The Groover Gab started as an informal platform for outfitters to gather, maintain industry connections all year round, discuss top-of-mind issues, and shoot the sh*t. It’s served its purpose and, based on feedback from you, is levelling-up!
Our virtual hangout is becoming a more intentional space for industry leaders and outfitters to gather, discuss nationwide trends, and regroup during four pivotal points in the year.
Read on to learn how Zebulon’s monthly Groover Gab zoom hangout will level up into quarterly Industry Briefings, powered by our Central Data Hub and inspired by the Eddy group curriculum.
Quarterly Meet-Ups = More Intentionality
This new iteration of our community meetings features quarterly meetups. Sessions are still free to attend and open to the broader outdoor adventure community – including leaders, owners, and employees.
Each Industry Briefing starts with the Zebulon team showing nationwide data trends from our Central Data Hub, and providing our two cents on what we’re seeing. Here we showcase top-of-mind issues (chosen by surveys – more on that below) with seasonal relevancy.
After 20-30 minutes of data and trend sharing, we open the floor to free-flowing conversation, much like the original Groover Gabs. We know y’all love connecting with fellow outfitters and leaders in an informal setting, so we invite you to come with questions or convo topics to ask the broader community.
Seasonal Relevancy
By putting more intention toward each quarter’s meetup, we strive to provide outfitters information that is uniquely relevant to the operations of seasonal businesses.
Spring Session – The Scout Report
The cornerstone of our spring session is our annual Scout Report, where we take the first ~20 weeks of data from the year to make educated predictions about what the upcoming summer season may hold.
Summer Session – The Systems Check
Our “Systems Check” summer session occurs after the July 4th holiday, so we can share volume and dollar data from this bellwether holiday and peak point of the summer season. Just like pit stops for racecars, it’s crucial that operators run a mid-season systems check – and recalibrate if needed – to ensure you have enough gas to finish the season strong.
Autumn Session – The Season Debrief
With the arrival of October comes the “Season Debrief.” By this point, the full summer season is in the rearview mirror, but its impact is still fresh. By debriefing the season’s performance before industry conferences kick off, we set ourselves up for new ideas and initiatives to percolate through the off-season.
Winter Session – The New Year Reset
After most industry conferences conclude, and after everyone’s had some downtime to enjoy holidays with their loved ones, we reconvene for the “New Year Reset.” By looking at the entire previous calendar year’s data, including outfitter profitability, we suggest high-impact off-season initiatives. Derived from years of Eddy testing and success stories, these proven initiatives help outfitters work smart, have fun, and make money. January is the perfect time to grab the new year by the horns and align business goals with the realities of the upcoming season.
You Get Out Of This What You Put Into It
A few weeks prior to each Industry Briefing, we issue a survey to discover which topics are top of mind. Based on responses, we show relevant trends and data sets, and share operational tactics and initiatives accordingly. These surveys go out to all registered attendees – and they’re quick and painless, we promise.
Going “Old-School:” Pulse Checks Require Real Pulses
As much as we here at Zebulon embrace AI and all things innovative, we want to make a few things clear about our Industry Briefings. Our sessions are built on a foundation of trust, where we speak candidly and know that the content stays within our Zoom confines.
As such:
- We do not share Industry Briefing recordings or slide decks
- We do not allow AI notetakers
These Industry Briefings are pulse checks on the state of the industry, and as such, we only accept attendees with real live pulses.
Given the sensitive nature of open conversation, and the teachings we work hard to prepare, we seek real-live humans that show up and build community in real-time. All attendees must prove they’re human at the start of the call (show your face if only briefly, turn on your mic and say hi, or send an emoji in the chat).
We boot out everyone else who can’t prove they’re a living, breathing human.
Ready to regroup with the outfitter community at our quarterly Industry Briefings? We’d love for you to join us:
