The Passion for Retail Conference on May 4^th, hosted by Shelfspace – The Association for Retail Entrepreneurs, promises to deliver an event to retail owners, managers and staff that is both practical and informative. The conference features a number of local retail leaders, as well as industry experts, who know what it takes to be successful, even in a sometimes turbulent industry.

 

" I think that is this the most exciting line-up of retail speakers we’ve ever had at our annual conference”, boasts Mark Startup, President & CEO of Shelfspace. “The Passion for Retail Conference truly mirrors the association’s vision of Sharing the Passion for Retail Excellence, bringing together such high-calibre presenters and yes – the majority of them are local stars! We have retailers sharing their realities as business owners, as well as industry experts that really know what it takes to be successful in business”.

When Tom and Karinna James considered expanding The Urban Tea Merchant from a popular one-location experience in West Vancouver’s The Village - Park Royal, they didn’t go into it light-heartedly. While they considered the normal questions an expanding retailer would ask and put together a business plan, they knew that they couldn’t do the expansion alone; they enlisted the expertise of Catherine Youngren, 40-year interior design veteran, to deliver their conceptual ideas into reality. Tom and Catherine come together at the Passion for Retail to collaboratively break down the design process from inception to completion. 

T he conference also features local retail leaders Kristina Egyed, of North Vancouver’s LaLa’s, Dai Manuel, COO/Owner of Fitness Town and popular Cupcakes entrepreneurs Heather White and Lori Joyce, as panelists sharing their varied experiences with community marketing. These retail stars will discuss how social media, in-store events and community involvement play major roles in making these respective businesses profitable.

“As a single location store, it’s crucial for LaLa’s to have the support of the community to thrive“, Egyed emphasizes. “As a result, we host a number of in-store events throughout the year, which thankfully, many of our loyal customers say they enjoy time and time again”.

Legendary Blenz Coffee President, George Moen, also shares his story as a “serial entrepreneur” at this year’s conference. Moen will impart some words of wisdom based on his experiences over the last 30 years transitioning small businesses into big successes. “George’s tenacity and determination is something to be envied by business owners large and small and we’re proud to have him kicking off our event”, says Startup.

Mark Wardell, President of Wardell Professional Development, is a well-known local business coach who will deliver a practical presentation on how retailers can streamline operations and grow their businesses. Wardell has been featured in a number of publications from Profit Magazine, to Globe & Mail and more, and specializes in business growth systems.

The Passion for Retail Conference will be held on May 4^th at the Executive Hotel & Conference Centre in Burnaby, BC from 12:00-9:00pm. Tickets are still available but seating is limited. For event details and registration, visit www.shelfspace.ca .

- 30 -

For more information:
Mark Startup
President & CEO
Shelfspace
604-730-5252
mark@shelfspace.ca  
www.shelfspace.ca  

About Shelfspace – The Association for Retail Entrepreneurs

Shelfspace is the epicentre of the excellence revolution in the retail world. We highlight and promote excellence in the retail industry, advance the retail profession, and partner with our members in BC and Alberta to achieve greatness.