Pet Connections Expo Registration Now Open, Keynote Speaker Announced

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International Conference Development, LLC (ICDevents) announced today that registration is now live for its second annual Pet Connections Expo and that Dave Ratner, owner of Dave’s Soda and Pet City and Dave’s Pet Food, will kick off the show with a keynote address focusing on the 10 things to do as soon as you get back to the store. This session will be filled with easy-to-implement “must-dos” that all businesses should already be doing. Attendees will leave with a list of simple things that every business owner/manager must do to compete with national chains and own their local market.

Pet Connections Expo sets itself apart by providing free educational content for pet retailers. As an independent retailer and pet product developer, Ratner connects with customers on a daily basis. Ratner will focus his opening presentation on strategies that independent retailers can incorporate to level the playing field with the giant online and brick-and-mortar stores.

“As a passionate crusader for indie retailers, I am thrilled to be opening the show and on the advisory board of Pet Connections Expo, along with some of the other truly great retail representatives throughout the country,” Ratner said. “It is an honor to share my experiences, successes and failures with the attendees at Pet Connections Expo. Compete with national chains by owning your local market. As obvious as it seems, it’s the small business owners and managers who pay attention to the details and put customers first that eventually lead the pack to success”

The Pet Connections Expo will take place at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center October 2-3, 2018. After a successful launch in 2017, this year’s focus will continue to be on topics that are most important to independent pet retailers. Pet Connections Expo will bring together pet industry buyers and suppliers from around the mid-Atlantic and East Coast regions as well as the entire country.

“We are excited to kick off our 2018 program with Dave Ratner and launch registration for our Fall event. Stay tuned for announcements of additional high-profile, industry-leading speakers.  Our goal is to focus on the independent pet retailer and empower their success,” said Bill Doherty, ICDevents president and show director.