Rocklin, CA – This October, the Association of Golf Merchandisers (AGM) continues its commitment to practical, relevant education with a webinar lineup designed to support both professional growth and retail success. From managing the demands of emotional labor and building a strong personal brand to creating a custom AI assistant, maximizing holiday sell-through, and approaching vendor meetings more strategically, this month’s sessions address the many skills today’s golf retail professionals need to succeed.
Attendees will gain practical tools for navigating high-pressure situations, communicating their professional value, using AI to improve efficiency and customer service, turning fourth-quarter performance into smarter decisions for 2027, and making vendor appointments more productive and strategic. Together, these sessions offer a well-rounded mix of personal development, technology, career growth, and retail strategy to help golf retail professionals strengthen their performance today while preparing for what comes next.
The upcoming webinars are complimentary for AGM members and registration for non-members is available for $25 per session. As part of AGM’s commitment to continuous education and professional development, PGA members are eligible for 1 education credit for each webinar, while LPGA members can earn 2 credits of education per webinar. PGA of Canada Class ‘A’ members eligible for credit toward the Golf Operations Specialization: live attendees will receive 1 credit for a 1-hour webinar.
October Webinars:
Giving Your Best Requires Being Your Best – Delivering Excellent Work Without Paying for It Yourself – Megan Alves
Date: Monday, October 5, 2026
Time: 4:00 PM EST / 1:00 PM PST
Presenter: Megan Alves, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Description: Every job asks people to manage how they come across, no matter what they’re feeling underneath; staying patient with a frustrated client, keeping an even tone in a tense meeting, or reassuring someone who’s upset while carrying their own stress. Psychologists call that effort emotional labor, and some workplaces never teach people how to do it and some adults forget how to use the tools during the busy seasons. In this seminar, Megan Alves reframes what excellent work truly requires: not simply giving your best, but protecting what allows you to give your best. It’s a shift some people have never been taught to make, yet it directly impacts performance, engagement, communication, and resilience. When people understand how to manage emotional labor, they don’t just feel better, they perform better, especially when the pressure is highest.
Key Takeaways:
- Understand what’s driving exhaustion—not just stress—and why emotional labor takes such a toll
- Respond instead of react when pressure, conflict, or difficult people show up
- Prepare for hard conversations, demanding days, and high-stakes moments with a practical tool they can use immediately
Registration: https://pci.jotform.com/form/262116664081151
Build Your Brand Blueprint from Work to Worth: Turning Experience into a Brand – Lauren Roeder
Date: Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Time: 4:00 PM EST / 1:00 PM PST
Presenter: Lauren Roeder, Owner/Designer of Club Design Pro
Description This course delivers a clear, step-by-step approach to building a strong personal brand that communicates excellence. You will learn to leverage employee-generated content and platforms like LinkedIn to showcase your impact, and create cohesive supporting documents, portfolio and resume, that present your value with clarity. Leave with practical tools that strengthen credibility and help you secure interviews for the roles you want.
Key Takeaways:
- Build a strong personal brand by identifying your unique value, communicating your expertise with confidence, and developing a clear strategy to position yourself for future career opportunities
- Leverage LinkedIn and employee-generated content to showcase your accomplishments, increase your professional visibility, and strengthen your credibility within the industry
- Create a cohesive career portfolio by developing a polished resume and supporting materials that effectively communicate your experience, demonstrate your impact, and help you stand out during the interview process
Registration: https://pci.jotform.com/form/262116883023150
Build Your Own AI Assistant: A Hands-On Guide for Golf Retail Pros – Brooke Sellas
Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Time: 4:00 PM EST / 1:00 PM PST
Presenters: Brooke Sellas, CEO of B Squared Media
Description: The future of customer service, inventory support, and member engagement is HERE — and it’s powered by AI. But not the scary, complicated kind. I’m talking about your own custom bot: an AI assistant built just for your golf retail operation that knows your tone, your product lines, and how to serve a customer who just snap-hooked their 7-iron and needs help now. In this session, I’ll walk you through the why, how, and wow of setting up a custom GPT — from scratch. You’ll get a step-by-step guide to creating a branded, conversational AI tool that can save time, drive more sales, and turn one-time buyers into loyal shop regulars. No code. No jargon. Just clear, practical instructions and real-world use cases built for golf retail.
Key Takeaways:
- Why every modern golf retailer should consider a custom GPT (hint: time savings + better service = more revenue per visit)
- The exact steps to set up your GPT using simple tools
- How to train it to speak your brand’s language and understand your unique inventory and services
- You’ll leave this session with the confidence (and cheat sheet) to launch your own custom GPT — aka your new MVP — without needing to be a tech wizard
Registration: https://pci.jotform.com/form/261945049941162
Maximizing Your Holiday Sell Through While Preparing for 2027 – Julie Reinhardt
Date: Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Time: 4:00 PM EST / 1:00 PM PST
Presenter: Julie Reinhardt, Founder and Principal of Brick & Mortar Retail Consulting Group
Description: The holiday season is more than your busiest time of year – it’s your biggest opportunity to shape what comes next. Let’s discuss how to move product without giving away your margins, identify what’s truly driving your sales & turn your Q4 insights into smart, strategic decisions for 2027.
Key Takeaways:
- Develop strategies to maximize holiday sell-through by balancing promotional opportunities, pricing, inventory levels, and margin protection
- Analyze Q4 performance beyond total sales to uncover which products, categories, and customer trends are truly driving results—and where inventory or margin may be at risk
- Translate Q4 insights into actionable 2027 decisions, using sales performance, inventory data, and customer behavior to inform future buying, assortment planning, and merchandising strategies
Registration: https://pci.jotform.com/form/262116965070153
The Vendor Buying Meeting Playbook: What to Bring, What to Ask, What to Secure – Jen O’Hare
Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Time: 4:00 PM EST / 1:00 PM PST
Presenter: Jen O’Hare, Founder/CEO of Belle Box Co., Strategic Retail Consultant
Description: Vendor appointments should be strategic conversations – not just order-writing sessions. This session outlines how to prepare with the right sales insights, set a clear agenda, and approach meetings with curiosity that strengthens your overall buying strategy. You’ll learn how to guide collaborative discussions, uncover high-impact opportunities, and recognize where you can gain an edge. The goal is to leave every appointment with clarity, defined next steps, and decisions that support your overall buying strategy.
Key Takeaways:
- Approach vendor appointments as strategic conversations, not just order writing
- Prepare with key sales insights to drive informed decisions
- Leave with clear decisions and defined next steps
Registration: https://pci.jotform.com/form/261945500046150
About the Association of Golf Merchandisers
The Association of Golf Merchandisers (AGM), a leading global professional organization, boasts over 900 buyers and 200 vendors committed to advancing the golf merchandising industry. Recognized for excellence, AGM aims to elevate retail standards, enhance industry relationships, and deliver continuous education. Our focus lies on key metrics, visual merchandising, promotions, and buying strategies, fostering profitable collaborations between golf retail buyers and vendors.
For more information, visit https://agmgolf.org/membership-2/
Media Contact:
For media inquiries, contact: Megan Fidler, AGM Director of Marketing – megan@agmgolf.org – 916-717-4138
