit for you.

About Anne Cecil

With 40 years of experience as an artisan, maker, seller AND a 30+ year professional career in merchandising, Anne Cecil of ONO Made in the 191 is uniquely positioned to ASSESS your product and sales spaces, then PROVIDE the knowledge, training and tools for you to create a roadmap to success. Anne will TEACH you how to orchestrate your merchandising to present an engaging customer experience & turn your investment into profit!

What Will it Take To Win In 2022?

Paul Erickson, Management One

Despite the turbulence, 2021 was a good year for most retailers. But how should you approach 2022 to win? Inflation is driving up the cost of purchases, including freight. Supply chain issues are improving but not completely resolved. Employees are demanding higher pay. The outlook for consumer demand could change as excess savings dissipate and government stimulus fades. And the bar for competing digitally continues to get higher. Paul Erickson, with Management One, will outline key strategies that will help you succeed in a changing environment.

About Paul Erickson

Paul Erickson presently serves as Director of Retail Education with Management One Inc. Based out of Minneapolis, Minnesota he has served retail clients throughout the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean.

Widely recognized for his talents as a retail educator, Paul has conducted seminars and workshops to retail trade shows and conferences throughout North America, Europe and Asia. He has been featured in Fortune Magazine, Women’s Wear Daily, MR Magazine and on the CBS Evening News.

Mr. Erickson received a BS in Marketing from the University of Wisconsin and has completed a number of graduate level courses in Data Analysis and Statistical Theory and Probability.

What Will it Take To Win In 2022?

Dane Cohen, Management One

About Dane Cohen

Dane brings more than a decade of experience in the fashion, wholesale, and retail industry to the Management One team. Independent retail is in his blood as he formerly led the retail division of the family-owned chain of speciality department stores, Lester’s. Prior to that he oversaw the global sales relaunch for the men’s collection of Helmut Lang, working with retailers to build distribution channels and growth strategy. Getting his start in the industry at PROJECT Global Tradeshow, he built relationships across the menswear industry and launched the inaugural season of The Tents. Passionate about the new future of retail, Dane is excited to work with retailers and strategic partners to grow the Management One network and help strengthen independent and family-owned retail businesses. As the Business Development Manager, his diverse background in leading sales and retail teams, brand marketing, events, and merchandising provides him a unique and informed perspective for our clients. Dane lives in Manhattan and when not working you can usually find him focusing on fitness, cooking, jamming to new music on Spotify, or shopping... of course.

#Droolworthy Branding and How It Grows Your Retail Biz.

Kaila Piepkow, Dox Design

Join Kaila Piepkow, Owner, Founder & Creative Director of Dox Design, for a lesson in what they’ve coined as “drool-worthy” branding. Kaila will cover the key components that compile your visual brand, and how your brand can stand out in the sea of competitors in your space. You’ll walk away with a foundational understanding of:

The importance of honing in on your target audience, and building your niche
How to create & identify your brand tone
How to create a strategic visual brand that communicates your brand tone to your audience
The must-know info on color palettes, fonts, brand patterns, icons, and your overarching visual brand
How a #droolworthy brand will help you convert followers into paying customers
And much more!

About Kaila Piepkow

Kaila Piepkow is the Owner/Founder of Dox Design, a remote design firm & creative studio dedicated to helping business owners grow through #droolworthy design that connects with their customers... Besides being obsessed with all things dogs (she has 3 Dacschunds!) and design, she is the MOST passionate about supporting ambitious business owners in their branding journey.

After taking her first few years out of college in the traditional agency route working for big brands like Target, Apple, and Herman Miller she (like most entrepreneurs) felt restless... like her cup wasn't being filled to the top. She had a vision, something big, bold, and most importantly, drool-worthy. And so, Dox Design was born!

Today, Kaila is proud to lead a fearless team of talented creatives on a mission to create strong, compelling brands that flaunt their clients’ stand-out qualities in fun and daring ways.

Together, Dox Design works together seamlessly to create #droolworthy brands and design for people just like you: the doers, the dreamers, and the brand-obsessed.

The New Retail: How Retailers Are Using eCommerce to Increase Sales and Serve Their Customers

Josh Orr, Streamline Retail

Brick and mortar retailers have a unique advantage over online-only retailers but most of us don't use it (or even know what it is). What if we could tap into that advantage and find unique ways to serve our customers everywhere, just like we do in-store; all while increasing our in-store sales?

Key Points:

The New Retail Mindset - Going from a store to a brand
Your brick and mortar advantage
6 Steps to the Perfect Online Purchase (A new iteration with what's working now)
Using eCommerce to increase sales everywhere.

My hope is that you'll leave inspired to take your online sales to the next level and with clear action steps to get started.

About Josh Orr

Josh Orr is the founder of Streamline Retail and host of the Retail Initiative Podcast, is one of the leading voices in eCommerce today. He specializes in helping retailers serve their customers through multiple channels, whether it is in-store or online. With his team, he has helped dozens of retailers gain traction in their online sales through customer-centric design and ecommerce marketing strategy. Apart from his company's eCommerce services, you may have seen him on stages at markets and retail events around the US or have taken part in his digital classes or in-person events related to eCommerce marketing.

Apart from his work at Streamline Retail, he lives in Houston with his wife, Christin, and three kids, Ryan (6) and Emily (4), and Ben (1). He also plays guitar, listens to the same music he did in high school, but these days only gets to hear the Frozen soundtrack.

Reels Mean Deals: The Power of TikTok and Instagram Reels and How Retailers Are Cashing In

Maddie Goode, Crystal Media

Are you leaving money on the table by not using Instagram Reels or TikTok to sell to your customers? Short form content has taken social media by storm, so gear up and get in the game! This session will simplify understanding of these platforms, share the posts that will engage (and sell!) the most, show the tricks to save you time, and spell out why retailers need to leverage this content format NOW! Get ready to stand out and cash in. Walk away with:

The strongest, action-worthy posts that’ll translate to dollars
The magic number... How often to actually post to get more Reach than you thought possible
The most compelling ways to promote and get the right eyeballs on your TikToks and IG Reels
The Hashtag know-how that'll get you noticed
Powerful everyday examples of how retailers are seeing success, both locally and online

Learn how to integrate short form content with your overall strategy and why you don’t want to wait another day to leverage it! Get ready to stand out and cash in.

About Maddie Goode

As a Pittsburgh native (and Steelers die-hard), Maddie fulfilled a lifelong dream of moving out west to San Diego where she joined the Crystal Media team in 2019. Her Marketing and Supply Chain Management degree from the University of Pittsburgh, social media management background and flair for creativity made her a perfect fit for the Ads Management team.

A revered Facebook and Instagram Ads Manager by her many clients, don’t let Maddie’s easy-going nature fool you. Partnered with her thorough, detail-oriented approach, Maddie has achieved notable successes for her Ads clients, including a 68.7% increase in YTD sales (from when the client first started working with her) and multiple 10+x return on ad spend from custom Conversion campaigns.

Maddie combines her interest in championing small businesses with her passion for educating and entertaining from the stage, as well. From presenting at Crystal Media events to being spotlighted at regional and national levels (i.e. Travel Goods Show 2020, Nationwide Jewellers 2021, Great Lakes Floral Association 2022), Maddie has trained and left her helpful impression on hundreds of retailers to date.

Learn more at www.crystalmediaco.com