All of the most legendary Sac'rs in the Nation descended on Boston this year to attend LoveSac's annual ManagerFest 4 day training extravaganza. "MangerFest" may be a bit of a misnomer; as fun as it is, as much as we typically take it out the last night in rockin' style, this year's "fest" was, well, kinda brutal.
Most of our market managers arrived on Tuesday afternoon, and with no rest for the wicked were immediately thrown into a beige box-of-a-conference room at our hotel in Boston and given a dressing down by LoveSac's infamous Director of Retail by day, Drill Sergeant (literally) by weekend, Mr. Alex Rhodeen. As good as we're doing, we can still do better. --- THE VIDEO SAYS IT ALL ----
Then, as if flying across the nation and 4 hours of Alex wasn't bad enough, I got to give them their "homework" for the night. You see, this year's fest was focused on merchandising, which at LoveSac means a lot more than just making stuff look pretty. The group of 20 aspiring retail professionals was divided up into 4 teams and asked to sketch appropriate LoveSac layouts for 3 imaginary events and homes staged throughout the hotel. I think I finished the hotel walk through with them at 10:30pm and they BEGAN working by 11.
Up by 5am and onto the LoveSac bus for a run through historic and very beautiful old-town boston. Through the park all the way up the steps of the state capitol. As beat as we already were, it was just one of those mornings I won't ever forget....and I was just driving the bus.
The 2nd day was spent on the campus of Harvard Law School where LoveSac took over a Harvard classroom and dug in deep. Presentations by my business partner and CEO, Nancy Shalek, along with a very high level presentation by LoveSac's lead investor, it was certainly a studious day, worthy of the venue.
In true local fashion we piled on the bus at 6pm for a bit of underground Barbecue at Mass Ave's famous Red Bones Barbecue under some dude's house. Incredible. 3 more hours into the night at Harvard checking out all of the up and coming LoveSac products including all of the new 2010 fabrics and even radical inventions like Sactionals Blocks. Certainly my favorite part.
Thursday was held on the floor of our newest store: Rockingham Park, NH. 1 day before opening, sharing the store with inspectors and fire marshalls, the 20 or so Managers crowded around to sup from the effervescent wellspring of knowledge of all that is merchandising at LoveSac, yours truly, Shawny D. Had to move fast, cramming 2 days of training into one morning, but we blasted through everything from "merchandising your customers homes" to how to direct lighting. I literally set every light bulb in this new store right there in front of everyone. (There's far more that goes into good lighting than one might think).
Now for the FEST part. The group was again divided up into 4 teams, unleashed in a nondescript part of town and given vague riddles taking them on a scavenger hunt all over Boston. As crammed full of training as ManagerFest was, no one who went could say they hadn't seen Boston for being there! It seems only one team really had the drive to be the victor here....I'm pretty sure a few others got waylaid at Cheers Bar, and other sundry beverage vending facilities along the route. Either way, by dinner time all had arrived, including a smattering of hardcore LoveSac HQ staffers who showed up for the free drinks and finger food......all night. We shut that beautiful little bar on the water down.
By now, if you hadn't picked up on it, we made it clear to the crowds around the ropes dividing us from the great unwashed packed around the bar that the them of LoveSac MangerFest 2010 was "Makin' it rain." Cause that's what we're gonna do.
If you don't have LoveSac--look into it.
If you don't work for LoveSac, consider a career change. We need all bright light bulbs (and ONLY bright light bulbs).
I LOVE THESE PEOPLE.
Never stop rockin'.
-- Shawny D.
PS: "JP", who commented on the X-Games blog below won the hat. JP, email me at chairmansac@gmail.com and claim your prize. Send me shipping info!!!
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