Boating Industry Elevate Summit readies industry professionals for 2025
This article originally appeared in the February edition of Boating Industry.
The 2025 Boating Industry Elevate Summit set sail on January 20 at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina, where attendees connected and practiced their driving skills. Some dealers met for the first time, others caught up with old friends and everyone seemed to enjoy the lively evening.
On Tuesday, attendees gathered to listen to keynote speaker Jay Samit, who covered mind-boggling topics. Samit shared that the ability to adapt is key in life and in business, and that “disruption isn’t about what happens to you, but how you respond to what happens to you.”
For those who attended, we learned the five steps required to become a disrupter and the three technologies that will change the world. The takeaway: strategizing new revenue streams is important.
The next session was moderated by Morgan Stanley’s Anthony Nasca. Performance Brokerage Services’ Jon Couwenberg and Courtney Bernard discussed the importance of planning succession and exit plans with Morgan Stanley’s Brad Stanek and Paulina Matel. Research shows that 88% of owners who exit are not happy with the outcome and 78% have no formal advisory help. The panelists shared information and tips about developing written plans and tax plans, along with generational succession advice.
George Houle of Leadventure presented how to build a bridge between the dealership website and the in-store parts purchase experience. David Gee, professional speaker and former editor-in-chief of Boating Industry, moderated the Recreational Boating Market Data panel, featuring Jack Ellis of Info-Link, Rob Grant of Lightspeed DMS and Marion Minor of EPG Brand Acceleration.
Maxwell Materne gave an eye-opening presentation that dove into the metrics of dealership sales data and trends to find hidden opportunities for additional sales and increased customer loyalty. He studied departmental health, inventory, sales processes and team sentiment using metrics like financial health, inventory age, sales performance and culture scores to come up with a “Lifecycle Clock” for customers, which he shared during his presentation.
After lunch, Rob Greenwald highlighted the value that human interaction will always have in the sales process. David Gee shared tools dealers can use to enhance listening and storytelling skills to boost productivity, customer satisfaction and sales.
Action Recruiting’s Jan Plessner discussed the shift in the hiring landscape following Covid-19. Plessner shared a process that prevents potential issues at the forefront of the hiring process, ensures interviews with qualified candidates and retains those hired following the onboarding process. With the staffing challenges seen by many dealers in the industry, it was not a session to miss. Tom Shay of Profit Plus shared what parts of the sales process are changing and how to adapt.
All dealers gathered for the State of the Power Trades Industry Panel, moderated by David Gee. Panelists included Glen Hubbard of Hubbard Powersports, Jan Plessner of Action Recruiting, Zach Hutcheson of Correct Craft and Jeff Husby of WaterSports Central. The group discussed inventory, margins, staff retention, the increase of MSRPs, consumer expansion and whether 2025 will bring “normalcy.”
Hutcheson shared the OEM perspective concerning inventory. “We need to focus on product and on the consumer and how product is utilized,” he said. “We as an industry need to start pulling back on incentives.”
Hubbard shared that the dealer role in reducing the excess of inventory is to keep products on the showroom floor clean, engage the sales team every day and accessorize. He said that dealers must be proactive, and customers should be educated about products to ensure trust and retention.
“It’s so important to seed our industry with new customers and a new rider base,” Plessner added. “Anything you can do to reach out to new or different or first-time enthusiasts is going to help this industry grow.”
Dealers gained insight about various relevant topics, then gathered at the hotel’s CJ’s Restaurant, a “speakeasy” bar, for hors d’oeuvres and drinks.
On Wednesday, Dr. Elliot Eisenberg shared an energetic presentation about the U.S. economy and his optimistic outlook. The U.S. GDP is good, inventories are leveling out, services and goods demands are returning to normal, banks are lending again and the quitting rate is lowering. Dr. Eisenberg’s presentation was filled with statistics that he explained in everyday language, reinforced with comic relief.
The keynote session was followed by the Women In The Power Trades Panel, moderated by Wanda Kenton Smith. Panelists included Vicki Norman of Digital Throttle, Nancy Cueroni of the National Marine Distributors Association and Outdoor Power Equipment and Engine Service Association and Montana Bolin of Hubbard Powersports. The panelists discussed gender challenges and general professional advice, mentorship and management strategies.
“Don’t be scared to get out of your comfort zone. That has been a resounding theme here,” said Norman. She shared tips about how to grow as a professional and what mistakes to avoid. Cueroni discussed the value of mentorship and encouraged dealers to implement a mentorship program within their dealerships to create a culture of development and increase employee satisfaction. Bolin shared the obstacles that younger leaders may face and how to overcome them. “You can’t change other people, but you can change how you approach them and the situation,” she said. “In management, change yourself to work to their strengths.”
Educational sessions for Elevate 2025 wrapped up with the ever-popular Top 100: Top Dealers Panel discussion. Moderated by Boating Industry Top 100 Program Director Adam Quandt, leaders from the retail side of the recreational marine industry led attendees in a discussion across aspects of sales operations. The panel featured Jeff Husby, owner of the two-time Dealer of the Year Regal & Nautique of Orlando, David Parker, president of Parker Business Planning and Matt Curmi, sales manager of six-time Top Dealer Travis Marine.
“It’s always awesome to gather with like-minded professionals in the industry. I learned a lot of new things about new business strategies in 2025 and moving forward,” said Harrison Herron, finance and insurance manager, Foothills Motorsports. “It’s really interesting to see what direction dealers are going. It’s nice to continue to build connections in an ever-growing industry that always needs to adapt.”
Elevate Summit closed with a special invite-only gala, celebrating the 2024 Top 100 Award winners made up of the Top Dealers, 40 Under 40 and Women Making Waves. Boating Industry proudly named Nautical Ventures Group the 2024 Dealer of the Year.
