Since it’s inception, I have had the pleasure of being part of the planning committee that helps pull together the annual CADA Summit event.
On February 10, 2016, the fourth CADA Summit will be held, and it has rapidly become a truly “can’t miss” event for auto dealers who want to stay at the top of their game.
It’s no surprise that when Canadian auto dealer (who is the only media granted access to this exclusive event) interviews the attendees at the event, it’s a room filled with the who’s who of the automotive dealership community.
From the heads of dealer groups to high profile dealer principals and plenty of CADA Laureate award winners — it’s an incredibly impressive group.
Why do they come?
Frankly, there’s no better way to spend a day. Most of the attendees are already great operators, but they are looking for an edge, an insight, or a trend that they can tuck away, act upon, and become even greater.
The CADA Summit is held every year in Toronto on the eve of the opening of the Canadian International AutoShow. So it’s a good time to come to town.
The summit organizers assemble a star-studded cast of speakers who deliver business intelligence, industry insights, shared wisdom and above all, and perhaps most importantly, a glimpse into the future.
As we sit around the CADA Summit planning table, the committee members have lengthy, and at times heated discussions about the agenda, who should speak, and how to constantly raise the bar for the event’s attendees.
It’s never good enough to pull someone from the speaker’s circuit who dealers might already have heard from. The goal is always to find new thinking, new perspectives and even controversial speakers who will challenge dealers.
Why?
The only agenda that matters to the summit organizers is fulfilling their mandate to look after the interest of Canada’s dealers. If that means putting speakers in front of them who are advocating for cities without cars, or people who will describe disruptive and potentially threatening new business models — all the better.
Canada’s dealers are among the most adaptive and innovative business leaders in the country. The earlier they are exposed to new thinking, the more quickly they will reposition themselves and be ready for whatever curves the future threatens to toss their way.
For the past two years, the CADA Summit was sold out. That means the smartest dealers are getting smarter. For those who want to truly take their dealerships to the next level, I’d highly recommend you register early. The marketing and promotional campaign for next year’s event is launching soon, and I’d encourage you to book your spot. Join the in crowd!
