Barks Blog

by Niki Tudge, PPG Founder and President

I Say This Each Year – Honestly, I Really Mean It!

Each year, the Pet Professional Guild (PPG) hosts a large educational event specifically geared towards providing top-class education for our members and others interested in our industry. Pre COVID-19, these events were held in person, across several locations, and with unique formats.

With the onset of COVID-19, in 2020, we created a coalition of like-minded organizations to host Geek Week – a 5-day event focused on providing top notch education from the beset in Academics, Behavior How To’s and Business and Personal Growth.

And this year, The Sequel is proving to be better than the inaugural event. With several fabulous event upgrades and new features, The Sequel experience is meant to engage, educate, and empower our attendees in a virtually dynamic way.

These are my Top 4 Picks, but there are more!

1. The Geek Week Platform – Better designed to service you

• Network and chat on our new event platform that enables attendees to virtually connect like never before.
• Find your peeps by association, location, or other interests.
• Chat globally or in your own created groups.
• Virtually visit Exhibitor Corners.
• RSVP to events that will then slot into your personal calendar with the login information.
• Review Event descriptions and choose to attend live sessions via an RSVP function.
• Ready yourself! 10 days prior to launch, you will be invited into the platform to choose your sessions, create your own event calendar, and network with fellow attendees.

2. The Presenters – What an amazing line-up of World Class Presenters!

• Ask the experts: Following the 2 daily General Sessions and the 130 individual sessions, a live Q & A will immediately follow.
• Use your ABC’s with 3 tracks to choose from: Academic- Get Your Geek On, Behavior “How To’s,” and Consulting and Business Growth
• Learn 24 hours a day across all time-zones. And if you miss a session or experience information overload don’t worry; you have several months to catch up on the recordings!

3. The Geek Week FUN – a lineup of fun that starts 7-days prior to the official event launch

a) Your 7-Day Countdown Event: Join us for daily 30-minute live sessions at 9:00 a.m. EST and 7:00 p.m. EST.

• • Meet your Sponsors, Hosts and Presenters in these short, fun sessions where we will be giving out prizes.
  • Don’t miss out. Schedule them in your calendar now for November 6-12, 2021.

b) Your Virtual Cocktail Party: Join us for our Geeky Virtual Party November 13, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. EST.

• • Come dressed as a Geek and you may win a BIG prize.
  • Move around the breakout rooms and network with Presenters, Exhibitors, and fellow attendees.

4. Your Sponsor Hook-up: Loads of opportunity to spend quality time learning about industry innovations, products and services to help you and your business grow!

a) Sponsor Partners – The Geek Week Key Sponsors

• • Exhibitor Corners – Each of our “Sponsor Partners” has their own Exhibitor Corner. Here they can set up their own events, provide videos and graphics, and answer all of your questions. We have a great selection of professionals who have joined us this year to support you and your business, so drop by and say hello.
  • Exhibitor Sessions –Jump on our Zoom event, twice daily, where all our Sponsor Partners will gather in one spot, at the same time. Take this opportunity to mingle and move across the breakout rooms to speak with our Exhibitors live.

b) Sponsor Spotlight – Spend an hour live with each of our Sponsor Spotlight sessions. Ask questions and learn about new products and services that can benefit your business and the wellbeing of your clients and their pets. Check out the schedule for times and links.

c) Meet The Author – Take advantage of this unique opportunity to meet and chat with your favorite industry authors. Learn about their books firsthand and ask questions about the topics that matter to you.

d) SWAG Bag –Grab them whenever you want, they have their own special place on the platform. What an amazing collection of offers we have for you this year.

What are you waiting for? Register today and start planning your unforgettable Geek Week 2021 – The Sequel Event.