by Pascal Roberge, SSA Chair and Director of Sales • Beaudoin
Last week, The Fam hosted its second annual Sleep Summit in Bentonville, AR—a dynamic two-day event filled with great presenters, impactful insights, and an amazing collaborative energy!
Summits are for unlocking solutions
With the theme of the event being Back to the Future … of Sleep, the presenters were all focused on the critical question: How do we raise the bar in presenting options for better sleep to our customers? From discussions on innovative products to strategies for enhancing the customer experience, every session was focused on improving our collective contribution to a better night’s rest for everyone.
The line-up of speakers was fantastic again this year.
Start with Emotion: Brett Thorton’s advice resonated deeply: crafting a great presentation is all about how you want your audience to feel. Whether you’re in sales, marketing, or product development, tapping into the emotional impact of your message is essential!!
The Mattress Isn’t Always Top of Mind: Colin Lawlor’s session highlighted a surprising truth—the mattress is too far down the list of what consumers think of when seeking better sleep. We need to rethink how we communicate the importance of a quality mattress and the surrounding products in the larger conversation about sleep health!
Make a Friend! Brent Batterman reminded us of the simplest yet most powerful tool in our industry: connection. "Make a friend" is not just a motto for sales associates on the floor—it’s a philosophy we can all adopt in our daily interactions, whether you're a retailer or a supplier.
Matt Smith•Snooze Mattress, Todd Youngblood•T2 Products and past SSA Chair, and Pascal Roberge•Beaudoin and present SSA Chair
My Top Takeaways
Interactive Learning & Community Building
Events like The Fam’s Sleep Summit highlight the importance of community in the sleep industry. Summits like this one are not just about education—they’re about unlocking solutions together.
One of the standout moments was the creative Pitch Off, where participating exhibitors took the stage for an interactive, fast-paced session that had everyone engaged. It was super dynamic and showed how much innovation and creativity our industry can bring to the table.
Bonus Insight and Looking Ahead
Just like when preparing for a meeting or exhibiting at a trade show, even at Sleep Summit you need to set measurable goals. I achieved mine and as a bonus made many new industry friends!
I recommend you consider attending Sleep Summit if you are passionate about this great industry and want to elevate your game AND your relationships!