RES’25 Begins: Where Strategic Relationships Meet What’s Next…

Day One of the Next-Up Leadership Development Program set the tone for what leadership evolution truly looks like. Surrounded by the charm of Julep Farms, participants spent the day connecting with peers and discovering new dimensions of themselves through the HBDI® assessment. The conversations were authentic, the self-awareness was real, and the outcomes were actionable—culminating in each participant crafting a 30-60-90 Day Personal Action Plan and defining their unique Leadership Brand. It was more than a kickoff; it was the start of a transformation.

From Dean Nolley’s powerful insights on Scaling Sales: Building a Process for Predictable Growth to Michael Boyd’s masterclass on Customer-Centricity, every session pushed leaders to think bigger and lead smarter. The group also dove into the principles of Relationship Economics®, reframing how they view the currency of their connections. The day closed with Eric McCarthey’s compelling talk, From the Boardroom to the Bottom Line: What Rising Leaders Must Know.

For those who couldn’t join us this year, consider this your reminder: the best leadership growth doesn’t just happen—it’s built, together, in places like this. RES’26 Next-Up Leadership Program will be held October 12-14, 2026.

The Revenues, Relationships, and AI (RRA) series has grown into a powerful platform for leaders of professional service firms to redefine how relationship intelligence drives growth.

At our breakfasts in Atlanta and New York, along with virtual sessions in September, hundreds of leaders explored what’s truly hindering mid-market growth—excessive superficial connections, fragmented networks, and a lack of contextual relevance in how firms engage clients.

Using insights from over $48 billion in revenue data, 655,000 opportunities, and 2,000 CRO interviews, Avnir helps organizations shift from focusing on quantity to emphasizing quality, creating relationship-centric, AI-powered growth models.

As we approach 2026, join us for the continuation of this discussion through our Spring ’26 virtual and in-person breakfast series, where we will examine unique revenues, relationships, and actionable AI insights to fuel intelligent and profitable growth in uncertain markets.

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Your SKO is not a pep rally. It’s your change-management kickoff. The difference? Whether your sellers leave with energy—or with execution clarity. After two decades of planning, speaking at, and advising on hundreds of SKOs worldwide, Nour has seen one truth repeated: an SKO is not an event—it’s a strategic catalyst.

When designed well, it aligns executives, empowers managers, elevates customer voices, and equips your sellers with the clarity and conviction to execute. When designed poorly, it becomes a morale boost with no measurable return.

That’s why we’ve built The Ultimate SKO Checklist—a proven framework to ensure your next kickoff drives results well beyond the ballroom. From pre-planning to post-event reinforcement, it’s packed with the foundational steps and advanced best practices I’ve seen separate “feel-good rallies” from genuine business accelerators.

If you’re a CRO, CMO, or CEO planning your 2026 SKO, this resource will help you transform it from a cost center into a force multiplier.

Are You SKO’26 Ready?

The right keynote at your upcoming Sales Kickoff (SKO) can align your team, set the tone for the year, and drive measurable results. For more than 20 years, Nour has equipped global leaders at Disney, Cisco, Deloitte, Hilton, and IBM with his proven Relationship Economics® frameworks to fuel growth. Delivering 50+ keynotes annually across industries and continents, he brings custom design, sales alignment, and leadership expertise to every stage.

Your 2026 SKO needs more than just motivation. It deserves a catalyst! Nour can help turn strategy into action, helping sales teams build the lasting, profitable relationships that sustain performance.