July 17, 2008 – The Bicycle Trade Association of Canada (BTAC) is proud to introduce the Retailer Power Program. This year’s ExpoCycle, scheduled for September 6-9 in Montreal and Bromont Quebec, will feature a new seminar series for bike retailers. A full schedule, workshop descriptions and ExpoCycle details, are available here.

Thirteen sessions are planned, each designed to help retailers boost their bottom line.

Sumar Clarke, ExpoCycle Show Manager, is very excited about what this means for Canada’s cycling industry.

“The Retailer Power Program is a way for us to support Specialty Bike Retailers by helping them to become more profitable and knowledgeable. Our retail members asked for education they could use in the shop everyday, and we’re delivering that help starting in 2008.”

Among the facilitators delivering workshops this year are Tom Shay, Bob Negen and Dan Mann.

Shay is a fourth-generation merchant with over 25 years of experience in small business operations. He has authored a number of business management books, and earned the Certified Speaking Professional distinction, which is claimed by less than 7% of speakers worldwide.

Negen founded his own company at the tender age of 23, and grew it from $17,000 to over $3 million in annual sales. Along the way, he has acquired expertise in promotion, employee management and business development.

Mann has presented seminars at Interbike for the past five years, and is the brains behind a Retail Sales Training Program tailored to the bicycle industry. The 300 US bike retailers who have implemented his program averaged a 20% growth in revenue in the first month. Mann also does regional workshops for the National Bicycle Dealer’s Association of America.

All three have big reputations as valuable resources, with a gift for passing on their understanding of small business through books, articles and seminars like the Retailer Power Program.

“We’re very lucky to have Tom, Bob and Dan – they’ve got such a wealth of experience to share. Their sessions are going to be immensely useful to retailers in concrete ways,” Clarke added.

The Retailer Power Program is free to Specialty Bike Retailers.