PRESIDENT’S PLATFORM: Invest in your Future

[insert-author-info] Investing in the future these days essentially means investing in technology. Whether your firm needs more robust CRM systems or better file-sharing platforms, you’re likely in the midst of a search for how to do it better, faster, or both. Technology surrounds us everywhere we go, and there’s no way around it. Technology helps us all do our jobs better, it helps us stay organized and helps relieve us of the more mundane tasks so we can focus on the bigger picture. Its exponential growth means technology is moving ahead faster than our parents or grandparents had ever imagined, and sure, it can be a little scary, especially for our current generation of leaders. The smartest of today’s firm leaders aren’t just leaning on their Millennial friends to help them along, asking their advice on the best filter to use on Instagram, or how to gain more Twitter followers (you can find me @akoledin). They’re engaging them in conversations about what are the best tools to use in the first place, and if the right tools aren’t available, they’re challenging others to create them. While you may not see people fighting against technology quite like they used to, they’re often still ignoring it…to their own peril. Even if facing it is one of your toughest challenges, keep in mind that old saying, “Know your enemy.” Because the best way to conquer what you fear is by learning about it! SMPS New York has two fantastic opportunities to do just that this month—first, with a Leadership Lunch this Friday, February 26, entitled “Lead(v)ing a Digital Revolution,” featuring speakers Adam Hayes of Openshop and Kim Kotwitz of Publicis Groupe. The second, a client panel program on March 8, “Experiential Shopping—More Than Just a Store,” will tell us everything we need to know about designing new retail experiences in the digital age. Whether you’re tech-savvy or tech-adverse, come join us and invest in your future!