DFW REA Presents: The Innovation Playbook

In today’s hyper-competitive retail landscape, new products launch every day—but only a fraction capture customer attention and generate meaningful sales. What’s the difference between the winners and the flops? It’s not luck—it’s process, insight, and execution.

Join Sembe Cole, Center Store Merchandising at 7-Eleven, for an inside look at how the world’s largest convenience retailer evaluates, tests, and scales new product innovations. Sponsored by 7-Eleven, this program will reveal the strategies that separate the category leaders from the also-rans, helping you build an innovation playbook that keeps pace with shifting consumer demands and retail realities.

From central location testing and data-driven merchandising to speed-to-market strategies and vendor collaboration, this session will arm you with tools to make better decisions, reduce risk, and maximize ROI on your next big idea.

Key Takeaways

By attending this event, you will learn:

• The Innovation Filter – How to spot which products have the potential to win big—and which don’t.
• Testing That Works – Best practices in central location testing and other methods for de-risking launches.
• Consumer-Centric Design – How to align new products with customer needs and market timing.
• Scaling Smart – Strategies to take a product from pilot to shelf with speed and precision.
• Lessons from 7-Eleven – Real-world examples of how the convenience giant evaluates and executes innovation.

Location:

SMU Collins Center (Auditorium) 3150 Binkley Ave., Dallas, TX 75205

Parking across the street at the Binkley Garage, free to attendees

Map included at the bottom of this page.

Parking access granted after registration.

Cost:

DFWREA Members - INCLUDED with Membership. Pre-registration Required,

Become a member to save over 35% on the entire year's worth of events!

Non-Members $65

Students FREE (registration required, present student ID at check-in)

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS!

7-Eleven

Reap Commerce

2026 Events Calendar:

Wednesday, September 17, 2025

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Wednesday, October 15, 2025

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Wednesday, November 19, 2025

“Retailtainment: Why Your Store Needs to Feel More Like Fun and Less Like a Store”

Wednesday, January 28, 2026

“Is Loyalty Dead? The Brutal Truth About Customer Retention in 2025”

Wednesday, February 18, 2026

“The Innovation Playbook: What Separates Products That Fly Off Shelves from Those That Flop”

Wednesday, April 15, 2026

"From Aisles to Alarms: The Battle Against Retail Crime"

Info: Complimentary cocktails and hors d'oeuvres included with ticket price.

Host or Publisher Dallas/Fort Worth Retail Executives Association