The answer is a lot and nothing at all.

By Steve Moran

The answer is a lot and nothing at all.

I spent all of last week in New York City, meeting with a bunch of senior living leaders and folks I do business with. One of those meetings was with Michael Owens of influence group, the new kid on the block when it comes to C-level executive senior living conferences. Their first Senior Living Innovation Forum took place last Fall at the new Jimmy Buffett resort in Florida, bringing together a high-level group of providers and suppliers.

This year the Forum is heading to Napa Valley from June 5-7. It will be hosted at the fabled Silverado Resort, but will also include functions at Francis Ford Coppola’s Inglenook Estate and Franciscan Estate Winery, providing memorable opportunities to socialize and network.

Unique Content

The big challenge for any event producer is to provide powerful content that leaders can’t get anyplace else. That’s where Airbnb comes into the equation. Chip Conley, Founder of Joie de Vivre hotels and current Head of Global Hospitality & Strategy, will be a keynote speaker sharing lessons learned from building the largest collection of boutique hotels as well as what it means to be a modern elder today. Playing to the retreat style format of the Forum, Chip’s discussion will take place outdoors in the round.

Additional speakers and “discussion leaders” include the innovative and sometimes controversial Zeke Turner, CEO of Mainstreet, Futurist Ron Galloway, and executives from Brookdale, Good Samaritan Society, Silverado, Revera, and dozens more key players yet to be announced.

Who/What Else

The purpose of the Forum is to explore innovation in senior living. But the focus is not limited to technology, the program will also explore innovation in operations, design, culture and care.

Unlike most conferences, what’s refreshing about this event is that it is limited in size and highly interactive. It’s actually structured more like a retreat than a conference. No death by powerpoint . . . or long drawn out panel discussions.

Not For Everyone

This is the toughest part of writing articles like this, but this event is not for everyone. The content . . . really the whole experience . . . is very specifically crafted to meet the needs of C-suite executives in senior living organizations that serve at least 500 seniors. It is a chance for those executives to collaborate and build relationships with their peers and also be exposed to new suppliers and service providers.

If you qualify and would like an invite click HERE.

Finally, if you are a supplier or service provider selling into the seniors housing space, this event offers a unique opportunity to interact with a select group of senior living leaders in a relaxed professional setting.

This highlight video from the 2015 Forum does a nice job of showcasing the vibe of the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aGG8AAkNoU.