It’s safe to say that the 2019 Sola Summit held at the 5-star Paradisus Los Cabos resort in San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico, was a resounding success. It was the first time that Slick Marketers had been invited to the annual event and based on everything that the 3-day affair had to offer, hopefully it won’t be the last time. Although there’s no denying the beauty of the venue and surrounding scenery, the most beautiful part of the experience was found in the coming together of friends both old and new, who have all contributed in one way or another, to the creation and nurturing of the Sola family. With 35 Sola accounts and counting, Slick Marketers is a small family business that is rapidly growing and is so proud to be apart of the larger, ever-growing Sola family. Over the three-day summit, lessons were learned and connections were made, and we’re so excited to share it all with you- the people who allow us to do what we do.
Before getting into the events of the summit, it’s worth touching a little bit on the travel party that Slick Marketers brought along for the ride. From the home office in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, there was Nikki and Josh, the president and team leader of Slick Marketers. Also in attendance, were five members of Nikki’s family. These included her husband Roth, her kids Noralynn and Reagan, and her parents, Brian and Nancy. Roth, it should be noted, is also in charge of Operations at Slick Marketers. However, the most special thing about this travel party, is that the seven travelers very nearly became six, when Nikki’s father had a heart attack just two weeks before the summit. 💔 Incredibly, he recovered extremely quickly, and was given the doctor’s blessing to go ahead to Cabo as originally planned. This blessing truly set the tone for the trip, and for everything that the summit had in store for us. ✈🧳
After arriving and checking in at the hotel slightly ahead of summit schedule on late Saturday afternoon, the Slick Marketers family took their time settling into their surroundings before the first day of work on Sunday. Considering the all-inclusive nature of Paradisus Los Cabos, certain members of the traveling party were grateful that the vendor expo didn’t start until 3 pm the following day. When Sunday at 3 pm did eventually arrive, Nikki, Roth, and Josh had the table set up, along with business cards, nametags, and a banner displaying our numerous digital marketing services. As franchisees and Sola executives alike poured into the business center, Nikki roamed around the room catching up with clients and scouting out the other vendors, while Josh and Roth manned the table and greeted any curious franchisees enquiring about our services. We’re pleased to say that there was a healthy amount of interest from several franchisees, who expressed genuine interest in striking up a potential working relationship with us. As a matter of fact, Josh in particular was forced to open up a second box of business cards, once the first batch had all been distributed. Although meeting new franchisees was an exciting prospect on its own, catching up with and meeting current clients and Sola corp personnel, was an equally rewarding experience. For example, it was awesome to come across the likes of Mirko Marrone, Steve Breuner, Steve Kvasnik, Trey Campbell, Hila Zer-Aviv, and Taylor Everitt who have all been such amazing clients for Slick Marketers. From Sola corporate, it was a surreal experience for Josh in particular, to meet Sola celebs such as Kimi “Kisses” Bennett and Jennie Wolff, who both play such a huge part in maintaining the Sola image and guiding us all so gracefully along this journey together. As the vendor expo began to wind down, cocktails and appetizers entered the fray and capped off what turned out to be a fantastic first day of work.
Day two began bright and early at 8 am, with the vendors essentially picking up where they left off the day before. However, most of the hard work had been done on day one, with far fewer franchisees in circulation than before. Day two was more about the workshops and awards ceremony, with Josh attending two workshops, while Nikki and Roth continued to work the booth and meet with clients. The two workshops that Josh attended included “The Power of a Marketing Plan” and “Know Your Competition: Developing a Local Competitive Matrix”. The first workshop taught attendees how to leverage Sola’s national content to boost your local marketing initiatives. This included future use of national campaigns, as well as taking advantage of the assets and resources made available by Sola. The second workshop taught attendees why and how you should develop a competitive matrix for your local market. It also involved how to turn your new knowledge into power during your sales process. At the conclusion of the second workshop, Josh was comfortable in the knowledge that he had plenty of valuable information and tips to take back to the team. After the third round of workshops ended, the awards ceremony provided everyone with the platform to be appreciated and rewarded for the incredible dedication and talent that goes into what Sola has become today. It was without a doubt, a fitting conclusion to day two.
Day three commenced at a slightly later 8:45 am, which was appreciated by all the vendors that had to set up for a third and final time. A few presentations followed, along with a working lunch and several roundtable sessions that involved the sharing and development of new ideas. Before long came the closing remarks and celebration, which brought to a close a truly incredible Sola Summit. All things considered, the three days are best summed up as an intimate gathering of people who work hard, just as much as they play hard. At the end of the day, life is all about balance and the Sola family has an abundance of that and more.
