Connect Education Day
Sunday, June 7, 2026 - 8:00am-2:00pm
Peppermill Resort, Tuscany Ballroom
Reno, NV

Sunday, June 7, 2026

MORNING EDUCATION SESSIONS
(Grassroots Members Only)

Afternoon Education Sessions & Lunch

11:00am-11:50am Session A:
Know Your Numbers: Store Level KPIs For Outdoor Retail, and how to use them

Presented by Dan Mann, The Mann Group
Peppermill, Tuscany 5/6

Your store is already telling you what’s working — the key is knowing which numbers to listen to. Join us for a practical seminar on the most valuable store-level KPIs for outdoor retailers, including how to track them, interpret them, and use them to make smarter decisions that improve sales, margins, inventory, and overall store performance.

11:00am-11:50am Session B:
Applied AI Without the Hype | for Independent Outdoor Retail

Presented by Marty Bhatia, Digital Ninja Consulting LLC
Peppermill, Tuscany 11/12

95% of AI projects fail to move the needle. The 5% that succeed all do one thing first: they document the work before they automate it.

This session is for independent outdoor retailers navigating a flood of AI tools, vendor pitches, and "transformation" decks — without the staff or budget to chase every shiny object. We'll cover what's actually working for lean shops, where AI pays back in measurable margin, and where it quietly burns cash. The barrier to entry isn't capital. It's discipline. The shops that pull ahead won't be the ones with the biggest tech stacks. They'll be the ones who knew which tools to skip.

You'll leave with a friction-first method for spotting where AI belongs in your operation, a short list of tools worth trying this quarter, and a sharper read on the vendor noise heading your way at the show.

12:00pm-1:00pm:
Connect & Recharge: Networking Lunch
Tuscany EF

Take a well-deserved break from the morning sessions and fuel up for the afternoon while connecting with your fellow retailers. This dedicated lunch hour is designed for meaningful networking and relationship building, the heart of what makes our Grassroots community so strong.

1:00pm-1:50pm Session A:
The Next Layer of Retail Analytics: Category, Brand & Assortment Insights

Presented by Dan Mann, The Mann Group
Peppermill, Tuscany 5/6

Building on store level KPI's to category and brand level analysis. We dig deeper into inventory planning by taking a precise look at a Category Strategy that predicts category performance and addresses the unique needs of all your customer types.

1:00pm-1:50pm Session B:
Financial Study Workshop - (Grassroots Principals Only)

Presented by Heidi Rasmussen, Director of Finance, Grassroots Outdoor Alliance
Peppermill, Tuscany 11/12

This session will be a review of the Financial Study and working session provided for Grassroots Member Principal/Owners who have a submitted 2025 Financial Study template. Attendees will learn about key takeaways from the 2025 report and have opportunities to dive in and learn more about how to use the financial study to benchmark their financial metrics.

Monday, June 8, 2026, RSCC Ballroom C, 12:00pm-1:00pm

Grassroots Awards Ceremony
Presented by Grassroots President, Gabe Maier & Emily White, Roads Rivers and Trails

Always an exciting and fun program, you won't want to miss the highly anticipated Grassroots Annual Awards! Join us over lunch on day one to recognize the outstanding achievements of retailers, brands, and individuals within our vibrant Grassroots community. We will shine the spotlight on those who have showcased unparalleled excellence in service, collaboration, support, and product innovation for independent specialty businesses. Don't miss out on this opportunity to applaud and celebrate the good work of your peers!

Tuesday, June 9, 2026, RSCC Ballroom C, 7:00am-7:50am

Grassroots Vendor Partner Breakfast
Presented by Grassroots President, Gabe Maier

Exclusively for Grassroots Vendor Partners, this session offers a unique chance to explore our organizational direction and strategic plans. Dive into a comprehensive overview of specialty business insights, key Grassroots initiatives, and forecasts for the upcoming year. We kindly request that each Vendor Partner sends at least ONE leadership representative to ensure a thorough understanding of your Grassroots membership value and our collective direction.

Tuesday, June 9, 2026, RSCC Room A1, 12:00pm-1:00pm

Vendor Focused Luncheon:
Applied AI Without the Hype | for Brand Leadership
Presented by Marty Bhatia

95% of AI projects fail to move EBITDA. The reason is rarely the technology. It's that the work was never documented, the friction was never mapped, and the people doing the work were never asked.

This session is for brand leaders trying to make defensible AI investment decisions across teams of 50 to 500+. We'll walk through what a Technical Discovery actually produces — a sanctioned-versus-shadow tool inventory, a department-by-department sentiment map, a cross-functional friction graph, and an ROI roadmap ranked by impact and effort. The output is a single, defensible operational picture leadership can act on, before a dollar of AI investment is committed.

You'll leave with a clear methodology for assessing AI readiness in your own organization, a working definition of what "documented" actually means at brand scale, and the questions to ask before your next AI investment. 

Wednesday, June 10, 2026, RSCC Exhibit Hall Booth T20, 9:00am-12:00pm

Rapid Coaching Sessions with Pancho Gomez, Because Why

Feeling stuck on a leadership or career challenge? On Wednesday, June 10, at Grassroots Connect this year, you'll have access to free, confidential 15-minute rapid coaching sessions with Pancho Gomez, an ICF-credentialed leadership and career coach who works with outdoor industry professionals and some of the largest organizations in tech and engineering. These sessions are designed to help you gain clarity and plan accordingly, leaving coaching with a concrete next step. Book your session at (https://calendar.app.google/pMTvApcCxrL3zCjZ6).  Available to retailers and buyers only.