Highlights of the 2024 Retail Conference
There was something special in the Gold Coast winds in April this year, as the Retail Fest 2024 – the biggest no-nonsense retail conferences for startups and new businesses convened in high spirits.
The convention was a three-day affair revolving around a common goal. Focused on driving the business community to great heights with exhaustive strategies, the forum was ground zero for the creme de la creme of authority figures, investors, and retail gurus.
It’s safe to say that this event was all about retail networking at its finest. Let’s dive into the highlight reel of all that went down at Gold Coast in the three-day convention, bringing together entrepreneurs from fashion, FMCG, hospitality, and beyond.
The Retail Fest 2024 Round-Up
STRATEGIC NETWORKING AT ITS FINEST
The biggest retail conference on the Gold Coast presented a golden opportunity to connect with retail veterans and industry icons.
BUSINESS GROWTH 101 - LEARNING WITH EXAMPLE
Keynote speakers shared their personal struggles and insights on how they made it through the barriers, sharing value-driven blueprints ready for implementation.
THE 'CUSTOMER IS KING' APPROACH REDEFINED
Panels shared tried, mended, and tested techniques to build strong relationships beyond retail offerings with customer-first experiences.
INDUSTRY-BREAKING E-COMMERCE AND DIGITAL EXPERIENCES
CEOs shared the cheatsheets to mastering omnichannel and cross-channel strategies with AI; from automation to color-psychology and beyond.
THE NEW CRAFT OF LEADERSHIP & PERSONAL GROWTH
Being a leader is more than just waking up at 4am, and masters of the art taught the skills of resilience and self-awareness, along with tactical strategies for leadership and management.
BRAND STRATEGIES AND HOW TO DO THEM RIGHT
Branding and marketing efforts are built to last, with live critiques of your digital branding efforts and keynote speakers who will tell you how to do it right.
TAKING SUSTAINABILITY & ETHICS BEYOND THE BUZZWORD
Integrating conscious consumerism and practices is a must-do, and panels paid special emphasis on equitable retail initiatives and how enterprises should imbibe them into their model.
One For The Highlight Reel: 3 Days Of Retail Fest Gold Coast 2024
DAY ZERO - BEFORE THE RETAIL CONFERENCE, IT WAS TIME FOR AWARDS
Nothing brings an occasion to life like a gala time, as the Retail Fest started a day before with Vendors In Partnership Awards. Celebrating the retail solution partnerships in Australia, this was the perfect pre-curtain raiser to what lay ahead, as the retail conference for startups was all set to begin.
DAY ONE - KEY LEARNINGS FOR START-UPS AND JUST-STARTING UP's
YOU COULDN’T MISS: eBay x Google’s FREE scale-up event
From keynote panels that unlocked growth opportunities with experience to sessions specialised for new businesses in retail, the first day went off to a flyer. Real instances were shared on how brand interactions can turn into more business for start-ups and a smarter way to build digital relationships was a uniform theme, from marketing automation to hands-on SEO strategies.
An inspiring keynote from Culture Kings, a global streetwear sensation, gave new business owners a deep peek into their strategies, challenges, and plans for growth. Many new business owners attended this retail conference with high hopes to learn some real-world hacks, and they got their money’s worth.
The RF Hosted Meeting Program gave a one-to-one platform to retail start-ups and established businesses to network and learn. From high-quality suppliers to service providers in retail, this enabled partnerships that were built to last.
The ‘expo exploration’ was a must-attend, with innovative tech and retail strategies up for showcase. This is where plenty of hands were shaken and etched in stone.
DAY TWO - MAKE CONSUMER EXPERIENCES GREAT AGAIN
YOU COULDN’T MISS: Review your website LIVE; find the good, bad & ugly
It’s the little things (apart from the bigger ones), that made this convention the best retail conference for small businesses. On day two, we kicked off the Retail Fest with a light cardio, featuring a 4km casual jog along the Gold Coast by the industry icon Rob Godwin. The focus was on elevating customer experiences, and keynote speakers shared actionable points that bring your customers together into a community of opinion leaders.
Motivational spirits were high and rising as business leaders revealed their secrets to branding successful companies like Nike, Samsung, and Mattel. And yes, there was a continuous spotlight on businesses and C-suite on transitioning into a brand. The live website critiques happily gave insights and quick-fix solutions to get better in this digital-first retail world. The ‘Expo Happy Hour’ and ‘After Dark Party’ brought the retail conference attendees to business, giving them the perfect platform to network and celebrate together.
FINAL DAY - CURTAIN DRAWER OF GROWTH, SUSTAINABILITY, AND INSPIRATION
YOU COULDN’T MISS: Strategy blueprint that took a business from $300k to $21 million
We stepped into the final days of Retail Fest 2024, highlighting the most crucial retail buzzwords and how to live up to them. Olivia Carr’s ‘self-made’ session coined this the retail conference for start-up owners, and Proud Poppy’s remarkable growth strategy left the attendees scribbling in their notebooks.
Words like sustainability, equity, and conscious commerce are thrown around too often in retail conferences, but at Retail Fest, a roadmap to achieving these benchmarks was shared in the ‘Green Horizons’ panel. Finally, a long networking luncheon ended with endless handshakes and visiting card exchanges, and the fest concluded to the vibrant beats of a charity concert, bringing the attendees together for a cause.
Australia's #1 Community-Driven Event Is Coming Back Next Year!
Next year at the Retail Fest 2025, we are coming back with a bang. One of the rare retail conferences for start-ups, small businesses, and established retail chains, this is where 150+ visionary speakers unite for 40+ networking hours in a three-day gala. If your touchpoints interact with retail in any capacity, this is the place to be.
The last conference was an event full of growth and galore of innovation, and the next one’s going to be bigger.
Heads up: We are offering special discounts right now. How, you may ask? Reach out to us and you’ll be surprised. Happy networking!