Venue

Lodging

What To Expect

Speakers

Sponsors

Agenda

Do you remember when automotive conferences were about learning new techniques, sharing ideas, and making lasting relationships? We do, too. Let's trade in those Ferragamo's for flip-flops and get our hands dirty learning. Again.  

Location: Camp Blue Ridge | Clayton, GA

2024 Date: May 7-9, 2024

10% of all '23's ticket sales went to the Autism Alliance of Michigan and Nathaniel's Hope

Bro culture is still killing conferences. What used to be learning from your peers has turned into performance theatre. It's no wonder why dealerships have quit attending conferences. DealerKnows has created an educational, fun, supportive, and inclusive environment where automotive's rising stars bond with executives, practicing hands-on learning by subject matter experts, all while having a profound and unparalleled experience. We're doing it for the next generation!

Chief Troublemaker, Curve Detroit | Curator of TEDxDetroit | Author Moka Boka Story Books

Charlie is your idea guy. No one does a better job with big-picture concepts designed to launch brands, make a splash, and demand attention. He continually investigates what's now, what's new, and what's next in marketing, as well as how it can benefit your brand. His campaigns have been recognized by the Creative Directors Council for Creativity and the Direct Marketing Association for effectiveness.

Wellness & Risk Management Consultant | Professional Speaker | Castleberry Global

Meet Princess, a dynamic Global Speaker and Wellness & Risk Management Consultant delivering Solutions from the Stage™. Specializing in protecting people, purpose, and profits, Princess transforms organizations with practical and actionable wellness strategies. Her decades of expertise equip leaders to think like active risk managers - making better decisions, managing stressors, and turning challenges into opportunities.

Founder and Strategic Advisor | Go Brewing and Cars.com (formerly Dealer Inspire and Launch Digital Marketing)

Joe Chura's journey from Ford assembly line worker to CEO highlights his adaptability and forward-thinking. His leadership propelled Launch Digital Marketing and Dealer Inspire from bootstrapped origins to remarkable growth. Now, he's channeling his entrepreneurial energy into Go Brewing, an emerging non-alcoholic beverage brand, emphasizing innovation.

Social Psychologist | Professor | Founder and CEO | Breakroom Huddle 

DeAngelo is a social psychologist, author, college professor, and speaker utilizing social science research to help people improve their social interactions, reach their potential, and become their ideal selves. In DeAngelo’s own words, “Whether in the workplace or everyday life, people are of the highest intrinsic value—that when cultivated properly yields a perpetual, relational return on investment secured with purpose and meaning.”

• Transportation from ATL airport to lodging at the Dillard House
• The Southern Fried Gala
• Reception
• Dinner
• Karaokethon
  

• Early Morning Activities
• Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner at camp
• Kick-off and Keynote
• Trailblazer Educational Sessions
• Team-Building Events
  
• Vendor Village
• Epic Nighttime Party
  

• Early Morning Activities
• Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner at camp
• Keynote and Recalibrate
• Camp Counselor Educational Sessions
• Team-Building Events
  
• Vendor Village
• Main Stage Mania
  

• Early Morning Activities
• Breakfast and Lunch
• Final Keynote
• Trailmaster Educational Sessions
• Team-Building Events
• Awards
• Transportation from Camp Blue Ridge to ATL

Leadership for days. Each group will be organized under a camp counselor who is both an expert in their field and a suitable kickball captain. While counselors will be overseeing training sessions during the day, they will lead their teams in competition at night. 

It's the opposite of Vegas. Attendees can truly disconnect from distractions and focus their energies on learning. No flashy lights, dinner reservations, or 80s one-hit wonders. Like an actual summer camp, attendees will learn practical skills they can apply for the rest of their life. 

Practice what you learn. Instead of watching a slide deck, you will put your hands and minds to good use. Whether assembling advertising personas, shooting videos, or modifying email templates, campers will return to the office ready to put their learning to work.

Understanding the pains of travel, transportation will be provided between the airport, lodging, and the campground. Mobility services at the campground will also be available for those who need them. If attendees want to go all-in camping, sites are available! 

Rub elbows on your terms. Knowing some conference goers want to explore new technology, campers can visit the Vendor Village. Sponsors and attendees will be treated to a unique environment to participate in an unforgettable and entertaining learning experience. 

Held at a picturesque summer camp in the mountains of Georgia, attendees can explore outdoor activities, including hiking, canoeing, and yoga. An outdoor amphitheater will host nighttime activities that won't be found at any other automotive conference.    

100%. We truly want people to let go, get dirt under their fingernails, and tell stories by the campfire. Don't worry; you don't actually have to sleep outside. There is a lodge just 10 minutes away where the camaraderie will continue. Transportation provided.

The DealerKnows Summer Camp is intended to prepare the next generation of leaders in the retail auto business. This event will cater to the tandem of both your executive management and their up-and-coming protege that they believe to be the future leadership at their organization, whether it’s inside or outside of a dealership. This unique, team-building setting, facilitates a mentor/mentee bond where solutions are discovered for the now, and success is planned for the future. Pass the baton in the best possible environment. 

We knew this would be a question because we’re always asking it. The answer is “No.” Not a single sponsoring vendor has paid for a spot to speak. Joe and Bill of DealerKnows personally hand-picked every single keynote, camp counselor, speaker, and sponsor partner. This is our first event, and we care so seriously about surrounding attendees with the right support, best practices, and messaging, that we refuse to make decisions surrounding the content we deliver based on who has the biggest wallet.

Some of what you'll be doing will definitely be outside (though a lot of the learning, eating, and sleeping will still be indoors). If you've never been to a summer camp before, all we can say is, don't worry about dressing to impress. Hang up the 3-piece suit and take off the tie. Pack some sneakers. This is the land of t-shirt and shorts. Think hoodie instead of high heels. You’ll likely be participating in activities where you’ll prefer function over friction. The more comfortable you are, the better you’ll learn. (Some swag will be provided.)

We have a strict See Something Say, Something policy. If at any time a camper is made to feel threatened or uneasy, DealerKnows staff will be stationed throughout the event to escalate the situation. Summer camps have a strict no-bullying policy, and so do we. 

Having been on both sides of the table, DealerKnows wants to provide a more “bespoke” approach to the vendor experience. Sponsoring vendors are given their own cabin to create a themed, immersive space to work alongside attendees. We say "work" because vendors will be encouraged to collaborate with campers on product development and implementation. Every day of camp will have free time scheduled to explore the vendor village and participate in the Vendor Village Scavenger Hunt. We're looking forward to the fireside chats. With that said, if you aren't a camp counselor, speaker, or sponsoring vendor, you won't be attending DKSC this year. We are limiting the amount of allied industry personnel in attendance so it is truly as much of a dealer experience as possible.

The most memorable, interactive, team-building event in the automotive industry!

Develop relationships with your future superstars, be lead by subject matter experts, learn new techniques, share ideas, and plan for the future. Reserve your place at the DealerKnows Summer Camp today!

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