Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/93576
SPLIT! EDITOR'S NOTES Nancy Estes, MBA, CAE Executive Director/Editor T he IDA organization is evolving. In the last few decades, it has become most popular to hold the conven- tion in warm climates. This is ALWAYS great, particularly with the ocean nearby. There is also a large group that wants to "mix things up" once in a while, and they propose an occa- sional Hawaii or Banff or Rome venue, where we can take care of business as usual, with magnifi- cent sights and experiences to feed our souls OR a Las Vegas destina- tion for the shows and games. Some would like to keep it simple: fly in to an executive hotel, take care of business and fly out. These members have very heavy schedules and are always in a rush to move on to the next work to be done. Lastly, I admit, is one of my favorite groups. This one includes a few members of each of the groups above, who would love to go back to a four-day meeting of Tuesday through Friday. These are the people who want plenty of time to meet with individual com- panies, especially the ones they have not met yet, to get to know them and build business, and hopefully find some "win-win" parameters – that is, good ingre- dients that will create prosperity and very long friendships for each of you. These groups also realize that having fun with the group in its entirety securely fixes happy memories in your heart, and a chance to not only negotiate, but also laugh, together. My IDA friends, this is the foundation of why associations were created: to bring prosperity for members individually and to remind them they are all part of an industry that can only become stronger when companies look to the future with the perspective that they are all part of something much bigger than themselves. I wish I could write a book with all the stories I have heard: "Our company might not have made it had we not attended the IDA convention. I met this guy at lunch that day..." or " Little did I know when I met this guy on the tour that we would be doing business 25 years later. He is one of my best friends. It is so great doing business with someone you know and can trust." And when you thank one of these compa- nies for supporting IDA through advertising, attending, getting new members to join, or serving on the board, they typically will make this kind of remark, "It is just a way of giving back and sup- porting the association that is vital IDA CONVENTION AND TRADE SHOW to Independent Distributors in our line of business." Regardless to which group you belong, I would like to offer you a challenge. Remember that IDA historically has tried to honor every group, from every part of the world, so the convention sites will continue to rotate. In the next three year, we will visit Banff, Canada, Chicago, Illinois and Miami, Florida. Each of these cit- ies offers a totally unique experi- ence and holds IDA memberships that are decades old. The chal- lenge is to always come, always try to make new business relation- ships at every convention and always bring a new member with you. The IDA members are a gold mine of possibilities. But unlike a traditional pot of gold, where the more shared means less for each, this gold mine multiplies in value as we grow. I' d like to extend a BIG thank you again to the convention spon- sors and event sponsors that cre- ated a terrific event in Miami. Lastly, to each and every one of you, I wish you blessed times with your family in the upcoming holidays and prosperity in 2013! All the best to you and yours! Nancy 2013 Banff • October 9-11 4 2014 Chicago 2015 Miami IDA UNIVERSAL November-December 2012