BLOC ‘Shaping the Future’
The ‘Shaping the Future’ National Conference marked a significant milestone for BLOC, as we welcomed over 350 members and key partners at The Crowne Plaza, Stratford-upon-Avon, on 18th June.
BLOC’s National Conference brought together the BLOC Community for a day dedicated to collaboration, innovation, and business growth.
As the first conference since the merger of Office Friendly and Integra, this event provided attendees with the opportunity to connect with peers, share ideas, and gain valuable insight from industry-focused sessions.
BLOC, MD Jeanette Caswell opened the conference giving an overview of the industry, and how BLOC is shaping the future for its members followed by bestselling author and professor of organisational behaviour, Damian Hughes, who shared practical lessons from elite performers in sport and business on building successful teams, leading change, and creating high-performance cultures.
The supplier exhibition was a key highlight enabling members to engage directly with industry experts from leading brands and explore new products, services, and opportunities to support future growth.
The conference concluded with an evening of celebrations, providing delegates with the opportunity to continue networking and strengthen relationships in a relaxed and enjoyable setting.
KEYNOTE SESSIONS
BLOC – Shaping the Future, Jeanette Caswell, Managing Director, BLOC Group
Opening the conference, Jeanette Caswell welcomed delegates and reflected on the organisation’s growth and development since the formation of the group.
Jeanette shared an update on BLOC’s continued progress, highlighting the expansion of the team to more than 30 colleagues and reinforcing the organisation’s commitment to supporting members through an increasingly challenging and evolving marketplace. She spoke about the strength of the BLOC community and the value of collaboration, partner engagement and shared opportunity in helping members achieve sustainable growth.
Delegates were given an overview of the wide range of support available through BLOC and outlined how these services are designed to help members strengthen their businesses, identify new opportunities and adapt to changing customer demands.
Highlighting key developments across the group and wider industry, Jeanette encouraged members to embrace innovation, take advantage of the resources available to them and continue working together to shape the future of the independent dealer channel.
Her presentation set the tone for the day ahead, centred on learning, collaboration and sharing ideas to support long-term business success.
Future-Focused High Performance, Damian Hughes, Guest Speaker
Guest speaker Damian Hughes delivered an engaging and thought-provoking session exploring the mindset and behaviours that drive high performance in both sport and business.
Drawing on lessons from elite performers and successful organisations, Damian challenged delegates to consider how they approach growth, change and ambition within their own businesses. He explored the difference between the ‘miracle question’ - focusing on an ideal future outcome - and the ‘exception question’, which encourages individuals and teams to identify what is already working well and build upon existing strengths.
A key theme throughout the presentation was the journey from aspiration to achievement. Using his ‘Stages of a Dream’ framework, Damian outlined the five phases of success: Dream, Leap, Fight, Climb and Arrive. He explained how every successful individual, team and organisation experience challenges and setbacks along the way, but those who remain focused on their goals and continue to adapt are best positioned to succeed.
Combining practical insights with real-world examples, Damian encouraged delegates to reflect on their own ambitions and consider how a strong culture, clear purpose and consistent behaviours can help drive long-term success.
Thank & Close, Aidan McDonough, Chairman, BLOC Group
Closing the morning keynote sessions, BLOC Group Chairman Aidan McDonough looked ahead to the rest of the day, encouraging delegates to make the most of the opportunities available through the supplier exhibition and business sessions.
Highlighting the value of connecting with supplier partners, like-minded businesses and the wider BLOC team, Aidan reinforced the importance of collaboration, relationship building and sharing ideas to support future growth and success.
BUSINESS SESSIONS
‘Shaping the Future’ Panel
Hosted by: Steve Hilleard, CEO, OPI and Publisher, Workplace360
Panellists:
- Andrew Stacey, Consultant, Staceway Ltd.
- Chris Sellars, Director & Head of Corporate Finance, Hentons.
- Elizabeth Stevenson, Strategic Director, ACS Group Ltd.
- Patrick Donnelly, Founder of EvolutionX, CEO of Donnelly Dynamics & Host of The Roundtable Rethink Podcast.
- Max Walkington, Operations Director, BPIF Training.
Hosted by Steve Hilleard, the ‘Shaping the Future’ panel brought together industry experts to explore the opportunities and challenges facing businesses across the workplace products sector.
The discussion covered a range of topics, including business growth strategies, mergers and acquisitions, diversification, workforce development and the growing role of AI. Panellists highlighted the importance of building resilient businesses through strong data, recurring revenue streams, diverse product portfolios and a clear understanding of customer needs.
Artificial intelligence was a key theme throughout the session, with discussion centred on its practical application within businesses. Rather than replacing people, panellists agreed that AI offers significant opportunities to improve efficiency, automate routine tasks and support better decision-making, while maintaining the human relationships that remain critical to business success.
The panel also explored the importance of attracting and developing future talent, embracing innovation and creating business cultures that support continuous learning. One panellist encouraged businesses to “bring young people into the business to challenge and improve existing practices”, highlighting the value of combining fresh perspectives with industry experience to drive future success.
Set For Marketing Success, Alicia Torres, Senior Marketing Leader, Force24
Alicia Torres explored how businesses can improve marketing performance by gaining a deeper understanding of their customers and using that insight to deliver more relevant, personalised communications.
Highlighting the growing importance of data profiling, Alicia demonstrated how businesses can move beyond basic customer information to build a clearer picture of their audience. By capturing and analysing data such as industry, company size, job role and buying behaviour, organisations can create targeted campaigns that resonate more effectively with specific customer groups.
Using real-world examples, Alicia showcased how leading brands use customer data to react quickly to trends and deliver highly relevant content to carefully segmented audiences. She also shared research highlighting the impact of personalised communications on engagement and conversion, encouraging delegates to identify gaps in their customer data and develop campaigns that help build more complete audience profiles.
The session concluded with an interactive workshop, where delegates worked in groups to critique a series of marketing emails, discussing what captured attention, what could be improved and how businesses can create more effective customer journeys through better content, personalisation and automation.
Ignite Your Sales, Gary Naphtali, Managing Director, Sales Perfect
Gary Naphtali delivered a practical and engaging session focused on driving sales growth in an increasingly competitive and complex marketplace.
Exploring how buyer behaviours continue to evolve, Gary reinforced that while technology and sales channels may change, the foundations of successful selling remain the same: building relationships, creating value and maintaining consistency. Delegates were encouraged to focus on educating prospective customers and providing meaningful insights, rather than leading with a traditional sales pitch.
The session highlighted the importance of creating customer-focused conversations, understanding individual business challenges and building credibility through confidence and expertise. Gary also discussed the value of persistence, sharing that meaningful engagement with new prospects often requires multiple touchpoints before a relationship begins to develop.
LinkedIn was highlighted as a powerful tool for researching prospects, identifying common ground and personalising sales conversations, while delegates were encouraged to broaden their approach to stakeholder engagement by recognising the influence of multiple contacts across an organisation.
Providing practical strategies and actionable advice, the session gave attendees valuable insight into how they can strengthen customer relationships, improve sales effectiveness and drive sustainable business growth.
The Future of Sourcing & Buying for Success, Simon McLoughlin, B2B Product Consultancy
Simon McLoughlin led a highly relevant discussion on the challenges and opportunities facing purchasing teams in today’s market, drawing on his extensive experience in B2B procurement.
The session explored several common issues currently impacting independent dealers, including supply chain disruption, ongoing supplier price increases, product availability challenges and increasing competition from online retailers. Delegates shared their own experiences and discussed the practical steps being taken to protect margins, improve availability and remain competitive.
Simon encouraged attendees to take a proactive approach to supplier management, highlighting the importance of building strong supplier relationships, monitoring pricing trends and regularly reviewing sourcing strategies. He also discussed the value of diversifying supply options, identifying new supplier opportunities and making use of tools and resources available through the wider BLOC network.
The session provided valuable insight into how purchasing teams can strengthen resilience, improve competitiveness and support long-term business growth in an increasingly challenging procurement landscape.
‘SHAPING THE FUTURE’ SUPPLIER EXHIBITION
The ‘Shaping the Future’ supplier exhibition formed the centrepiece of the conference, bringing together over 80 of BLOC’s key supplier and service partners under one roof.
Throughout the afternoon, delegates had the opportunity to engage directly with leading brands, explore innovative workplace solutions and discover new opportunities to support business growth. Discussions centred on emerging product categories, sustainability initiatives, technology platforms and commercial strategies, providing practical ideas and solutions that members could take back to their businesses. New leads were generated, opportunities explored, and deals agreed upon throughout the exhibition, demonstrating the value of bringing members and suppliers together face-to-face.
The exhibition also provided valuable networking opportunities, enabling members, suppliers and the wider BLOC team to strengthen relationships, share insights and discuss future opportunities in a collaborative environment.
Meanwhile, the BLOC team were on hand to showcase the new BLOCHUB platform as well as discussing the Initiative brand and extensive range of services available to support members across strategy, marketing, purchasing, sustainability, finance, technology, training and business growth.
RIVER AVON BOAT TRIPS
Providing a welcome opportunity to step away from the heat, delegates enjoyed boat trips along the River Avon following the exhibition. The beautiful location offered a relaxed setting for members to continue conversations, build connections and take in the sights, with complimentary drinks and canapés - all courtesy of Nescafé.
BLOC CELEBRATION DINNER
Following a busy day of presentations, networking and supplier meetings, delegates came together for the BLOC Party, marking the successful launch of BLOC Group.
Guests enjoyed pre-dinner drinks in the sunshine on the riverside terrace, a three-course meal and the opportunity to continue conversations in a relaxed and vibrant atmosphere.
A highlight of the night was a toast to the late Paul Nicholson, Director of Commercial, recognising his contribution to Office Friendly, the independent dealer channel and industry as a whole.
Entertainment began with an energetic performance from world renowned drumming group, Spark!, followed by BLOCeoke, which saw delegates split into teams for a sing along to ‘Freed From Desire’ and everyone’s guilty pleasure ‘I Want It That Way’, creating plenty of laughter and friendly competition. As a finale, guests were entertained by laser and LED violinist, Lumina, performing a selection of popular tracks combined with mesmerising lighting effects, before finishing off the evening with a live band, great company and a fantastic atmosphere.
SPONSORING PARTNERS
BLOC Group would like to extend its sincere thanks to all sponsoring partners for their support in making the conference a success. Special thanks go to headline sponsors Antalis and VOW, for their additional support.
THANK YOU
BLOC Group would like to thank all members, supplier partners, and speakers who helped make the National Conference such a success. The enthusiasm, engagement and support shown throughout the event demonstrated the strength of the BLOC community and its shared commitment to shaping the future together.
We look forward to building on this momentum and welcoming everyone back for another conference in the future.
