Building Business Conference

The Building Business Conference...or BBC...Is the greatest idea in retail relationship development. This years conference was held in Sacramento, CA. I was so excited to go because our good friends the Goore's store is there!

The conference is hosted by NINFRA, our buying group and the purpose behind this meeting is for us to form relationships with our manufactures. Our buying group invites key manufactures to come and meet with each store individually as well as socialize. Each store is assigned to a table and in 10min intervals the manufactures move from table to table. We call it "Speed Dating" I have enjoyed this event for several years. It is a great opportunity to open the doors of communication. We also enjoyed a great speech about the regulations that are being discussed for future products as well as worked with a consumer panel.

Once the business is done we have dinner or participate in some local entertainment. In years past we have gone to a spa, played golf, visited historical districts, gone fishing, all as a group. It is great to get out of the office/meeting and have some fun. This is where friendships are built. These friendships can and do evolve into lucrative business relationships. Each evening we would have dinner and great conversations

This is my mom and some of our great friends. Store owners, managers, and manufactures

Here is Kelly from Baby's Dream, Sam from Tree House Kids, and Jill and Renee from Cocalo


Kevin-Young America, Rafeal (NINFRA's Executive Director, Lauren, and Richard (store owners)

Scott-Tree House Kids, Jake-Bob, Dave-Tots to Teens, Doug(my dad), and Larry-Baby's First

These guys are TOO FUNNY!!!

Doug-StorkLand, Gene-Kids Stuff Superstore, Dave-Tots to Teens, and Mike-Creations

Aaron-Kids Stuff Super Store and the Boys from BOB..We love BOB strollers

Denise and Chelsea from Goore's for Baby and Kids holding sweet Ozzie and Stella. These girls are the NINFRA mascots. SO CUTE and SO GOOD!!!

Rafael and Richard...good look'n guys

Lisa, Sandy-Kids Space, Kathy-Kids Space, and Beth-Fireside Comforts

Scott and Sam from Tree House Kids. They just expanded into a new beautiful building. CONGRATS GUYS!!!

Jill -Cocalo with Philip and Debbie from The Playpen

Judy-Kids Stuff Super Store with Janice from Creations

Ozzie and Karla-Kids Stuff Super Store with ME!!

Karla is such a good friend and her baby girls are precious to me!

JoJo and Stella...can you tell we all fought over those girls all weekend

Ozzie, Gene, Stella, and Kenny

Two sets of Twins...

Rafael and Me...I admire him so much..mostly for putting up with all of us!

Proud GRANDPA Gene and his sweet Grandbabies..

Even CUTE Josh from Million Dollar Baby wanted a chance to hold one of the girls.

We were so lucky to go on a wonderful wine tour while we were in Sacramento. We had a charter bus come to the hotel and pick us up. It was a little bit of a drive to get to the vineyards so we listed to old music and had a ball on the way there. The scenery was beautiful. Everything there is green and lush!
Dad, Me and Mom. What a good look'n family

Kelly-Baby's Dream, Carol-Baby's Dream, Beth-Fireside Comforts, and Antoinette-Baby's Dream

Even the manufactures socialize with other manufactures.

Kathy, Sandy, JoJo, Janice and Yvette

This winery had the best Almond Champagne

Richard-Gores and Me. I get to meet and have friends all over the country. Early in the trip I got to spend time with Richard and his wife Zoey. She is a pediatrician...and so much fun! For years I have teased Richard that he had made her up because she never gets to come with him. So I guess she is real and just as wonderful as he has always said!

Sam-Tree House, Jill-Cocalo, Karla-Kids Stuff Super Store, and Me..

I just love this girl. So much fun

The second winery was BEAUTIFUL!! I would so wanna get married there. Hey my 10 year anniversary is coming up...Maybe a renewal??

Good Friend Jacob from Baby's First in Houston

Aaron and Karla. They make such a beautiful couple.
And beautiful BABIES!!

Front of the vineyard as you drive up. Rolling hills of GREEN.

This is our 3rd vineyard. It was so unique

The man standing in this doorway is over 6 feet tall. Just so you can understand how massive these doors were. We enjoyed several glasses of wine and a Delicious dinner!

Kelly, Carol, and Antoinette from Baby's Dream, Me Yvette-Baby's 1st, and Sam from Tree House

Can't you just tell how much fun we had! When do you ever get a chance to have so much fun with business associates! This is the way to build relationships. Jill from Cocalo and me AGAIN

There is no better way to finish this entry off than with another picture of a beautiful baby girl. This is why we are in this business. Thanks guys for a wonderfully productive trip!