Empowering the Business of Fly Fishing

Empowering the Business of Fly Fishing
Venue: Asheville Embassy Suites
Dates: October 21–22, 2025
Estimated Attendance: 50–75 participants

Pre-Conference – Monday, October 20

8:00 AM
Optional Guided Fly Fishing – Half or Full Day
Experience world-class Appalachian waters with a local guide. Choose from a half-day trip (return in time for afternoon activities) or a full-day adventure (ends mid-to-late afternoon depending on location). Advance registration required.

2:00 PM – 4:30 PM
Choose Your Asheville Adventure
Unwind and connect with other attendees through one of three casual local outings:

Brewery Tour – A behind-the-scenes look at one of Asheville's top craft breweries

Guided Nature Walk – Take in stunning views along the Blue Ridge Parkway

River Arts District Tour – Explore artist studios and galleries

5:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Welcome Reception
Join us for light snacks and drinks at a local venue or hotel lounge. A relaxed way to kick off Confluence and meet new and familiar faces.

Day 1 – Tuesday, October 21

Theme: Context, Clarity & Collaboration

8:00 AM – 8:30 AM
Breakfast Served
Grab breakfast and settle in. Open seating and relaxed atmosphere.

8:30 AM – 11:15 AM
The Big Picture: Where We Are & Where We’re Headed
This progressive session block sets the tone by exploring broader economic trends, trade policy updates, and fly fishing-specific data.

What’s Your Business Impact- Led by Corinne Doctor, People, Sustainability and Conservation: Keeping a happy team, Sustainable choices as a business, Supporting conservation orgs

Tariffs & Trade Update- Led by Matt Mullin, understand the ripple effects of shifting trade policy—including new tariffs and sourcing challenges

State of the Industry Report (TrackFly): Data-driven insights into consumer behavior, retail health, and market trends in fly fishing

From Insight to Action- Led by Scott Papich and David Krantz Table-based discussion to help participants reflect on what it all means for their businesses

11:15 AM – 12:00 PM
Coffee + Connection Break
Network casually or dive deeper into morning topics.

12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Networking Lunch + Optional Brand Meetups
Dine with peers or meet one-on-one with key brands. Table signage and facilitation will help match interests.

1:45 PM – 3:00 PM
Breakout Sessions

Track A: Field Guide to AI in Fly Fishing: 7 Practical Uses for You- Led by Gordon Macdonald. 

Discover how to put AI to work for you in this engaging session tailored specifically for fly fishing retailers and manufacturers. From delighting customers to refining business strategy, we’ll explore 7 practical (and maybe even surprising) ways to leverage AI tools like ChatGPT and no-code platforms. Packed with real-world demos and actionable insights, this session will empower you to start using AI today—no tech expertise required. You’ll leave this session with new ideas about AI and a link to a library of fly fishing industry AI prompts you can start using today.

Track B: Merchandising 101- Led by Chris Frangiosa
Learn the basics of how to keep your shop looking great and selling through.  This hands-on seminar will review the foundational skills of merchandising and will review successes and failures of retailers in the field.  There will be an on-site merchandising mini-store that will serve as the example.  Expect to come away with multiple action items to increase business and the overall look of your shop.

3:00 PM – 3:45 PM
Open Lounge + Free Time
Take a breather, connect, or follow up on earlier conversations.

4:00 PM – 5:15 PM
Panel: Fly Fishing Media Discuss- Led by Tom Sadler
The business environment facing the fly-fishing industry continues to change, raising questions for all segments of the industry about how best to navigate those changes to be successful and remain true to the unique ideals that are foundational to the sport.

5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Industry Mixer + Happy Hour at Hunter Banks Fly Shop
Wrap up the day with drinks, bites, and unstructured time to relax and connect.

Day 2 – Wednesday, October 22

Theme: Strategy, Marketing & Momentum

8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Coffee Talk: A Fireside Chat with Industry Leaders
Hear from veteran leaders and rising voices as they share personal stories, lessons learned, and predictions for the future of the industry. Includes open Q&A.

9:45 AM – 11:00 AM
Breakout Sessions

Track A: Merchandising 201- Led by Chris Frangiosa. This hands-on seminar will focus on more advanced merchandising techniques.  There will be an on-site merchandising mini-store that will serve as the example.  Additionally, this seminar will cross over into buying and the product life cycle.  The combination of good purchasing and strong merchandising will be fully explored.  Expect to come away with multiple action items to increase turns and make your shop more appealing to customers.

Track B: Making Your Numbers Work for You
Learn how a few key data points—like margin, average ticket, and conversion—can guide smarter decisions in buying, staffing, and pricing.

Track C: Building Aligned Retail Team- Led by Curtis Fry of Fly Fish Food                                                             Success on the retail floor starts with a unified team. In this session, you’ll learn how to align your staff around shared goals, elevate internal communication, and create a culture that supports sell-through and customer retention. From training techniques to staff engagement practices, walk away with tools to strengthen your shop from the inside out.

11:15 AM – 12:00 PM
Political Strategy Session: Where Policy Meets Business
Led by High Street Strategies. This session breaks down current legislative developments and shows how businesses can get involved to protect access, resources, and industry growth.

12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
Lunch + Speed Meetings
Sit down for rapid-fire 1:1s or small group sessions with new and existing contacts. We'll help make matches.

1:45 PM – 3:00 PM
Workshop: Build Your 30-Day Marketing Action Plan
Roll up your sleeves in this hands-on session. Walk away with a tailored, actionable marketing plan—including goals, channels, content ideas, and timing.

3:15 PM – 4:00 PM
Closing Session: AFFTA Announcements + Wrap-Up
Lucas Bissett shares final thoughts, key takeaways, and what’s ahead for the AFFTA community.

💬 AFFTA Confluence 2025 Roundtable Topics – Expanded

Format: These roundtables are informal, peer-led discussions held during open lounge time, lunch blocks, or as spontaneous “pop-up” sessions.
Suggested Group Size: 5–10 participants per table.

🧑‍💻 Digital & E-Commerce Strategy: What’s Working Now?

Goal: Share tools, tactics, and challenges in building a strong digital presence.
Discussion Prompts:

What online platform is driving the most revenue for you—your website, social, or marketplaces?

What tools (Shopify apps, CRM, email platforms) have made a difference for your shop or brand?

What does your current e-commerce customer journey look like? Where are you losing people?

How are you connecting online shoppers with in-store experiences?

Are you investing in paid ads? If so, where and why?

🧥 Merchandising That Moves: Planning, Display & Rotation

Goal: Explore how visual presentation, assortment, and inventory flow impact performance.
Discussion Prompts:

What’s your approach to rotating products or refreshing displays?

How do you decide what goes front and center—and what gets discounted?

Do you plan your merchandising around seasons, stories, or promotions?

How are you using fixtures, lighting, or signage to drive attention and conversion?

What’s one change you made that improved product movement?

📆 Seasonal Planning: Getting Ahead of Highs & Lows

Goal: Discuss how businesses are preparing for seasonal surges and slow periods.
Discussion Prompts:

When does your high season start—and how far ahead are you planning?

What’s your strategy for slow months? Events, promotions, off-season services?

How do you balance pre-season buying with cash flow?

What are your best tools or workflows for planning inventory or staffing?

👥 Hiring, Training & Retention: Building Your Team

Goal: Explore staffing challenges and the strategies that are working.
Discussion Prompts:

What’s been your biggest hiring challenge this year?

How are you training new staff—especially if they’re new to fly fishing?

Are you using performance bonuses, referral programs, or other incentives?

How do you keep your team engaged and motivated?

🔗 Retail-Brand Relationships: What Makes a Great Partner?

Goal: Encourage honest dialogue about what retailers truly need from brand partners.
Discussion Prompts:

What’s one thing a brand has done that made your life easier as a shop?

What are common pain points in your brand relationships?

How do you decide what brands to bring in—or let go?

How can manufacturers better support sell-through, not just sell-in?

🌱 Sustainability in the Shop: What Are Customers Asking For?

Goal: Share how shops and brands are navigating sustainability expectations.
Discussion Prompts:

Are customers actively asking about eco-friendly products or practices?

What’s one thing you’ve done to reduce your shop’s environmental impact?

How are you communicating sustainability—on product tags, social, or in-store?

Are there any certifications, packaging shifts, or sourcing changes you’re exploring?

📊 Data That Matters: Making Smarter Decisions

Goal: Help each other get more confident using business data—without needing to be a data scientist.
Discussion Prompts:

What’s the most important metric you track regularly?

How are you using data to make buying or marketing decisions?

Are you using POS reports, Google Analytics, or something else?

What reports or dashboards do you actually check—and why?

🎯 Your Bold Move: What Risk Are You Considering This Year?

Goal: Provide space for visionary thinking and courageous conversations.
Discussion Prompts:

What’s one big change you’re contemplating (new location, new channel, new model)?

What’s holding you back—or what support would be most helpful?

Have you ever taken a big risk in the past? What did you learn?

What trend or shift do you want to get ahead of?

🗣 Open Table: Bring Your Own Topic

Goal: Let participants drive the conversation around what’s most pressing for them.
Tips:

Encourage attendees to write a topic on a sticky note and place it at the table

Great for spontaneous brainstorming, unique questions, or niche interests