Robert Hayter

Sycamore Room

What Could I Possibly Know to Make You Wiser?

I’m not sure. But I believe that none of us knows enough to know all we need to know each day, and that all processes, systems, and standards are imperfect. However, I try to bend understanding, reflection, experience, and intuition as I think and often shift my perspective in real-time through learning and discovery.

At age 75, with over 50 years as a contributor to the green industry businesses, I am honored to share my perspective with you. So, let’s make this breakout session about you, starting with you sending me questions, topics, or situations you think will help each of us become a bit Wiser. We will likely find that our collective perspectives are a valuable source of wisdom.

Hosted by
Steve Kendall

Crabtree Salons
A-C

Featuring
Kim Nelson 
(Founder, Brand + Marketing Director, Red Chalk Studios)

Why Customer Personas + Buyer Journey Mapping…
Because you can’t do the latter without the former.

Introduction To Developing Customer Personas 
Customer groups and personas help us better understand, empathize with, and market to our desired audience by defining their characteristics, behaviors, needs, and preferences. 

Introduction to Customer/Buyer Journey Mapping and Its Value in Focusing on Appropriate Marketing and Servicing Strategies
A customer journey is the story of a person's experience with your business/brand — from the first they hear about it to making a purchase, to becoming a returning customer, to becoming brand loyal.

A customer's journey typically consists of five phases: Awareness, Consideration, Decision & Purchase, Service, and Loyalty & Advocacy.

Understanding your customer's journey is crucial for developing appropriate marketing (internal and external) strategies and tactics. By mapping out each unique customer journey, you can design targeted marketing campaigns, optimize your touchpoints, and provide personalized experiences to better meet customer expectations, reduce decision-making friction, and build long-term relationships.

Sid Raisch

Creedmoor Room

Wiser is as Wiser Does:  OG Over 50 Edition

Learn how to impart your wisdom effectively. Send your older people.

Jean Seawright

Magnolia/Dogwood Room

Ask, Learn, Lead:  Getting Wiser About HR in Raleigh
(Owners & Managers) 

Got HR questions? We've got answers. "Getting Wiser About HR in Raleigh" is your chance to engage directly with our HR expert in a fast-paced, interactive Q&A session. This is your chance to get expert, practical answers about any HR matter on the spot.

Join fellow Garden Center Group leaders for real-time dialogue, helpful solutions, and advice you can put into action immediately. Come ready to ask—and leave ready to lead!

Vic Vanik

Willow Room

Wiser in Winter Vegetable Program

Get ready to dig deep and grow wiser this winter! Making healthy food choices is important to many people right now, and freshly harvested food tastes incredible and is so much better than anything you buy at the grocery store. Are you a retail grower who has greenhouse space that sits empty during the fall and winter months? Then lead the way in the healthy eating movement and become a leader in your community by growing fresh vegetables for sale during the winter and starting a Winter Farmer’s Market.

Vic can guide you in what, when, why, and how to wisely make that empty space profitable, even during the off-season. Growing food is more than just planting seeds—it's about sustainably growing your community. This winter, Get Wiser and make your garden center flourish.

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Topic

Tom Kegley

Willow Room

Wise Ways to Sell Health & Well-Being Through Plants

In recent years, the wellness benefits and healing power of plants in the garden have been increasingly recognized and stated, qualitatively and even quantitatively. Moving a step beyond this awareness, this Breakout Session will offer tactical ways your garden center can stress the mental, emotional, and physical benefits of what you sell.

The range of messaging tools in your marketing toolkit offers the means to sell the idea of health and wellness through plants in compelling ways. Combining look and feel, content, platforms, and brand with consistency and coordination can make a powerful case that plants are not only beautiful, but they also make us healthier and happier.

Tom Kegley is a branding legend, but is also known for sharing his valuable knowledge, perspectives, and creativity. Don't miss this chance to get ahead of the game – and get Wiser!

Hosted by
Steve Kendall

Crabtree Salons
A-C

Featuring
Andy Hanna
(Owner Developer
of VMX)

Maximize Your VMX
VMX In-Person Users’ Group Breakout Session

Learn, share, and network with your VMX peers during this in-person Breakout Session at the Fall Event to discuss user topics related to VMX.

As with our July VMX Zoom meeting, please pre-submit any topics, questions, suggestions, comments, new ideas, or VMX customizations relevant to your business needs. Please email your submissions to Steve Kendall before September 20, 2025. Email to: [email protected]

NOTE: We plan to continue having additional VMX Users’ Group Gatherings through GroupTalk LIVE Zoom sessions before the Spring of 2026.

This session will be led by Steve Kendall, Group Service Provider, and Andy Hanna, Owner and Developer of VMX, who will answer questions and demonstrate solutions.

John Kennedy &
Souny Kennedy

Magnolia/Dogwood Room

Get Wiser with E-Commerce:  a Panel Discussion led by John & Souny Kennedy

With all the newness and noise around E-Commerce in the horticulture industry, join John & Souny Kennedy, and a panel of retailers and suppliers, who have cracked the code and created an affordable, easy-to-navigate solution for revenue generation “beyond the brick and mortar”—E-Commerce Connect.

With a gathering of Garden Center Group Members who are earlier adopters of the platform and Partners for Success who are leading the way for IGC’s to get into the E-Comm space, the audience will learn about how accelerating towards the convenience economy may be the perfect balance to your experience economy offering discussed in the kick-off keynote address presented earlier in the day.

From drop-shipping and endless aisle offerings to labor reduction and inventory controls, this panel will have you rethinking how wise it may be to consider joining the E-Commerce Connect Program.

Sid Raisch

Creedmoor Room

Wiser is as Wiser Will Do:  Under 50 Edition

How to Find, Receive, and Share Wisdom Effectively. Send your younger people.

Rachel Reynolds

Sycamore Room

Effective Visual Merchandising

Visual Merchandising is the cherry on top of projecting your garden center’s unique vision. Learn the foundation of what it takes to create exciting, attractive, and profitable displays and stock areas. Go from just experimentation and trial and error to feeling empowered to implement tried and true techniques. Walk away feeling equipped with the mindset necessary to mentor and coach your team, display inspiration, and a new excitement around enhancing your customer experience.