Home to the MIC Symposium sessions, the disruptive thinking stage hosts the big topics and discussions that affect our industry, how to overcome them, and set yourself up for success by looking to the future. Whether it be about the state of the industry, government relations, and policies, or economic outlook, this is where you will get all the thought-provoking information you need to make sound decisions about the future of your business.
Previously part of the Disruptive Thinking Stage, Dealer Excellence education will stand on its own and be centrally located on the show floor. Designed to better engage the audience with panelists and speakers, Dealer Excellence will provide you with ideas and inspiration you can implement today. Expanding on the 2024 partnership, Garage Composites and AIMExpo will feature industry-leading experts in five can’t-miss sessions, designed to deliver insights and actionable takeaways in strategic areas. Also partnering with AIMExpo for education is MPN, who will cover topics including technology, AI, a perspective from the automotive world, and best practices to keep your business running efficiently – from dealing with fraud, managing and maintaining your staff, to new rider retention and your role in growing our industry.
9:30am – 10:15am
Dealer Excellence Stage
4 Essential Pillars of Operations: Building a better dealership through harmony in sales, service, F&I and PG&A
It’s all too easy for individual departments of a dealership to get siloed and focus strictly on how each department’s workflow is organized and performing. However, silos don’t allow the dealership to function well as a whole, and things often begin to get disjointed. Staff will miss customer opportunities if they aren’t properly communicating with other departments.
In this session, learn from dealership department experts on how to bridge those gaps to create better workflow and performance for the dealership as a whole as well as in your individual departments.
Moderator: Greg Jones, Content Director, Power & Performance Group, MPN
Panelists: Angela Hieronimus, CEO, Live Oak Dealer Service | Tom O’Connor, Co-Founder and President, MotoMate123 | Justin Quinn, Product Manager, DX1 | Alex Reyes, Business Manager, Broward Motorsports | Maggie Stevens, Parts Manager, ARS Powersports
10:15am – 11am
Dealer Excellence Stage
Creating a Cultural Hub: Building a dealership environment your staff and customers won’t want to leave
There’s a lot of talk at dealerships about the importance of company culture — but while that’s true, employees rarely see it in action. Without a well-cultivated culture, your dealership doesn’t have anything to keep customers engaged or staff employed. But what is “company culture,” and how do you close the gap between execution and wish lists?
In this session, we hear from experts on how they have helped create culture at their dealerships. Learn what impact culture has on customers and employee engagement and how you can build a better culture too.
Moderator: Greg Jones, Content Director, Power & Performance Group, MPN
Panelists: David Diaz, General Manager, Irv Seaver Motorcycles | Angela Hieronimus, CEO, Live Oak Dealer Service
11:15am – 12noon
Disruptive Thinking Stage
AIMExpo Kickoff Session: Protecting and Promoting Powersports
Garage Composites panel: Top 3 Takeaways from AIMExpo: Process Management, Leadership, Engagement
Moderator: Tony Gonzalez
Garage Composites presenters: Jordon Schoolmeister | Amanda Nixon | Sam Dantzler
1:30pm – 2:15pm
Disruptive Thinking Stage
The DC Landscape; What you need to know
Panelists: Bob Hennig | Scott Schloegel
2:30pm – 3:15pm
Dealer Excellence Stage
Garage Composites Session I
Industry Best Practices in Leading a Team
3:15pm – 4pm
Dealer Excellence Stage
Garage Composites Session II
Service Department Best Practices
4:15pm – 5pm
Disruptive Thinking Stage
Competitors and Community: Living Together on Main Street
Moderator: Laurette Nicoll
Panelists: Stevan Popovich, Comoto | Paolo Bacchiarello, Rev’It | John Beldock, Erico Motorsports
9:30am – 10:15am
Dealer Excellence Stage
Garage Composites Session III
Sales Department Best Practices
10:15am – 11am
Dealer Excellence Stage
Garage Composites Session IV
Capitalizing on Events at Your Dealership
11:15am – 12noon
Disruptive Thinking Stage
Market Epansion: What Does It Really Mean and How Will We Get There
Moderator: Laurette Nicoll
Panelists: Ross Clifford, Royal Enfield | Chris McGee, Moto Morini
1:30pm – 2:15pm
Disruptive Thinking Stage
David Savlowitz
Panelists: David Savlowitz
2:30pm – 3:15pm
Dealer Excellence Stage
Getting More Door Swings: How to bring in more customers when competing in a direct-to-consumer world
The pandemic proved a double-edged sword for powersports dealers: On the one hand, it provided a huge sales boost and brought in a flood of new customers; on the other, it exacerbated people’s desire for quick, easy ordering with the touch of a button from the comfort of their couches. Now that the tide of pandemic purchases has ebbed, how do you woo customers off their couches and into your store?
In this session, learn ways to use online marketing to your advantage to entice riders old and new into your dealership as well as how you can create a unique store experience that will have customers wanting to come back again and again — bringing their friends with them.
Moderator: Meagan Kusek, Editor, MPN
Panelists: Colin Barnauskas, Owner, Reparto Veloce/Motoplex Arizona | Ross Clifford, Business Head, Americas, Royal Enfield | James Priestnal, National Account Manager, Automatic Distributors
3:15pm – 4pm
Dealer Excellence Stage
Powersports Dealers vs. Automotive Dealers: Who’s Winning the Race for the Modern Consumer?
It’s often said that the powersports industry lags 10 years behind the automotive industry in many facets, from vehicle technology to business operations. But this outlook assumes that automotive dealerships have a better business model that powersports dealers should be using. Is that really the case?
In this session, learn how the methods used by automotive dealers and powersports dealers differ, what works and doesn’t work in each model and what they can learn from each other.
Moderator: Brian Ankney, Regional Sales Manager, MPN
Panelists: Vance Harrison, CEO and Chairman of the Board, Motos America | Michael Maledon, President, Elway Powersports
4:15pm – 5pm
Disruptive Thinking Stage
Digital Retail: Doing More with Less
Panelists: Transax Digital Retail
9:30am – 10:15am
Dealer Excellence Stage
Revving Up the Fight Against Fraud: How powersports dealerships can combat rising fraud schemes
In today’s hyperconnected world, where everyone’s information is online, fraud has become a daily occurrence — and just one more thing to be vigilant about. Lately, more and more dealerships have become the victims of fraud — but what exactly does that mean?
In this session, learn about the types of fraud facing dealerships, consumer data protection and steps to avoid fraud so that you can be ready to fend off the scammers.
Moderator: Brian Ankney, Regional Sales Manager, MPN
Panelists: Johnathan Aguero, Vice President of Sales and Strategic Partnerships, Transax | Lou Pedler, Manager, DX1 Product Development, ZiiDMS | Greg Pfleider, CEO, Accelerate2Compliance | Mark Sheffield, Strategic Advisor, Woods Cycle Country
10:15am – 11am
Dealer Excellence Stage
Harnessing the Power of AI: Ways dealers can leverage AI to improve overall business operations
Over the past couple of years, the use of artificial intelligence has risen dramatically in all aspects of our lives. If you haven’t already been using AI in your business, it’s only a matter of time. AI has the potential to dramatically change the powersports industry at a very quick pace — but how?
In this session, we’ll make AI easy to understand. Learn what you can expect to happen with AI in the next few years, examples of how you can use AI right now — at zero cost — and leave with a plan of how to observe and think critically as new tech emerges.
Moderator: Meagan Kusek, Editor, MPN
Panelists: Eric O’Hagan, Director, AI/ML Innovation & Implementation, Pied Piper | Fran O’Hagan, CEO, Pied Piper