Proforma (asi/300094), a Top 40 promotional products distributorship, hosted its Elevate 2020 Annual Kick-Off Meeting in Las Vegas earlier this month. Proforma affiliate owners, preferred suppliers and what the firm characterized as “VIP prospects” attended the event, which included talks from Apple Co-Founder Steve Wozniak and Brian Moran, bestselling author of The 12 Week Year. In all, about 1,000 people attended the conference.

“The Elevate 2020 Annual Kick-Off Meeting was a great success,” said Proforma CEO Vera Muzzillo.

Brian Moran speaks at Elevate.

Elevate began with Proforma Chief Technology Officer Brian Carothers hosting an interview chat with Wozniak, who  shared stories about Apple, his love for practical jokes and his affinity for promotional products. He also praised Proforma’s new business management technology platform, ProVision. “I have always said that, ‘Wherever smart people work, doors are unlocked,’” Wozniak said. “Clearly, Proforma has an abundance of smart people behind their technology.”

Meanwhile, Moran ran an intense workshop to teach the principles and techniques behind his strategy to get more done in 12 weeks than others do in 12 months. “The Brian Moran session was one of the best I've ever attended at a Proforma event,” said Brenda Angelini, co-owner of Proforma Angelini + Diamond Solutions in Cypress, TX. “The 12 Week Year really drills down your goals, tactics and steps, which allow you to see where the holes are in your business.”

Elevate also provided additional education sessions and networking opportunities. The forums aimed to help Proforma pros formulate their business success plans for 2020. “I loved the Supplier Roundtable Luncheon,” said Sherry Kennedy, co-owner of Proforma A-Z Specialties in Duncanville, TX. “Nothing is more beneficial to my business than spending time building relationships with our supplier partners.”

With reported 2018 North American promotional product revenue of $378.8 million, Proforma ranked sixth on Counselor’s latest list of the largest distributors in the promotional products industry.