Following a unique educational experience for boutique event rental pros in Austin in 2016 and an inspiring conference for niche specialty rental businesses in Brooklyn in 2017, the third Lend & Gather: A Boutique Rental Conference raised the bar in 2020 at HNYPT and The Hoxton Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles.
Attendees entered through a “transformation tunnel” to enjoy an inspiring environment created by Folklore Rentals. The stage was set with a focal point created by Backup Backdrops, highlighted by Penelope Pots’ incredible floral creations, and Emblem’s lush performance velvet chairs.
More than 80 attendees spent two days soaking in the insights from speakers about how to make an impact with their rental businesses. Speakers covered topics including Leading A Rental Company, Designing A Business That Reflects Who You Are In The World, Furniture Sourcing, Maximizing the Use of Images In Your Event Rental Business, Marketing Your Boutique Event Rental Business, Creating Differentiation and an Identity-Based Competitive Strategy, Pricing Strategies for Event Rentals, and Managing Employee Turnover.
Being in Downtown LA provided us with the unique opportunity to partner with Chrysalis, a local organization that changes lives through jobs. A portion of every Lend & Gather ticket sale was donated to Chrysalis but L&G attendees also got to learn about the hiring opportunities and impact they can have by providing jobs for people who often have barriers to employment. Adam Hirsch also shared about how Chrysalis has used this untapped talent to create a competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Another first-time experience we brought to the 2020 conference was hosting a live interview for The Trunk Show podcast with Aaron Steed of Meathead Movers. Lend & Gather attendees got to hear how Aaron has built a mentorship program that also happens to be a moving company. He shared about his process for building a company culture that creates the ultimate job for student athletes and was able to provide many examples of how his experiences can crossover to event rentals as well.
In addition to our insight-filled days, we enjoyed some LA night life with a cocktail party hosted by RW Elephant’s Integrated Credit Card Processing at the rooftop bar at The Hoxton Hotel. Lend & Gatherers got to enjoy a casual evening together after being equipped to take their businesses, and themselves, to the next level.
Can’t wait for you to join us next time in Miami for Lend & Gather 2022!
“I’d recommend Lend and Gather to any boutique event rental professional as it offers industry-specific insights, valuable knowledge through expert-led sessions and great networking opportunity with other like-minded event rental professionals. Attendees truly gain practical tips on topics such as optimizing inventory management, enhancing customer experience, pricing and a variety of other tools to streamline operations.”
Nüage Designs
Reserve your seat at Lend & Gather 2024 now before they’re gone. Don’t miss your chance to make these kinds of connections and learn these lessons!
AttendOur Incredible 2020 Speakers Included:
Beth Helmstetter
Beth Helmstetter Events
Morgan Montgomery
Paisley & Jade
Sean Low
The Business of Being Creative
Allison Howell
RW Elephant
Jeff Tanner
FLDWRK
Katie Blineau
Unearthed Vintage
Adam Hirsch
Chrysalis
Jenika McDavitt
Psychology for Photographers
Aaron Steed
Meathead Movers
Lindsay Braun
Emblem
Each of these speakers brought wisdom, insight, and a lot of warmth to the experience. One hallmark of the Lend & Gather conference is the access attendees have to the speakers and presenters who join us. In addition to keynotes and breakouts, the side conversations that happen over lunch, between sessions, and informally can be just as impactful. We’ve been so grateful to have these experts join us throughout the two days to truly help us have transformative experiences together.
