Kristen Walsh looks forward to next month’s 33rd IHRSA Annual International Convention & Trade Show, which takes place in San Diego on 12–15 March

Next month, industry professionals from around the world will convene in sunny San Diego, California, US, for IHRSA 2014 – IHRSA’s 33rd Annual International Convention & Trade Show.

“I’m thrilled with the schedule and line-up of presenters and events for IHRSA 2014, especially the thought leaders who will headline each day of the four-day convention,” says Joe Moore, IHRSA president and CEO.

The general sessions, concurrent education sessions, exercise programming and the trade show will all take place at the San Diego Convention Center, with some educational programming held at the San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina, IHRSA’s headquarters hotel.

Many IHRSA 2014 sessions, including the general sessions, will be translated into Russian, Spanish, Chinese and/or Japanese. To access the full list of translated sessions, visit www.ihrsa.org/convention-schedule

General sessions
On Wednesday 12 March, Sally Hogshead will present ‘How to Fascinate: From First Impressions to Lasting Value’, sponsored by SPRI. Hogshead is a Hall of Fame speaker, international author and a world-leading expert on fascination.

In today’s distracted world, people have a nine-second attention span. With only nine seconds to communicate value, we must use our advantages to immediately break through. Hogshead will teach delegates how to break through the distraction and competition by creating moments of intense focus. When you fascinate a customer or an employee, you create exciting moments of connection. Your listener is far more likely to remember and value you.

On Thursday 13 March, Dan Heath will present ‘Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work’, sponsored by Technogym. Heath is a senior Fellow at Duke University’s CASE center, which supports entrepreneurs who are fighting for social good. Alongside his brother Chip, he is the co-author of Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard, which debuted at #1 on the New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists.

The Heath brothers previously co-wrote the critically acclaimed book Made to Stick, which was named the Best Business Book of the Year, spent 24 months on the Businessweek bestseller list, and has been translated into 29 languages.

The latest Heath brothers’ book is Decisive: How to Make Better Decisions in Life and Work, released in March 2013. Dan Heath is a columnist for Fast Company magazine, and has taught and consulted with organisations such as Microsoft, Philips, Vanguard, Macy’s, USAID, and the American Heart Association.

On Friday 14 March, Gary Vaynerchuk will present ‘The Thank You Economy’, sponsored by Matrix Fitness. Already considered a quintessential maven of modern-day marketing, Vaynerchuk is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-selling author, as well as a self-trained wine and social media expert.

His first business book, Crush It! Why Now Is the Time to Cash in on Your Passion (October 2009), hit the New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Associated Press best-sellers lists in its first weeks. The book maps out his road rules for how to ‘crush it’ in today’s business market by following your passion and building your own personal brand.

His second New York Times best-seller, The Thank You Economy (March 2011), details the effect of social media on business and has become required reading for business leaders around the world.

In the spring of 2009, Vaynerchuk and his brother AJ launched VaynerMedia, a new breed of agency that helps Fortune 500 companies like General Electric and PepsiCo find their social media voices and build their digital brands.

On 15 March, Luke Williams will present ‘Disrupt: Sparking Business Transformation with Innovation’, sponsored by MYZONE.

Williams is an internationally recognised authority on innovation leadership. He works with organisations all over the world on challenges ranging from creating new products and services, to transforming organisational processes and behaviours. He is professor of marketing and executive director of the Berkley Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship at New York University’s Stern School of Business and a Fellow at frog, one of the world’s most influential innovation companies.

Williams is a sought-after commentator on disruptive innovation, entrepreneurship and cultural change. He is invited to speak worldwide, and his views are regularly featured in Bloomberg Businessweek, Fast Company, The Atlantic and National Public Radio. He is the author of Disrupt: Think the Unthinkable to Spark Transformation in Your Business (FT Press, 2011).

Trade show
Exhibitors continually identify the IHRSA trade show as the ‘must-exhibit’ event of the year, and for delegates it’s a ‘must attend’. Join us as at the San Diego Convention Center (Halls A–F) to celebrate the innovation, technology and entertainment that have become the fitness industry.

Many exhibitors will provide you with hands-on opportunities to experience their products and services in group classes and one-to-one sessions, including during our popular Early Morning Workout; others will put on remarkable demonstrations as you make your way around the show floor.

If you’re ready to purchase, they will be ready to offer you show-only special deals on the latest equipment, supplies and services you need to make your club an incredible experience for your valuable members. Visit www.ihrsa.org/exhibitors for a current list of confirmed exhibitors.

The trade show takes place on Thursday 13 March, 11.00am–6.00pm, and Friday 14 March, 11.00am–6.00pm as well as Early Morning Workout from 6.30am–8.30am.

Additional highlights
In addition to the general sessions and the trade show, European attendees will not want to miss these highlights of IHRSA 2014.

ukactive reception
Thursday 13 March, 5.00pm–7.00pm
Attendees from the UK are invited to join ukactive for drinks and networking.

Planet IHRSA: The International
Attendee Reception
Thursday 13 March, 7.00pm–9.00pm
Always one of the convention’s liveliest events. Reconnect with old friends and make new ones from over 70 countries.

18th Annual IHRSA Financial Panel
Friday 14 March, 11.15am–12.30pm
This a must-attend session for CEOs, CFOs, club owners, GMs, investors, suppliers, press and all who are interested in the current economic conditions affecting the worldwide health club market.

International Club
Visit the International Club to meet with colleagues, catch up with friends, make new connections, check email or just to relax. An IHRSA staff member will be available to answer any questions you may have.

An enhanced experience
Enhance your IHRSA 2014 experience with the IHRSA app. Attendees can use the free IHRSA app to personalise their experience by identifying the sessions, exhibitors, speakers and other show features that interest them most.

Users can mark items as favourites, manage their agenda with sessions and appointments , and keep up with the latest industry news and social networking.

The IHRSA App connects to a desktop web portal to make it easier to maximise your event experience before you leave home. Users can sync their plans to their phones when they log in to both the portal and the mobile app.

“The great thing about the IHRSA App is that it puts the industry at your fingertips,” says Jay Ablondi, IHRSA’s executive vice president of global products. “Download it once, and you’ll never have to search again to find the timely, relevant information you need to stay connected. To date, more than 5,000 industry professionals worldwide have used the app.”

The IHRSA App is available as a free download for all mobile devices from www.ihrsa.org/app – or alternatively, simply search for ‘ihrsa’ in the iTunes app store or Google Play.