Quilt Market Portland Seminar Presenters
PEPPER CORY
Pepper is a longtime quiltmaker, author, fabric designer, and general philosopher on the quilt/sewing industry. As a former substance abuse therapist and shop owner (not at the same time, but the subjects are related) she is presently trying to figure out what to do with the next 50 years of her life. She has come to one conclusion: if it's not fun, don't do it
Seminar
Deep work—How Emails, Phone Calls, Twitter, and Facebook Fragment Our Focus
and What to Do About It
Friday, May 18, 8-9 a.m.
Feeling frazzled/fuzzy/always exhausted? Welcome to modern quilt retail! Learn to focus and take back time to regrow your personal creativity.
JILL FINLEY
Jill is the owner/designer of Jillily Studio, which produces the popular notions Appli-Glue, Poke-A-Dots, and Perfect Pieces Templates. She also designs fabric for Penny Rose Fabrics and creates quilt patterns and books. Jill is a Master Designer for Aurifil Threads and a BERNINA Ambassador. Teaching and lecturing about her quilt designs and appliqué methods keeps her busy traveling all over the country and hosting retreats. She brings over 20 years of experience to the quilt industry—and loves every minute!
SeminarS
Catching Their Eye—Displays That Sell
Saturday, May 19, 6-7 p.m.
Learn how to arrange beautiful, eye-catching displays that will promote sales, and about the impact of visual themes for your store from a Best Booth winner.
Sunday, May 20, 8-9 a.m.
Learn why demos work, what results you can expect, and how to plan, prepare, advertise, and execute your demos to increase sales.
EBONY LOVE
Ebony, of LoveBug Studios, is an award-winning author, quilter, and expert
in fabric die-cutting techniques. She has published more than eight books independently, and uses social media and content platforms to build an
engaged community of quilters who are eager to participate in her online
and offline events.
Using her engineering degrees from Columbia and Purdue University, Ebony
has spent the last 15 years building expertise in the areas of technology and marketing, and applying that expertise to grow her business. She works from her studio in Northern Illinois, and you can reach her via her website at LoveBugStudios.com
SeminarS
Blog Revival—How to Get Your Blog Off Life Support
Friday, May 18, 6-7 p.m.
You started a blog because someone told you it was a good idea, and your last post was sometime in
2012. You haven’t run out of ideas; you just need a plan. Get seven strategies to refocus and relaunch
your blog now.
Pricing for Profitability When Everything is On Sale
Saturday, May 19, 7-8 p.m.
Unearth the factors that impact your product pricing, and create a winning formula that enables you to make money without sacrificing your cash to the deal-hunting customer.
BILLY LOWE
Billy has a 20+ year track record in sales/marketing leadership for global health and beauty brands. He has led countless campaign launches for some of today's top products and eventually landed on the red carpet as a celebrity hair stylist and national beauty expert. Billy brings a wealth of knowledge and business insight to any presentation opportunity.
Seminar
Friday, May 18, 6-7 p.m.
It’s true the “deal of the day” websites and apps have completely remapped how and where people spend money. The in-person experience seems a thing of the past. If you’re curious about tomorrow’s retail market, how to survive as a brick-and-mortar, and how to engage new and existing clients to return time and time again, spend some time learning tips and tools to keep your quilting business (and passion) alive. Remember that your business is still your business and your passion is still alive!
KAREN Montgomery
Karen is the owner of The Quilt Company, a full-service quilt shop located in Allison Park, Pennsylvania, established in 1993. In addition to her day-to-day duties as a shop owner, Karen designs rulers for Creative Grids and has developed The Quilt Company line of books and patterns. You may also know Karen as the author of the “Savvy Buying” column in FabShop News or from Sewposium, an annual workshop for shop owners.
Seminar
What Every Shop Owner Should Know
Thursday, May 17, 6-8 p.m.
Learn the answers that will make your stores a consumer favorite by training your staff to provide
top-notch education.
TRACY MOONEY
As Senior Editor for Generation Q Magazine, Tracy happily pursues one of her pet passions: teaching children to sew. She designs projects and writes patterns for WeSew2, a feature in Generation Q that teaches kids ages 7-12 how to sew and quilt. She has also been instrumental in creating GenQ’s Cut & Sew Club, a booklet series with sewing projects for kids. Tracy, who has been quilting and sewing for 25+ years, has spent the last year lecturing shop owners about cosplay and can be spotted as a correspondent for “The Quilt Show” with Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims.
Seminar
Kids Really Are Sewing—Get Them In Your Store!
Saturday, May 19, 8-10 a.m.
Are you wondering how to get the next generation in your door? Tracy will share tips for implementing a kid’s club and tricks for keeping the kids coming back for more, and will offer curriculum ideas and tips.
BOB NEGEN
Bob founded the Mackinaw Kite Co., a small chain of specialty toy and kite stores, in 1981 when he was only 23 years old. It didn't take long for him to realize that his passion for his product wasn't paying the bills, and he spent the next twenty years learning how to make money in retail.
In 1999, he and his wife Susan founded WhizBang! Retail Training to help independents thrive in today's super-competitive market. He is a well-known speaker, author, and co-creator of the acclaimed Retail Mastery System and the new Retail Sales Academy.
SeminarS
Boot Camp—The Five Pillars of Retail Success!
Wednesday, May 16, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Through this fun, lively, and interactive program, learn proven, practical techniques for creating a profitable store that runs like a dream. You already know about quilting; now learn how to make each of the Five Pillars—Marketing, Leadership and Employee Management, Inventory Management, Creating an Amazing Customer Experience, and Personal Business Skills—work together to increase your sales and free you up to have more fun—a lot more fun!
The Productive Quilt Shop Owner
Thursday, May 17, 8-10 .m.
Manage your time, energy, and focus so you can get a lot done and have lots more fun!
KIM NIEDZWIECKI
Kim started with a sewing blog 10 years ago. In 2012, she began building brands in the sewing and quilting community through social media using techniques that can also benefit your brand. Learn how to build your business with techniques she uses for brands including Aurifil Thread and her own sewing brand, My Go-Go Life.
Seminar
How to Build Your Shop Social Media on a Shoestring Budget
Saturday, May 19, 9-10 a.m.
Learn creative ways to create the look your shop needs for social media platforms without expensive equipment or software!
CHERYL SLEBODA
Cheryl has been an executive in a specialty market retail industry for 20 years. She teaches niche retailers how to grow their businesses through technology. She is also an award-winning art quilter who speaks and teaches to guilds around the country. Cheryl has been featured in magazines, newspapers, and on Quilting Arts TV. She started a new business focused on sewing for cosplayers to get them into independent sewing stores. Follow her adventures at Muppin.com.
SeminarS
Fast Strategies for Your Social Media
Thursday, May 17, 6-7 p.m.
Get results without overextending yourself! Explore proven, time-saving methods in this easy-to-follow plan. Perfect for retailers, teachers, and artists.
Crush Your Challengers—Strategies for Brick and Mortar in an Online World
Sunday, May 20, 9-10 a.m.
In this market, you must know your competition. Understand who they really are and develop a plan
to get ahead.
CATHY DONOVAN WAGNER
With over 30 years of experience in retail as both an owner and a consultant, Cathy has the unique position of having worked on both sides of the counter. She has seen firsthand the tremendous benefits that paying attention to your numbers makes. It is what helped her to grow to three stores grossing in excess of 2.5 million dollars. She sold her stores to be able to help other retailers achieve the same success. As The Retail Maven, Cathy helps retailers develop action plans that increase sales, improve cash flow, and create success...and
love their life!
SeminarS
Top 10 Tactics to Increase Your Cash Flow
Thursday, May 17, 9-10 a.m.
Learn tried and true tactics from a retail expert with over 30 years of experience about how to keep your finances and cash operations flowing smoothly.
Friday, May 18, 9-10 a.m.
Learn exactly how to have the best sale ever—how to move the most product out and put the most cash in your pocket at your next sale.
