The 2013 Moab Area Business Enhancement Summit will take place Friday, June 28, at Utah State University – Moab. This year’s theme is “Information you can use to build a stronger, more competitive, more profitable business.”
Pam Perlich from the University of Utah’s Bureau of Economic and Business Research will outline the trends that are likely to be seen in 2013 and 2014, and what local businesses can do to prepare themselves and their employees to best take advantage of opportunities and avoid pitfalls.
There will be roundtable discussions on how to recruit and keep the best employees; the biggest stumbling blocks to building a successful enterprise in southeast Utah; and whether local government should do more or less for local business.
There will also be a roundtable discussion managers focused on what businesses themselves think are most important for success.
There will also be breakout sessions.
One will focus on how building a business in Moab can be tough, with our remote location, shipping costs, a limited work force and other objective conditions that won’t go away. A panel of successful Moab entrepreneurs will go over the keys to their success, and will pass on strategies, ideas and tips to help business succeed.
Another breakout session will focus on the ever changing tourism market. David Williams from the Utah Department of Tourism will outline the visitation trends and visitors’ expectations, and how businesses prepare to profit from the coming changes.
A third breakout session will focus on how many businesses have figured out ways to not only stay sane and keep their employees, but to also meld business success with personal contentment for employees and owners. Successful employers find ways to maintain the productivity of their employees while remaining sensitive to personal challenges such as balancing family, second jobs and child care pressures.
Even employees’ desire to take advantage of the many recreational opportunities Moab has to offer sometimes plays into the work dynamic. A panel of business leaders will review how they’ve done it.
Ann Perri, owner of AP Tech Services, will outline the first steps businesses should understand about social media and take when wading into the future of online marketing, including a look at opportunities and potential pitfalls.