Summer Sales &\; AI Series: Beat the Dog Days &\; Boost Your Bottom Line
Summer doesn'\;t have to mean slow business. Join us for a dynamic two-part series designed to help business professionals generate new opportunities\, work smarter\, and drive results during the dog days of summer.
In today'\;s business environment\, growth requires both relationship-building and efficiency. This series combines practical sales strategies with powerful AI tools to help you strengthen your pipeline\, improve productivity\, and uncover new opportunities. Learn how to reconnect with prospects\, generate more referrals\, create meaningful conversations\, and leverage artificial intelligence to save time and streamline daily operations.
Whether you'\;re looking to increase revenue\, work more efficiently\, or gain a competitive edge\, this series will provide actionable tools and real-world strategies you can implement immediately. Walk away with new ideas\, valuable connections\, and a plan to help your business thrive throughout the summer and beyond.
Price includes both in-person event sessions
Program Dates: \;July 17th \;and July 24th
Presented By
Session 1 - Fill Your Pipeline &\; Create More Sales Opportunities: Sales-Focused Growth Strategies for Summer
Summer can be the perfect time to reconnect\, re-engage\, and generate new business. Learn practical sales strategies to revive conversations with past clients\, nurture warm leads\, strengthen your networking efforts\, and uncover opportunities that may already exist within your current contacts. Discover simple ways to start more conversations and create a steady flow of opportunities\, even during traditionally slower months.
Speakers
Eric Konovalov - The Goal Guide Eric Konovalov is a high-energy sales strategist\, speaker\, and coach who has a rare ability to make people lean in\, laugh\, and leave ready to take action. A decorated U.S. Marine Corps veteran and former top-performing sales leader\, Eric brings together military discipline\, real-world business experience\, and an infectious passion for sales. His approach reframes selling as something it was always meant to be: a meaningful way to help people solve problems\, create value\, and move forward with confidence. As the founder of The Goal Guide and creator of Relentless Goal Achievers\, Eric has trained and coached entrepreneurs\, sales professionals\, and leadership teams across industries. Whether he&rsquo\;s leading a local chamber workshop or delivering a multi-day corporate training\, his message is the same: sales should feel human\, intentional\, and fun &mdash\; not pushy\, awkward\, or exhausting. What sets Eric apart is his ability to make complex sales concepts simple\, practical\, and immediately usable. His sessions are highly engaging\, interactive\, and grounded in real conversations sales professionals are having every day. Organizations regularly bring Eric back because participants don&rsquo\;t just feel motivated &mdash\; they actually change how they sell. Eric&rsquo\;s credentials include: When he&rsquo\;s not speaking or coaching\, Eric is deeply involved in his community\, mentoring veterans\, supporting local initiatives\, and spending time in Lakewood Ranch\, Florida\, with his wife Julia and their two sons\, Max and Mikey. |
Lori Ruth is the Publisher of the East County Observer and a familiar face to almost anyone doing business in our community. If you have lived or worked in Lakewood Ranch over the last 24 years\, chances are you have run into Lori at a networking event\, a parade planning meeting\, or a local charity fundraiser. Lori joined the Observer Media Group team in 2002. She started out as an advertising executive\, working directly with local business owners to help them find their voice and grow their customer base. Over the next two decades\, she grew right alongside Lakewood Ranch\, stepping into roles as advertising manager\, associate publisher\, and ultimately Publisher. Before her time at the Observer\, she helped local brands succeed at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune and The Knot. What makes Lori such a trusted resource in our market isn'\;t just her title&mdash\;it&rsquo\;s her genuine love for this community. As a past Chairwoman of the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance board and an advisory board member for the Lakewood Ranch Community Fund\, she has spent her entire career lifting up regional businesses. Lori is here today to ditch the corporate jargon and share the real\, practical sales strategies she has used to build lasting relationships right here in our own backyard. |
Session 2 - AI for Business Growth: \;Work Smarter\, Save Time &\; Increase Productivity
Artificial intelligence is rapidly changing the way businesses operate. This hands-on session will show you practical ways to use AI to support sales activities\, customer communication\, business development\, and day-to-day operations. Learn how to leverage AI tools to draft emails\, improve messaging\, generate ideas\, automate routine tasks\, and increase efficiency without needing a technical background.
Speakers
Jay Ambrose is the founder and CEO of Big Robot. He has spent more than 20 years building software platforms across financial services\, media\, logistics\, adtech\, and healthcare security. Big Robot helps businesses become AI-native by building systems where human judgment\, company data\, and intelligent automation work together. As founder and CEO\, Jay leads the company'\;s product strategy\, software development\, and implementation work. He is also an active member of the Lakewood Ranch AI Creators Collective and is focused on helping local businesses use AI in ways that are useful\, safe\, and understandable. |
David Perkowski is a Realtor\, entrepreneur\, and community builder with a passion for serving others through real estate\, innovation\, and connection. As a Lakewood Ranch resident and the founder of the A.I. Creator&rsquo\;s Collective\, a club established in Lakewood Ranch Community Activities\, David brings people together to explore how artificial intelligence can simplify workflows\, spark creativity\, and unlock new opportunities in business and life. What started as a small group of curious minds meeting to share ideas and learn A.I. tools has quickly evolved into a growing collaborative community built on education\, experimentation\, and real-world application. David&rsquo\;s approach is hands-on and people-first\, focused on helping others understand not just what A.I. can do\, but how to actually use it. Whether working with clients\, hosting sessions\, or building new ventures\, David is driven by a commitment to continuous learning\, teaching\, and collaboration. He believes the future belongs to those who are willing to adapt\, share\, and grow together. |
