We’re back, baby! Chauffeur Driven (CD) and the National Limousine Association (NLA) return to the MGM Grand in Las Vegas from March 3-6 for what we anticipate will be our biggest international show ever. Around 2,300 attendees joined us in Vegas last year—our largest show to date—and based on feedback we’re getting from our industry partners and friends (and registration numbers!), this promises to be an even grander experience. Special thanks to Title Sponsor Volvo for their part in making this all possible. We appreciate their unwavering support of the industry as well as the CD/NLA Show!
To attract a varied assembly of the most ambitious and brightest operators in the world, the appeal of the CD/NLA Show can largely be boiled down to three tenets—education, networking, and fun—as well as a massive show floor. You’ll be exposed to a global network of operators who want to share business and great ideas with you, not to mention dozens of vendors and OEMs who are offering the latest and greatest for our industry needs in our packed exhibit hall. On the education front, our CD/NLA Education Committee—co-chaired by Jason Sharenow of Broadway Elite Worldwide and Karl Guenther of Statement Limousine—is working hard to produce a docket of sessions and roundtables designed to bring you top-tier learning opportunities, professional development, and ROI that you can instantly apply to your business, and we always promise incredible after-hours events to keep the conversations flowing into the wee hours. Special thanks to Education Sponsor Driving Transactions and Coffee Sponsor Buffalo Limousine.
We knew big things were afoot when the show floor—our largest in years—sold out before the New Year arrived. To meet the demand and anticipation, we’re pleased to announce that we’ve extended show floor hours on Monday and Tuesday to give you plenty of time to mingle and experience all the industry’s leading tech providers, suppliers, and, of course, manufacturers. (Plus, don’t forget lunch; Monday’s is sponsored by Titus Leasing.) We’re excited to present our largest selection of OEMs and dealers displaying, including stalwarts such as Volvo, BMW, Cadillac, Ford-Lincoln, Mercedes-Benz, and Infiniti, as well as EV companies new to our market like Lucid and Rivian. We’re also thrilled to offer an array of vans, cutaways, and motorcoaches from the industry’s leading manufacturers and dealers. You can see the full list of exhibitors on our website (cdnlavegas.com).
At our most recent CD/NLA Show in Orlando last October, we offered a packed schedule of educational sessions and programming—and much of that was standing room only. You can bet that Vegas will afford you the same learning opportunities throughout our four show days. While our lineup has yet to be cemented, we’ve got 11 different sessions and roundtables that will touch on the hottest topics related to our industry. We’re kicking things off on Sunday with a session on cyber security that focuses on common online threats for small businesses. This is followed by an advanced operator session geared for midsize to larger operators as well as those looking to take that next leap. Next, join presenter Matt Daus of Windels Marx for a seminar on succession and estate planning, a topic that impacts everyone regardless of your company size and how long you’ve been in business. On Monday, we start things off with a retail operator session geared towards small to mid-size operators, and those who want to expand their retail footprint, followed by an FMCSA update. Concurrent to our regulatory session, we’re thrilled to present our first internationally focused programming in several years. This panel discussion will address affiliate work overseas and the nuances of doing business with international companies. Tuesday’s education begins with an EV/sustainability panel, followed by a session on DIY marketing, which will offer tips, tricks, and shortcuts to reach your audience and promote your brand. Are you having difficulty managing a work-life balance in our 24-7 industry? So, join us on Wednesday for a wellness session that will give you tips on having a healthy trio of mind-body-spirit and how it can help your business. Finally, we’re pleased to close things out with a tech-related roundtable that will present ways to use the latest innovation to become more efficient and profitable. Moderators will share and lead, while attendees offer their two cents for an engaging give-and-take discussion.
“The educational content of the CD/NLA Show just gets better and better each and every year. Regardless of how long you’ve been in the industry, you will continue to learn and, therefore, grow session by session,” says Len Joseph of On The Town Limousines.
“This was just what the doctor ordered as we came away from this show with new ideas, knowledge, new connections, and an invigorating spark. Can’t wait to implement the many takeaways into our organization and look forward to the next CD/NLA Show,” says Dean Williams of Gem Limousine Service.
While we realize that our educational programming attracts operators large and small, we also understand that networking opportunities are invaluable to our attendees at all levels of their careers. Whether it’s a dedicated event like our Affiliate Central Global Partner Forum (sponsored by Volvo), the Women in the Industry Breakfast, or informal meet-and-greets over meals and drinks, operators love to mingle and develop new partnerships and friendships—and there are plenty of opportunities on our schedule to get to know your colleagues and catch up with lifelong friends.
“Thank you to the CD/NLA team for an amazing industry convention. Great educational seminars, wonderful networking and we love connecting with old and new industry friends and affiliates,” says Nancy Vargas of DH2 Transportation.
Seasoned CD/NLA Show attendees know that the Affiliate Central Global Partner Forum is a perennial hit, and one of the most popular and well-received events at our fall show. Operators from around the globe literally line up to be the first to have valuable one-on-one time with owners, affiliate managers, and key decision-makers from all major markets, both in the US and internationally. After all, networking with your peers is one of the top reasons you attend the shows. At our Orlando. show, Affiliate Central was positively electric, with close to 1,000 attendees bouncing from table to table to meet new potential partners. Affiliate Central is right now on track to be our largest ever with between 80 and 90 global companies displaying—that’s like attending two shows for the price of one! “Great show! Vibrant and exciting! Valuable networking and educational sessions, I really took a lot of incredible information back home,” says Chris Casteel of Prestige Limousines.
There’s no denying that the CD/NLA Show is truly a global affair, attracting operators from every continent short of Antarctica. And with Vegas being a wildly popular destination for visitors from outside of the US, many of our friends from around the world are excited about our lineup of events tailored specifically for global operators. We’re thrilled to bring back our International Meet & Greet, which remains one of the best-attended events on our docket. The casual yet semi-structured setting is the perfect way to mingle with like-minded operators from across the pond—whatever pond that may be.
“An exceptional event with great presentations with quality content—and an incredible group of people attending. A lot of good business will be done as a result of these relationships,” says Vince Robinson of RCS of London.
Will this year’s event be your first show? We’re all intimately familiar with the excitement, anxiety, and overwhelming feelings that envelope you when you’re a newbie, so we’re here to help with our First-Timers’ Event. We’ll start with a brief orientation on Sunday, March 3, where you and your fellow first-timers will be paired with an industry professional who can make recommendations for the best sessions to attend, people to meet, and any other confusion you have about the show. You can always reach out to anyone on the CD or NLA teams for more assistance, but we take it one step further. Lifelong friendships and business relationships often start at our shows, so you’ll know at least a few people who can lend a hand after attending our orientation. All you have to do is concentrate on your investment in attending the show.
“As a new operator, I came to the show not knowing what to expect and had neutral expectations. Within one day, I immediately realized the show was everything I was looking for and more as a new operator. Not only did I get the education I was seeking, but my opportunities to network with operators from all over the world blew my expectations out of the water,” raves Patrick McKenna of Bing Mountain Luxury Transportation.
“As a first-timer to the show, I felt very welcomed and everyone was friendly. I met fantastic people and made connections that will be very helpful to our business,” says Nancy Plante of Executive Express
After a long first day of education and networking, you will want to join us for our Sunday Night Opening Night Reception on the show floor for tons of delicious appetizers, open bar, music, entertainment, and an advance look at all the vendors, services, and products offered. On Monday night, join sponsors ANB Trans, Centennial Worldwide Transportation, and Crown Worldwide Transportation for a battle of the decades, as we host an ’80s vs. ’90s theme party you won’t forget. Were big hair and neon your jam, or were you about oversized flannel or baby tees? Capture the signature looks from those two unforgettable eras as you dance to a soundtrack that represents those bygone eras. Count on hearing new wave, grunge, hip-hop, and memorable pop classics from a live band while noshing on light fare and endless drinks and posing for photo ops.
What’s more, we’re extremely excited to announce our first-ever CD Advertiser Meet & Greet, being held Tuesday, March 5, right after the show floor closes at 5:15. This will be an invite-only event, specifically for advertisers of Chauffeur Driven (both in the Affiliate Central Directory and within the pages of the magazine). It’ll be a casual atmosphere of networking with friends old and new as well as several special guests from the biggest networks and companies in the industry, who will be there to meet new operators and make fresh connections with other advertisers—as well as share their knowledge and even answer questions. This special debut event will give our advertisers a unique opportunity to rub elbows, swap ideas, and perhaps even share a cocktail with some of the most influential players in this space. We’re proud to include representatives and decision-makers from EmpireCLS Worldwide, Dav El/BostonCoach, Commonwealth Worldwide, Leros Point to Point, BLS, Music Express, and Fortis Riders, with more to be announced. We’ve strategically scheduled it so that people can continue the conversations or break away for dinner or other plans they may have directly following the event. It’s a small token of appreciation and a way for us to say thank you to everyone who supports us through advertising—whether it’s in the magazine, our e-newsletter, or website, as well as through affiliate sponsorships or tables at Affiliate Central.
“Absolutely amazing show! There were so many new people along with familiar faces. The education was on point, and the get-togethers were epic,” says Anthony Asaro of Desert Rose Transportation.
Ready to join us in Vegas? What are you waiting for? Head on over to cdnlavegas.com to register. Don’t forget to secure your room at MGM Grand for the incredible low rate of only $152 per night. We’ll see you in Vegas! [CD0124]