NEW YORK—Vision Expo is hosting a series of "Coffee Talk" and "Happy Hour" Virtual EYE2EYE Sessions this month and next. A full roster of sessions are posted here, on a range of topics, from managing through the COVID-19 Crisis to keeping your business going through the pandemic, to other fun, learning and inspirational events. Among them, on Fridays at 4:15 p.m. EST, Eye2Eye's Happy Hour will also feature an adapted version of the Next Generation of Retail Speed Dating—one of the panels originally planned for Vision Expo East 2020—during which new and potential business owners will have the opportunity to learn from the industry’s most successful independent retailers. The adapted format will present one mentor per session for a Q&A session with audience members selected through an online application.Optical retailers interested in becoming a mentee can submit their information in the application form found here in order to gain valuable insight from some of the industry’s most successful independent retailers.
The Next Generation of Retail Speed Dating will take place during the Virtual Eye2Eye Series Happy Hour on May 1, May 15 and May 22:
- May 1: The Next Generation of Retailer Speed Dating – Session 1
Moderated by Wendy Salle, Salle Opticians, who will serve as mentor to new or future independent retail owners.
- May 15: The Next Generation of Retailer Speed Dating – Session 2
Moderated by Todd Rogers, Vision Expo's first Optimum Award Winner who will serve as mentors to new or future independent retail owners.
- May 22: The Next Generation of Retailer Speed Dating – Session 3
Moderated by Gary Black, Black Optical, who will serve as mentors to new or future independent retail owners.