The Best Yet: TAB’s International Conference in New Orleans

If you’re looking for a boost to your business batteries, we may have found the ultimate combination.

Bring together a hundred passionate people from across the globe. Give them the chance to talk about what they love most (helping business owners succeed). And then, to keep the energy flowing, host it in New Orleans, a city that practically demands you burn the candle at both ends.

The result? An international conference that recharged, refocused, and reminded us why TAB is such a unique community.

So why was this year’s event so special?

The energy: When you put TAB people together in a room, something magical happens. There is optimism, drive, and a collective determination to keep improving what we do for the business owners we serve.

The confidence: Across the conference, there was a clear sense that TAB is in a fantastic place right now. As Jason Zickerman, our Worldwide CEO, said:

“No matter where you are in your business ownership journey, TAB has a program to help you excel… Because we know that success isn’t one-size-fits-all. And that’s what makes this work so exciting.”

Our expanded suite of products and services, from peer boards and coaching to leadership development and support for navigating AI, is perfectly aligned with the challenges business owners are facing today.

The vision: Conversations looked ahead to the next two years and beyond. Strengthening our international community is firmly on the agenda, and the plans are exciting.

The leadership: Our global leadership team takes the opportunity to meet in person twice a year, and New Orleans was one of those occasions. We do not always agree on how, but we almost always agree on why. That spirit of respectful debate ensures we reach the best outcomes, even if we have to navigate the occasional “messy middle.”

Mags Fuller captured the spirit of the week perfectly:

“Being in a room with people who were literally two weeks into their TAB journey and some who were receiving recognition for their 20th year is incredible! We’re all at different stages (8 years for me) but can, and did, learn so much from each other.

‘Why do you have to attend conference to meet up with people when you can connect on Zoom?’ Zoom doesn’t bring you the late night in the bar, or laughter on a walking tour, or alligators!! For me, the conversations in and around the actual agenda are where the magic happens.”

The week also brought some wonderful recognition for TAB UK. As Ed put it:

“At our international awards night on Tuesday, the 100% wonderful Mags Fuller and I were presented with an award that hasn’t been presented to anyone in TAB globally since pre-COVID; the Chairman’s Award. I’m definitely too squeamish to get into some of the words that Jason Zickerman used in his incredibly kind speech, but we were bowled over by every element of it.”

This award is as much about the wider TAB UK team as it is about individuals.

As Ed added:

“A huge thanks to our incredible The Alternative Board (UK) team of franchisees and HQ support. We couldn’t do any of it without you bunch of absolute superstars.”

In short, it really was the best TAB international conference we have attended, full of energy, insight, and ambition. We return home re-energised and excited about the future, and proud to be part of a global organisation making such a real difference for business owners.

And if you are inspired by the idea of being part of that journey, there has never been a better time to join TAB. Becoming a TAB franchisee means building your own business while helping others grow theirs, backed by the strength of a proven global brand and a supportive community. If you want to combine commercial success with real purpose, we would love to talk to you.