1. Why is the SIMA Super Summit especially important for the surf industry right now?
The surf industry is navigating significant change. Consumer behavior is shifting, retailers and brands are rethinking how they operate, AI is rapidly changing the business landscape, and every organization is being challenged to grow without losing the authenticity that makes surf culture special.

The summit is also where we can address those challenges and opportunities together. To bring leaders, retailers, and athletes together around topics that inform decisions is something we can all benefit from.

And this is not about sitting through abstract presentations. It is about gaining practical ideas, hearing honest perspectives, and having the conversations that can help move both individual businesses and the broader industry forward. Especially as we find ourselves less than 2 years away from the Olympics

2. What speakers and conversations will attendees experience this year?
We have intentionally built an agenda that examines leadership and growth from several different angles.

Tilly’s CEO Nate Smith will join Tiffany Montgomery of Shop Eat Surf Outdoor for “From SEAL to CEO.” Nate brings a rare combination of military leadership, wholesale brand experience and retail insight. He will discuss leading teams through disruption, what brands need to understand about retailers, and how the industry can connect with the next generation of shoppers.

Our keynote speaker, Brad Steward, will address “Growing Without Losing What Makes Us Different.” Brad has spent four decades building and disrupting businesses, including Bonfire, Salomon Snowboards and Caravan Outpost. He will explore how surf companies can welcome new audiences and create new revenue while protecting the culture that gives the industry its meaning.

Riley Stricklin, co-founder and chief strategy officer of Cadre AI, will move the AI conversation beyond hype. He’ll examine where businesses are seeing measurable results, what effective organizations are doing differently, and where leadership teams should focus next.

The agenda also includes a retail discussion led by Orange County Register reporter Laylan Connelly with Robert Howson of Harbour Surfboards and Dickie O’Reilly of Spyder Surf Shop; a spotlight on El Salvador’s use of surfing as an economic-development strategy; the State of the Surf Industry with key leaders; and an intimate conversation with surf-industry pioneer Dick Metz.

3. Why should a company bring a team instead of sending only its CEO or founder?
The greatest value comes when the ideas leave the room and make their way into the business. When several people from an organization attend, they hear the same insights but interpret them through different responsibilities, leadership, retail, sales, marketing, operations or culture.

That creates a shared reference point. Instead of one person returning and trying to summarize an entire day, the team can immediately discuss what matters, identify opportunities and decide what to put into action.

It is also an opportunity to invest in emerging leaders. Giving team members access to experienced executives, retailers, entrepreneurs and athletes can expand how they think about leadership and the industry. We want companies to leave with more capable, connected and energized teams, not simply a notebook full of ideas.

4. What will make this Summit different from a traditional business conference?
Surfing has always been built through relationships, shared experiences and a strong sense of culture. We designed the Summit around those qualities.

The program runs from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., with breakfast, lunch, happy hour and dinner included. That gives attendees time not only to learn but also to reconnect, meet potential partners and have the informal conversations where many of the best ideas begin.

We’re also taking lunch outside the theater for a walking experience connecting surfing’s past and future. Attendees will visit the legendary Hobie Surf Shop and the newly opened Surfing Heritage & Culture Center. Later, Dick Metz will share the stories, risks and innovations that helped turn surfing from a lifestyle into a global industry.

The day combines business intelligence, leadership development, cultural grounding and meaningful relationship-building. That mix is what makes the Summit distinctly ours.

5. What do you hope attendees, and the industry, take away from the day?
We want every attendee to leave with at least one idea they can put to work immediately, several new relationships they can continue developing and a clearer view of where the industry is going.

At a broader level, we want the Summit to strengthen our willingness to work together. Brands, retailers and other stakeholders may occupy different parts of the marketplace, but many of the challenges and opportunities in front of us are shared. We make better decisions when we exchange information honestly and listen to perspectives beyond our own organizations.

If you work in surf or a business connected to this culture, you should be in the room. Bring the people on your team who will help turn insight into action. The SIMA Super Summit is a direct investment in their development, your business, and the future of the surf industry.

When: Tuesday Sept 22, 8:30AM to 8:00PM
Where: Rivian South Coast Theater in Laguna Beach.
Agenda and Registration: surfindustry.org/pages/sima-super-summit-agenda