CCA Global Partners kicked off a month-long experience for members of Carpet One Floor & Home, ProSource, Flooring America/Flooring Canada, The Floor Trader and International Design Guild. The experience, named LIFT 2020, is an evolution of the cooperative’s traditional live convention, the group said, which was slated for later this summer.
“Originally, we planned to keep our schedule and hold a digital event in August,” said Rick Bennet, co-CEO of CCA Global Partners. “However, as the COVID-19 situation rapidly evolved, it was clear that we needed to act sooner to provide our membership with insight and guidance to help them navigate the new waters of running a retail flooring store during a pandemic.”
Virtual event addresses challenges ahead
LIFT addresses a challenging time for retailers and specifically the small businesses that make up CCA Global Partners’ largest cooperative and franchise groups, but also the resilience of the cooperative group. The theme highlights a need to come together, lean forward and rise up to the challenges of doing business during a global pandemic.
“There’s no denying, our membership has seen their fair share of challenges this spring,” said Howard Brodsky, chairman, co-founder and co-CEO of CCA Global Partners. “But our groups are resilient, and our cooperative model will help our retailers come back strong.”
A robust agenda for members
The kick-off held on June 3, is just the beginning, the group said. The event boasts a robust agenda that will take place throughout June. First up, informative product sessions—“the Product Runway.” The CCA product team has partnered with key suppliers to provide product information, trends and deals similar to those usually offered at a convention exhibit hall. Members will have access to these sessions and the deals for a limited time.
A two-day live event on June 23 and 24, will engage members with keynote speakers and updates from the corporate team. CCA leadership said it is excited to have secured Marcus Lemonis, a successful businessman, speaker and star of CNBC’s The Profit, as a speaker. “As the star of a show focused on saving small businesses, Mr. Lemonis is an ideal keynote speaker to inspire and motivate our members,” Brodsky said.
The month will close out with education. A four-day lineup of on-demand educational sessions will engage owners and sales professionals with information and guidance on a wide range of topics, from business operations to marketing and technology.
Throughout the entire month, a dedicated event website will house all the resources relating to the event as well as news, member best practices and additional speaker insight.
“This is a completely new experience for our members and us,” added Bennet. “We’re excited to be able to tap into technology to provide this type of experience for our members and provide them the tools they need now to compete.”