A Note from our CEO about SISO and the CEO Summit

We are less than two months away from the SISO CEO Summit:

Some quick observations:

• Both the Small Business Roundtable and the Women’s Executive Forum are pacing well ahead of 2024.  While each session will expand to the size it needs, I would recommend you book your flights sooner vs. later. 
   
• Much like 2024, the sessions are to be delivered in more of a staccato format with no session longer than 40 minutes. The majority of the speakers are also around for much of the meeting, so you can follow up with them, as I trust they will leave you wanting more. 
   
• Expect to see an enhanced version of SISO TV and perhaps a podcast studio as well.  (Details still being finalized). We will do a more thorough job of scheduling interviews, which will be another feature this year. 
   
• Small Business Roundtable participants (many first-time attendees/new members) will be invited to the first timer's reception on March 31. 
   
• We will also need more volunteers to act as “buddies” for first-time attendees. If you are interested in helping, let us know.  I’m shying away from calling them mentors, but just someone who’s able to be a resource, answer questions, and help our first-time attendees feel welcome from the start. 
   
• We are in the process of building/rebuilding our directory so do expect to be asked to contribute names for colleagues you’ll want accessible via the directory.
   
• We have launched another Special Interest Group/Taskforce around event security and safety. As all good SIGs are, this is being created by the request of several members. Informa, Clarion and Reed have all agreed to help lead the effort and @Mike Grant and @Mike Carlucci are acting as co-chairs.  Please contact me or Anna directly if you’d like to participate in this Special Interest Group. 
   
• New SISO member Whiskey Riot Productions will be hosting one of their nine whiskey-tasting festivals in Austin on April 5th.  If you’d like to extend your trip to include one of the best whiskey trial experiences available, secure a ticket to the event. Attendees can expect over 200 types of whiskey, distillers, brand founders and whiskey experts on site who want to talk about their products and a community of like-minded whiskey lovers.
  If I weren’t leaving for a bicycle riding trip on the 4th, I’d for sure be there!  I’ll have to look at one of the other 8 locations!
   
• Currently, 90+% of those registered are planning to stay through the entire meeting. As someone who is a reformed early departure type, I highly suggest you come early/stay late. I’ve been a big fan of the white space in and around events, and I think at an event like this, there is a lot that will happen early, late, and around the edges of the event.  In addition to the above, there are also games that get the Elite Eight to the Final Four on the pre-event days.
   
• I’m at UFI's CEO Summit this week, but always available at vincent@siso.org
   
• If you need your code to register contact Anna@siso.org
   
• If you haven’t secured your sponsorship yet, contact Katherine@siso.org.
   
• There is much more to share, but I’m committed to being brief on these weekly transmittals. 

With best regards,
Vinnie