The Eighth Annual
What’s Next Boomer Business Summit

Sponsored by AARP and AARP Services, Inc.


Friday, April 29, 2011
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Parc 55 Wyndham Hotel
San Francisco, California

What's Next: Dynamics, Deals, Differentiation and Disruption

What is the WNBBS?

What’s Next Boomer Business Summit is an annual event that brings together the country’s top businesses and organizations that are thought leaders in the baby boomer marketplace. It is where deals get done.

No other conference brings together a dedicated group of professionals focused on the boomer and senior populations. Together this group of thought leaders from the non-profit sector, senior advocacy organizations, Fortune 100 companies to entrepreneurial start-ups will share their knowledge and passion for this important customer demographic.

Who Should Attend?

• Corporate brand managers and managers of businesses where boomers and seniors are the primary customers. Leaders of innovation, across industries including housing, healthcare, financial services, travel and learning, caregiving, retail, consumer goods and technology


• Designers for products and services – from I-PAD application design to interior design to web and mobile design; to service design


• Media, analysts, authors and bloggers, public relation agencies who write and blog and tweet insights and stories that reach and serve the 40+ audience


• Association and non profit leadership who want to learn best models and metrics of social entrepreneurship and business partnerships


• Entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs creating products and services for the growing boomer and beyond market


• Corporate marketing, product and brand managers and business leaders who manage products and services targeting the boomer and senior customer.


• Leaders of innovation, across industries including housing, healthcare, financial services, travel and learning, caregiving, retail, consumer goods and technology


• Brands that are targeting boomers and boomer entrepreneurs.

What is the Overall Value for Attendees?

Summit attendees can expect to walk away with introductions to an extraordinary community of talent and business decision makers. They will:

• Gain insight from real-life experience that will inform their business strategy


• Gain best-practices and strategies on how to go to market today.


• Learn how to set and move the metrics that matter.


• Develop an understanding of the technologies, causes, products and services that are transforming the baby boomer and beyond marketplace.


• Gain status as a thought leader and agile innovator in the most lucrative market space.

What Specific Topics Will be Addressed?

This year’s Summit theme is What's Next: Dynamics, Deals, Differentiation and Disruption. The agenda will explore the following topics:

Social Media
Your "go to market" strategy in 0 - 60: Discover what is working as companies launch products and services today; how does Google, Facebook, Twitter and Linked In figure into sales strategy? How are social networks used to connect customers, families and friends; Discover the landscape of business and social opportunity in the engagement and infortainment sector. What role do portals play as a context for the conversation with consumers?

Alternate Distribution
Aging in Place and technology companies pitch their products and services to referral channels, reseller channels, enterprise channels and non profit partners. There is an ecosystem of companies that can help to jumpstart an effort. Every dissonance of aging is a market opportunity; learn about Health 3.0. How are incentives used to drive healthy behavior? How can group purchasing groups influence customer adoption. How can employee channels be used to drive adoption?

Mobile, Local and Search
What are the newest trends in mobile? How is mobile being used to reach and serve the needs of diverse customers? What are the latest trends in retail? How is music being customerized? What are the trends in retail and point to point? How does online and retail dovetail? What are the trends in online learning. How are media companies integrating TV and online and mobile to serve the customer. Where does media and merchandising meet? How are the children of boomers driving media participation and consumption?

Entrepreneurship and Social Entrepreneurship
As boomers experience the new normal of the economy, they will takes steps to create a mosaic where they can earn money to finance their longevity and help secure the future of their children and grandchildren. This entrepreneur track will cover how to write a business plan, finance a company, select a franchise, build an online storefront; develop a team and the dashboard needed to measure results. Participants will gain insight into the market segments that have the most growth. All participants will get a map of opportunity and a template for a business plan. All business will also focus on social impact.There will be a panel on social entrepreneurship and the metrics that matter.

The Evolution of Design and Technology in Serving the Consumer Majority
New products and services are emerging daily for the aging in place market and their Boomer children. Entrepreneurial companies face the challenge of quickly executing their idea and going to market versus talking to consumers and designing for them. This track explores the role of design in successful product and service introductions, providing best practices, thought leadership and case studies. More than a discussion of universal design, this track focuses on the importance of aesthetics to the market, usability for the consumer, and the goals of your company.

Skate where the puck is going…
            -Walter Gretzky, father of Wayne Gretzky

The 2011 What’s Next Boomer Business Summit is affiliated with the ASA Aging in America Conference. For more information on the ASA event, click here.