Tuesday

Tuesday, July 28th

11:30 am-1:00 pm Concurrent Workshop Sessions

Business

Developing the Winning Edge Business Success in a Depressed Market

David Smith, David Larrick Smith Enterprises

The difference between average people and great business professionals is actually very small.  Great business professionals do the right things on purpose all the time.  In this session, attendees will learn where real lasting motivation comes from; internalize a new paradigm for business in the 21st century; develop skills that will make them catalysts for positive change and take steps toward manifesting their full potential as 21st century leaders.

Catering Services

The Profit Focused Chef

Jerry Edwards, CPCE, Chefs Expressions

Chef Jerry Edwards will show you many ways to create budget conscience menus while still showing your clients that you have creativity and style. Get inspired by new menus for the new economy.

Event Management

Style Me Pretty and Profitable

Meryl Snow, Feastivities Events

Sensational but simple design techniques – food to table, you don’t need a floral division to sell decor. Meryl will show you ways to produce wonderful design elements that brings dollars to the bottom line. Create your own signature look. This session is presented by catersource.

Leadership

Got Trust, Part One: Am I Credible? Examining the Cores of Credibility

Lisa Hopkins, CPCE, CMP, Houstonian Hotel and Stacy Zeigler, CPCE, CMP, Bold American Catering

This will be a self discovery journey of trust. You will learn trust makes a difference in your personal and professional relationships and therefore your results. We will also cover how trust is made up of both character and competence. You will have a greater understanding of how integrity, intent, capabilities and results relate to your ability to build trust.

Sales and Marketing

Get Noticed!

Jill Lublin, Promising Promotion

How to get referrals, build your client base, and expand your business by making a name for yourself.

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2:30 pm – 4:00 pm Concurrent Workshop Sessions

Business

Growing a Small Family-Owned Business to a Medium-Sized Business Efficiently and Effectively

Warren Dietel, Puff ‘n Stuff Catering

Warren will discuss the challenges he overcame growing his catering business over 250% in less than 5 years. He will share his energetic ideas for: streamlining processes through operations; benefits and pitfalls of technology versus “good old-fashioned” communication; team member transitions, proactive vs. reactive, team building, planned growth and attrition; and branding benefits and challenges associated with an existing business. Join Warren in this session for invaluable insight on how to grow your own business.

Catering Services

Bringing Wine to the Table: How to Make Wine a Key Part of Your Event Planning Process…and Make Money Doing It

Monique Studak, E&J Gallo Winery

Wine is an essential part of the event planning process and a key to the enjoyment of any party. In this seminar, we will show how to bring wine to the forefront of the customer’s mind, discussing selling strategies to maximize revenue, profit and improve customer experience. We will show the increasing popularity of wine, covering current wine sales trends in the United States, and conclude with a series of tastings to illustrate the easiest ways to up-sell your customer to a better wine selection that will be a win-win for you both.

Event Management

Making It Happen: Presentation with Passion, Confidence and Vision

Michael Shoer, Ice Caters

So what does it take to create something out of nothing? In this unique session, Michael will share his five fundamentals of marketing success, demonstrate the value of adding a component as simple as ice to food and beverage presentation and transfer to you the energy and passion for you to turn simple thoughts and ideas into tangible, measurable and widely recognized successes.  Here’s a secret. It’s not just about coming up with a next menu or theme event idea. It’s about YOU marketing your ideas with passion, confidence and vision.

Leadership

Got Trust, Part Two: Behaviors that Inspire Trusting Relationships

Lisa Hopkins, CPCE, CMP, Houstonian Hotel and Stacy Zeigler, CPCE, CMP, Bold American Catering

This session builds on the four cores of credibility. We will discuss the 13 behaviors that inspire trust and help you gain the tools that will help you create an action plan to improve on behaviors that demonstrate trust. Become a more trustworthy person and reap the benefits in all areas of your life.

Sales and Marketing

I Can’t Say No

Eric Ostrow, CPCE, President, Foundation of NACE and Cheryl Kahn Brocco, The Glazier Group

With competition increasing every day, along with the huge pressures that characterize tough economic times, you need new and innovative sales techniques that you can use to generate new business. You also need an effective “can’t say no” mentality to create new opportunities. And, you need a marketing communications strategy that will penetrate your markets and open up new and exciting opportunities.

For innovative techniques that can work in both good times and bad, this seminar will teach you how to not say no to a client and still make their special event what they want.

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4:30 pm-6:00 pm Concurrent Workshop Sessions

Business

Where Does the Time Go?

Thomas Hudgin

Where does the time go? The stress is driving me crazy! Sound familiar?

This presentation talks about setting realistic goals, reasons for time problems, doing it right the first time, ways to reduce workload, setting up time allocations for jobs, solutions to paperwork, dealing with interruptions and distractions, working smarter, doing the important tasks during your peak energy levels, effective problem solving, improving communications, managing stress and making positive stress work for you.

Catering Services

Sensational Service Tips and Solutions

Brian Palazzolo, Catersource Senior Consultant, President Classé Catering, Ltd.

There has never been a greater need to inspire our front line personnel to truly shine and provide our guests with exceptionally memorable experiences!  Razzle-dazzle, sizzle-pop, WOW service doesn’t have to cost a cent! In this fast-paced, high energy session, Brian will share insight and techniques that have proven to elevate service performance to achieve customer advocacy. Sound leadership and best practice management procedures will be illustrated in a practical, “real world” way – this is a can’t miss session for anyone who wants to get fired up about the value of excellence in service! This session is presented by catersource.

Event Management

More than Just Menus

Anja Winikka, The Knot, Inc.

A caterer is no longer just a caterer. 9 times out of 10 they end up being the wedding planner too. Anja will provide insight on what brides are looking for in terms décor, favors and more.

Anja will offer a preview of what will be hot over the next decade – from catering trends to tabletop design, along with vendor specific data from The Knot’s Best of Weddings 2009 survey.

Leadership

Your Future Workforce

Eric Papp, Generation Y Consulting

Eric compares the Generation Y workforce (age 16-28) with the many challenges business leaders are now facing and will be facing in the future. Most front line employees and young managers are of Generation Y and play a vital role as the face and future.

Sales and Marketing

The Power of the Word

Rebecca Nagy, The Extra Potential Institute/Weddings From The Heart

Words – spoken, unspoken or flashed across a screen – are the most powerful tools we have, whether we are selling services to clients, holding Monday morning staff meetings or making large presentations. How we deliver those words are also equally important – the tone and modulation of our voice, how we connect with our audience, the way we hold our body or – shudder – death by PowerPoint.

This session will demonstrate professional tips and techniques – topped off with a generous dollop of wit – that will allow you to avoid communication bleeps and blunders in your business.