Insider trading ... It's a good thing!

As a small, often frustrated, retailer, I often lament the fact that I have no real sounding board other than my faithful employees. Sure, I can bounce ideas off of them, but because I don't bring my entire staff to markets, they have no real inkling as to what is truly going on in our industry.

Yes, I bring back tons of literature and descriptions of displays and products I've seen, but it's difficult to know if I'm making the right decisions with only my gut instincts to guide me. Other retailers in my area certainly aren't going to discuss strategy with me ... we can barely even give each other fake smiles in line at the grocery store!

So where do you turn when you need some simple reassurance that you are on the right track? The answer, my friends, is "Insider Trading."

No, I don't have a shady stock deal hovering over my head, but untapped by the majority of small retailers are a plethora of organizations that have been created to do nothing more than to be that "support system" for retailers or vendors looking for knowledge or advice. Whether it's GHTA (Gift & Home Trade Association), WithIt (Women in the Home Industries Today), ART (Accessories Resource Team) or any other of the organizations out there, there is probably a group for you.

Three years ago I was lucky enough to tap into ART, an amazing network of fellow retailers, manufacturers, sales reps and vendors who are focused on the home accents industry. In 2005, I was invited to be a member of a panel at the annual ART conference, where I would be representing the voice of the Independent Retailer. Attending that conference changed my life and my business in ways I can only try to describe.

Let me preface this by saying that I had never attended any type of "seminar retreat" prior to that trip. I never thought they were for me. First of all, the costs seemed prohibitive. How could I justify spending $2,000 during the slowest months of the year to go to a conference I knew nothing about? However, as a speaker at that one, my fees and travel expenses were paid in exchange for my participation, so it was a win-win situation.

Fast forward to the present: As I write this my laundry is swirling around in the washer, and I am packing to attend this, my third ART conference. Since my first trip, I have not missed one opportunity to avail myself of the camaraderie, knowledge and just plain fun that this long weekend offers. I have happily paid for these expenses because I know how much I will benefit from the entire experience.

Let me see if I can give you a quick snapshot of what you will experience should you choose to attend the conference next year. First of all, the conference is always in a tres glam location ... so far I have been to Naples; the Enchantment Resort in Sedona, Ariz., and now this year the Ritz Carlton in Pasadena, Calif.

The weekend kicks off with an optional golf tournament on Wednesday. Thursday is the official start of the conference, with a welcoming cocktail party that evening so everyone can get to know one another.

Friday morning, the educational aspect of the conference starts in earnest. I have learned about product trends from the gang at Global Views, visual merchandising from Paul Thompson of OneCoast, selling on eBay from Mary Liz Curtin, heard the story of Target's merchandising success from former exec Robyn Waters, and so much more.

The knowledge that you gain from the true movers and shakers in our industry is tough to describe. Inspiring is not the word ... after attending my seminar schedule I felt that I could take on the world!

Later on Friday evening is what is traditionally called "Friday Fun Night." It's a casual supper where everyone is divided into teams at the end of the meal, and from there the teams bond together to achieve sometimes silly and sometimes downright crazy challenges.

Forget all of the formality that usually goes with meeting someone you never thought you would be rubbing elbows with in a million years ... you're just a retailer playing pass the orange with another industry insider! It's refreshing and ego-boosting. Everyone is absolutely equal at the conference, from the smallest retailer (me!) to the owner of the largest manufacturing company, and everyone is there to mutually benefit one another's business. Where can you get that on the local level?

Saturday continues with even more educational opportunities, and then Saturday night is the traditional black tie dinner dance. By the night's end, I predict I will be a sweaty, smiling mess from all of the dancing and frivolity, but the smile on my face will be due to more than just kicking up my heels. Instead of brushing me off as just another small retailer, people who are truly influential in this industry are genuinely concerned about questions and concerns I have. They give me much more than advice ... they give me the belief that I can keep doing it after all of these years. That is something priceless.

Sunday morning will find me packing to come home. I will return with renewed energy and a whole new outlook just in time for the fourth quarter crunch. I will, in short, be a better me. I call it getting my "sparkle" back!

Whether it's ART or any of the other equally wonderful organizations there are out there, I encourage you to explore your options.

For more information about ART, contact Sharon Davis, executive director, at 704-376-4278. Also, please accept my invitation to join me at the ART Cocktail Party at High Point Market, Wed., Oct. 3 from 6–8 p.m. in the Market Square Courtyard.