Connect Education Day
Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025 - 8:00am-2:00pm
Loews Hotel, City Beautiful Ballrooms
Kansas City, MO

Grassroots is about developing strong relationships among retailers. One important way we encourage collaboration and continuing professional development is through the educational programming that we weave into Connect.

We have multiple exciting opportunities for Connect Education Day in KC, including various afternoon sessions featuring industry experts speaking on key retail topics.

Sunday schedule of events and session descriptions are below, click the (+) sign for details!*

Sunday, Nov 2, 2025

MORNING EDUCATION SESSIONS
(Grassroots Members Only)

  • Join your peers for continental breakfast, coffee, and conversation. Breakfast items available from 7:15am-9:15am. Membership Meeting kicks off at 8:00am.

    City Beautiful E

  • This session is the not-to-miss, all-hands meeting for Grassroots retailers. Please join us to learn about all Grassroots current membership initiatives and future strategy.

    Hosted by Gabe Maier & Dana Howe
    City Beautiful E

  • *This is a private session for Grassroots Shareholders. Critical Shareholder actions including voting will be conducted. Shareholder's are then welcome to join into the Buyer's Meeting after voting is conducted.

    City Beautiful C

  • In this interactive breakout session, buyers will be grouped by their respective categories—Hardgoods, Apparel, and Footwear—to dive into the unique challenges and opportunities each segment faces. Participants will share insights, trends, and best practices tailored to their specific category, fostering collaboration and problem-solving. By the end of the session, each group will have the opportunity to present key takeaways, enhancing cross-category learning and networking.

    City Beautiful E

Afternoon Education Sessions & Lunch
(All Retailers invited)

11:00am-12:00pm Session A:
From Operator to Owner: Building an Outdoor Business That Runs Without You

Presented by Peter Mohr, Simplifying Entrepreneurship
Loews, City Beautiful E

Join Peter Mohr, specialty retailer & retail business consultant, for an actionable session on transforming how you lead your retail business. Too many business owners find themselves trapped in the day-to-day operations, working in their business rather than on it. Peter will share practical systems and proven strategies that allow you to delegate effectively, empower your team to make decisions, and create the operational freedom you need to focus on growth and strategic direction. Peter will provide real-world insights on building processes that run without your constant oversight. Whether you're looking to reclaim your time, develop your team's capabilities, or position your business for sustainable growth, this session will equip you with the tools and mindset shifts necessary to lead with confidence and create the business, and life, you truly want.

11:00am-12:00pm Session B:
The Business Case for Sustainability: 10 Strategies for Specialty Retailers to Profit while Protecting the Planet

Presented by Alex Lauver, Douglas Strategies & Rick Crawford, Emerger Strategies
Loews, City Beautiful C

Discover how sustainability can boost your bottom line while protecting the outdoors we all depend on. In this session, sustainability experts Alex Lauver (Douglas Strategies) and Rick Crawford (Emerger Strategies) share 10 proven strategies specialty retailers can use to cut costs, increase sales, build customer loyalty, and strengthen their brand—all through smarter, more sustainable business practices.

12:00pm-1:00pm:
Connect & Recharge: Networking Lunch
City Beautiful E

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-2:00pm Session A:
Building Resilience into your Retail Operation with Consignment

Presented by: Aiden Chisholm, TrailHead Gear Exchange & Megan Frank, The TrailHead
Loews, City Beautiful E

The outdoor retail landscape continues to evolve, and with economic uncertainty and rising costs, specialty retailers benefit from diversifying their revenue streams. Join us to learn how The Trail Head successfully started and integrated consignment into their existing business model, creating multiple benefits beyond just additional income.

This session will cover the practical aspects of launching a consignment program, including day-to-day logistics, associated costs, and the broader benefits of selling used gear. We'll walk through a realistic timeline for opening your consignment business and explore how this addition can strengthen customer relationships, attract new demographics, and create a more sustainable retail model. Discover why consignment might be the strategic addition your business needs to thrive in today's market.

1:00pm-2:00pm Session B:
Disability Awareness Training, Presented in partnership with Toad & Co.

Presented by: Search Inc., Disability Awareness Players
Loews, City Beautiful C

Disability Awareness Trainings (DAT) offer practical, real-world tips for interacting with people with disabilities. Led by the Disability Awareness Players, a team of engaging self-advocates with lived experience, this one-hour training combines role-play and real-world scenarios to cover inclusive communication strategies, appropriate language, and everyday best practices.

Retailers will learn how to apply these skills directly in their stores, from greeting customers with disabilities and offering appropriate assistance to creating accessible shopping experiences and training staff on inclusive service. Discover how small changes in communication and approach can significantly improve customer satisfaction, expand your customer base, and create a welcoming environment where all customers feel valued and respected. This training provides actionable tools you can implement immediately to make your retail space more inclusive and accessible

Lunch Hour Sessions, 12:00-1:00pm  

Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, KCCC Meeting Room 3501 B&D

Grassroots Vendor Partner Meeting
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, Nov. 4, 2025, KCCC Meeting Room 3501 B&D

Women's Leadership Luncheon
Presented by Tara Kuipers

Session details coming soon!