Last July, it was announced that the 2014 NACE/ASRW gathering will be in Detroit. That was bold and exciting news for all of us. Having spent much of my automotive career in and around Detroit, I can tell you that if it’s about automobiles either past or present, it goes on in Detroit. I’m certain that we’ll all be amazed and inspired by the things that are planned for us.

Now let’s talk about today’s reality. It’s 2013, and we have issues and business to conduct here and now. There are two upcoming events that are being held in Las Vegas this year that we need to get behind and support.

Our industry is chock-full of things that need to be decided, debated and fixed. Networking and being with one another is the best if not the only way to get these things hashed out.

Our industry shows and the associations that put them on do so for all of us. They provide us with training, product information, technical data and an opportunity to congregate together and learn from each other. These are important aspects of increasing our businesses’ efficiencies as well as learning about potential outside forces that could have an impact on them.

It’s far too easy for each of us to get buried in the day-to-day routine and dismiss the notion of going to these gatherings. I challenge you that it may be the most important thing you do for yourself, your employees and your business all year. Nowhere else will you have answers to your concerns, the latest equipment available and the ability to network with your peers who are experiencing the same issues as you.

I listen to so many shop owners talk about business being too difficult for them to take time off. But going to an event like this is anything but time off if you’re truly going for business purposes. You can fill your days with learning and networking from sunup till sundown. It’s business – and a darn good way to conduct it. Make up your mind to go for business and make it worth your trip.

See you there!