By Amanda Gubbins
 Brian Reese is chair-elect of SEMA's newest network, the Emerging Trends and Technology Network (ETTN). | |
SEMA’s councils and membership department introduces the Emerging Trends and Technology Network (ETTN). The mission of the ETTN is to “identify, understand and communicate emerging trends and technologies to help members improve.” The launch comes after the Street Performance Council (SPC) sunset earlier this year.
Chair-Elect Brian Reese believes the network will benefit all segments of the automotive aftermarket. “My biggest focus is for the network to deliver tremendous value to our membership,” says Reese.
His vision is to educate members on how to leverage trends in business, customer relations, product or brand technology and vehicle technology for their own businesses. “We have identified emerging technology and automotive trends as important sources of information for success in today’s business world. The purpose of [ETTN] is to identify emerging trends that affect or improve the automotive aftermarket and deliver them in a concise manner to busy business professionals,” he says.
By studying other successful business models, network members will gain knowledge about managing information and creating successful brands. “The ETTN helps member companies see what others are doing; it helps in connecting the dots and showing members how to leverage these trends in their own business,” says Reese.
Because technology and automotive trends are constantly changing, it can be difficult for members to keep up. With all the day-to-day tasks that must be completed in an organization, it’s easy to overlook new business strategies. Reese’s goal is to make it easier to know which ideas to try. “We’ll put members in the know as new technology and trends emerge,” he says.
Members of the network will have many opportunities for education and professional development. A great deal of those opportunities will be through digital publications, online communities and educational events. Reese hopes that members will bring their own experiences to the table and contribute to the conversations that take place.
The ETTN is open to all SEMA members, and free to join. The network’s main discussion area will be the ETTN LinkedIn property, which makes joining the conversation easy. Reese even hopes to reach out to members in other industries. “We want to strategically tap in to their resources for speakers and seminars. In listening to different opinions and industries, there’s something to learn there.”
For more information about the ETTN, contact Bryan Harrison, senior manager of councils, or visit the website www.sema.org/ettn.