The conference for innovators, explorers and dreamers in the promotional products industry

January 12, 2025   |   
Keep Memory Alive Center, Las Vegas

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About skucon

skucon is back to inspire a whole new generation of explorers and dreamers in the branded merch industry!

For over a decade, skucon has been the gathering place for the industry’s most forward-thinking minds! Every year, speakers are handpicked based on the most high-impact topics and current trends: come learn how to be brilliant at a moment's notice with creative coach Todd Henry, author of the best-seller, “The Accidental Creative”, and join one of the fastest rising experts on the economy, Kyla Scanlon, author of the book “In This Economy”. And don’t miss our amazing closing keynote, Ben Higgins, from "The Bachelor" fame, as he shares how to build a generous business! Also joining us on stage are some of the most innovative industry professionals who will share their stories and lessons learned from the ground floor.

But mostly, skucon is about you: it’s where innovators come to connect, learn, and reignite their passion alongside like-minded professionals. skucon pushes the boundaries of the promotional products world, sitting at the forefront of merch innovation. Come hear from seasoned pros in the trenches, bold ideas from tomorrow’s leaders, and a celebration of brilliant brand execution and growth!

Who Should Attend?

skucon is designed for distributors and suppliers across all roles: from leadership to sales, production, and support. It's more than just an event—it’s a team-building experience where your entire team can gather to be inspired, challenged, and motivated to dream bigger and achieve more together.

In-Person Customer Pass

For distributor + supplier customers of commonsku

$499 /person
Register

What’s Included:

  • Ticket to skucon at the Keep Memory Alive Center, Las Vegas
  • skucon Merch Kit
  • All meals (breakfast, snacks, lunch, dinner)
  • Ticket to the skucon After Party @ Brooklyn Bowl
  • Access to the skucon video portal

General Admission

For distributors not using commonsku software

$699 /person
Sold Out

What’s Included:

  • Ticket to skucon at the Keep Memory Alive Center, Las Vegas
  • skucon Merch Kit
  • All meals (breakfast, snacks, lunch, dinner)
  • Ticket to the skucon After Party @ Brooklyn Bowl

Meet Our Speakers

Hear from some of the promotional products industry's most passionate and creative personalities. Walk away inspired and ready to tackle the year ahead.

Schedule

7:30 - 9:00 AM

7:30 - 9:00 AM

Registration / Breakfast

Grab your badge, skucon merch and breakfast!

9:00 - 9:15 AM

9:00 - 9:15 AM

Welcome to skucon!

9:15 - 10:15 AM

9:15 - 10:15 AM

How to Be Brilliant (At a Moment’s Notice)

Joey Coleman
Todd Henry | Author

You need ideas... fast. But, you’re already running on fumes from that last big project you had to crank out in record time. How do you find the focus and energy you need to do it again... and Again? Have no fear! In this talk you’ll learn five key practices that will prepare you to produce brilliantwork when it matters most, especially under pressure. What you’ll learn:

  • How to identify the 3 “assassins” of creativity and keep them from stealing your focus and time.
  • How to leverage the five areas of “creative rhythm” to help you stay fresh and deeply engaged with your work.
  • The keys to effectively managing energy and channeling it toward what matters most so that you avoid burnout and needless frustration.
  • How to find inspiration even in the most mundane places.
  • The secret skill that high performers master that keeps them on top of their game.

10:15 - 10:25 AM

10:15 - 10:25 AM

skucon Story - I am not a brand: The journey to bringing my authentic self to my job in sales

Kate Nash
Kate Nash | Raining Rose

Big order fails. Brilliant client saves. Narrow margin orders that went south. Product disasters. Embarrassing client moments. Life-shattering experiences. We've all had them. Most of the stories in the industry are normal; the simple price we pay for being in a crazily-adventurous, anything-can-happen, deadline-driven business. But these stories? The best of the best of them. 10-minute promo tales to put a smile on your face. Make you think. Inspire you to dig deep. And mostly, to remind you ... you are not alone.

10:25 - 10:30 AM

10:25 - 10:30 AM

skummunity Award:
Shops Innovation Leader

This distributor is leading the pack when it comes to driving sales growth through the creative uses of ecommerce shops for their end clients. They excel at brilliant shop creation, stellar marketing and leveraging shops for accelerated sales growth!

10:30 - 10:50 AM

10:30 - 10:50 AM

Break

10:50 - 11:20 AM

10:50 - 11:20 AM

skucon Table Talk

The power of commonsku has always been the community and the heart of the community has been collaboration, the sharing of ideas. In this rapid-fire session, you’ll be able to trade tactics that have fueled your success and ideas that will help shape your future. We’ll jump start the conversation by providing key questions and it’s a great time to take advantage of the experts sitting all around you. Join us as we connect, contribute, and inspire!

11:20 - 11:25 AM

11:20 - 11:25 AM

skummunity Award:
Community Champion Champion

The Community Champion Award recognizes a distributor or supplier who gives selflessly, shares their ideas freely, offers a creative idea, a lending hand, always ready with a smile and a solution. They exemplify standards of the modern entrepreneur: Be human, help others, and believe in the power of giving.

11:25 - 11:35 AM

11:25 - 11:35 AM

skucon Story - AI in Action: Transforming Every Corner of Our Business

Mikas Agarwal
Mikas Agarwal | akran Marketing

Big order fails. Brilliant client saves. Narrow margin orders that went south. Product disasters. Embarrassing client moments. Life-shattering experiences. We've all had them. Most of the stories in the industry are normal; the simple price we pay for being in a crazily-adventurous, anything-can-happen, deadline-driven business. But these stories? The best of the best of them. 10-minute promo tales to put a smile on your face. Make you think. Inspire you to dig deep. And mostly, to remind you ... you are not alone.

11:35 - 11:55 AM

11:35 - 11:55 AM

The Road Ahead

Charlie Moscoe
Charlie Moscoe | commonsku

Charlie Moscoe, commonsku’s Vice President of Product Management, will share highlights from recent developments on the commonsku platform and provide a glimpse ahead into commonsku’s immediate and future roadmap!

11:55 - 12:55 PM

11:55 - 12:55 PM

Lunch

12:55 - 1:05 PM

12:55 - 1:05 PM

10 Unforgettable Merch Moments from The Backpack!

Bobby Lehew
Bobby Lehew | commonsku

Through our bi-monthly newsletter “The Backpack” we dissected hundreds of articles highlighting the most effective merch created by brands around the world. And in 2024, we brought more than 150 captivating stories to life spotlighting the best in merch trends, big brand moments, and viral merch sensations. Join Backpack editor Bobby Lehew as he counts down a curated roundup of the top 10 highlights from “The Backpack” and walk away with some merch inspo to carry you into 2025!

1:05 - 1:55 PM

1:05 - 1:55 PM

What We Talk About When We Talk About the Economy

Kyla Scanlon
Kyla Scanlon | Author

Kyla Scanlon is the author of In This Economy? How Money & Markets Really Work and she’s fast becoming one of the most insightful commentators and educators about the economy to current and future generations. Through her daily and weekly analysis, she brings the human aspect of economics to life through fun financial education with a level-headed op-ed, coupled with deep, analytical insight. Though Kyla’s the first to say that no one has a crystal ball (including the world’s best economists!) join Kyla as she shares the economic forces that are set to shape 2025 including an overview on the data that guides us, the reality that we live in, and how we can all make better economic decisions.

1:55 - 2:05 PM

1:55 - 2:05 PM

skucon Story - Nick Loves People, You Should Too

Nick Lateur
Nick Lateur | Brand Evangelist

Big order fails. Brilliant client saves. Narrow margin orders that went south. Product disasters. Embarrassing client moments. Life-shattering experiences. We've all had them. Most of the stories in the industry are normal; the simple price we pay for being in a crazily-adventurous, anything-can-happen, deadline-driven business. But these stories? The best of the best of them. 10-minute promo tales to put a smile on your face. Make you think. Inspire you to dig deep. And mostly, to remind you ... you are not alone.

2:05 - 2:35 PM

2:05 - 2:35 PM

Merging Strengths: The Success Story of Two Women-Led Sales Teams

Sandy Gonzales
Sandy Gonzales | MadeToOrder
Shelley Stewart
Shelley Stewart | Red Promotions

What do two of the most successful women-owned businesses have in common? What skills and talents do they possess that contrast and yet complement each other? Sandy Gonzales and Shelley Stewart, leaders of their respective sales teams, each brought a unique passion and dynamic approach to their businesses. In 2024, these certified women-owned enterprises merged, combining their complementary strengths to form a unified company without losing a single team member. This interview, hosted by commonsku’s CEO Catherine Graham, will provide an in-depth look at how these two sales organizations thrived independently and what it took to seamlessly unite them. Discover the key skills and talents that set them apart yet brought them together, enhancing their collective success. We'll discuss the essentials of building a successful sales team, the challenges and triumphs of merging distinct cultures, and how these leaders envision shaping the future of their team. Join us to learn how to build a resilient, forward-thinking sales force plus tips on leading your teams in 2025!

2:35 - 2:40 PM

2:35 - 2:40 PM

skummunity Award:
Supplier Connected Workflow

A modern mover and shaker, this supplier is at the cutting edge of business process, understanding that to connect the entire workflow - from ideation to final electronic PO to inventory and ship notifications - means a seamless experience, faster and more accurate orders, and a simpler life for their customers.

2:40 - 3:00 PM

2:40 - 3:00 PM

Break

3:00 - 3:30 PM

3:00 - 3:30 PM

skucon Table Talk

The power of commonsku has always been the community and the heart of the community has been collaboration, the sharing of ideas. In this rapid-fire session, you’ll be able to trade tactics that have fueled your success and ideas that will help shape your future. We’ll jump start the conversation by providing key questions and it’s a great time to take advantage of the experts sitting all around you. Join us as we connect, contribute, and inspire!

3:30 - 3:35 PM

3:30 - 3:35 PM

skummunity Award:
Distributor Entrepreneur of the Year

Grit. Hustle. Perseverance. Resilience. Creativity. From adversity to breakthrough, this distributor embodies today’s modern, entrepreneurial spirit and whose growth journey inspires us all to reach deep and go big.

3:35 - 4:15 PM

3:35 - 4:15 PM

The Reason for Giving

Ben Higgins
Ben Higgins | Generous Coffee

Ben’s talk will focus on the story of Generous Coffee. Why it was started and what Generous hopes to accomplish. It will share some stories that impacted the start of Generous and gave the founders a perspective of why a for profit business that radically donated needed to exist. Ben will also share about his desire to connect others through generosity. His talk will be a mix of my book "Alone in Plain Sight" and Generous coffee and how the two projects work together for the hopeful good of humanity.

4:15 - 4:20 PM

4:15 - 4:20 PM

Closing

5:05 - 7:30 PM

5:05 - 7:30 PM

Chill/Unwind

Head back to your hotel, drop your merch off, freshen up and meet us at the Brooklyn Bowl for our closing party and dinner!

7:30 - 9:30 PM

7:30 - 9:30 PM

Official skucon After Party @ Brooklyn Bowl

Celebrate the close of skucon with dinner, drinks, and golf. Meet up with old friends, and new, to party at Brooklyn Bowl.

Venues

skucon2025 logo

Merch Kit

Each year our skucon attendees receive a collection of curated products that we select and design with our supplier partners. This skucon, we’re committed to create the most meaningful and impactful merch experience for you. Our skucon 2025 Merch Collection will be focused on 4 pillars:

  1. Longevity of the Product
  2. Social and Environmental Impact
  3. Impeccable Design
  4. Inclusivity

While the details of our skucon 2025 Merch Collection are a closely guarded secret, take a look at our skucon 2024 Merch Collection here to give you a sense of what you can expect.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s included in my ticket?

Breakfast, lunch, and snacks are included in your registration fee for the in-person event, plus access to our skucon after-party which includes drinks and dinner. The skucon merch kit is also included.

Is there a maximum number of tickets/company for the in-person event?

In an effort to make skucon available for a broad range of customers, we have implemented a 5-ticket maximum for distributors and a 2-ticket maximum for suppliers.

Who should attend skucon?

skucon is designed for distributors and suppliers across all roles: from leadership to sales, production, and support. It's more than just an event—it’s a team-building experience where your entire team can gather to be inspired, challenged, and motivated to dream bigger and achieve more together.

I’m not a distributor customer of commonsku. Can I still come to skucon in Las Vegas?

Yes! We have a limited number of distributor general admission tickets available for purchase for our in-person event. These are subject to availability. To learn more about our software, please contact our Sales Team sales@commonsku.com.

I’m not a supplier partner of commonsku. Can I still come to skucon in Las Vegas?

Unfortunately, skucon is only available to our commonsku supplier partners (subject to availability). If you are interested in learning about becoming a supplier partner prior to skucon, you can email David Shultz, our VP of Supplier Partnerships, david@commonsku.com.

I can no longer attend skucon. Can I get a refund?

Yes, we will issue a refund (less Eventbrite fees) if you cancel before December 1, 2024. We will happily transfer a ticket to a colleague for no fees at any time. Unfortunately, we can’t resell the ticket for you.

There are no refunds after December 1, 2024.

Sponsors