2025 International Pawn Symposium

The Pawnshop Consulting Group International Pawn Symposium is getting near!

Here is our tentative schedule of the litany of presentations we have lined up, and stay tuned for the social activity update coming on the next series of blogs. 

Tentative Schedule:

As most of you know by now who have been following our blogs, our event is to be held at the World Class Atantis Resort in the Bahamas. This is a 5-Diamond luxury resort with amazing amenities for individual, families, and much more. 

The ability to relax, share, and express input and knowledge with many like minded individuals while being pampered in these types of luxurious resorts is un-parallelled in anything going on in the Pawn Industry today.

Dates are set for October 12^th – 17^th.

We have set our theme for the 2025 event as:

IN SEARCH OF KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM IN ONE OF THE MOST ANCIENT INDUSTRY’S IN THE WORLD – TREASURE TO BE FOUND IN ATLANTIS!!

We have selected this venue as it provides relatively easy access to get to from many major cities, offers world-class resort amenities, perfect for group functions, and has many extracurricular opportunities for our groups to explore and enjoy and is family friendly!

Here is a link to the venue to check out for yourself:

Atlantis Bahamas Information Link Here

The 2025 International Pawn Symposium will be limited to only 100 attendees. Space is limited!!.

We set our attendance at manageable levels so that ALL attendees have an opportunity to fully benefit from the educational and social activities that WE engineer into our events.

Attendance fees for the event itself are only $1495 per attendee. This includes all meals, educational seminars, and social functions.

You can scan the QR Code below to register directly for the event, once confirmed we will send you a passkey link to reserve your hotel room, room block is filling up quickly!

We have negotiated a room block of standard rooms at the resort of $149 + resort fees.

Current Line UP of Speakers and Presenters

Pawnshop Consulting Group is proud to be participating with Surreal Diamond as the largest grower of Lab Diamonds on the Planet. Together we have created a brand specifically for the Pawn industry and it is call “SmartGrown”! They are one of our topline sponsors, providing high-level knowledge, skills, unlimited quantities and information on the lab diamond business from the worlds’ largest lab grower today. Their participation will be coupled with a range of show specials and some treasure hunting on top of hearing it up-close and upfront from the largest producer on the planet of LGD goods!

George Prout – SmartGrown Diamonds -How to Build a Pawn-centric Lab Grown Diamond strategy that maximizes the size of the Opportunity while minimizing the Risks. George and Smartgrown Diamonds, the consumer-facing Lab Grown Diamond brand built specifically for the Pawn retail vertical will lay out a road map for where Lab currently is and where it’s going, from the perspective of the world’s largest Grower, including a step-by-step plan for capturing market share in this critical category.

Bravo Systems – Tally Mack will be presenting on a number of high-level topics — future of the industry as we know it, the next generations of technology and the benefits thereof. One of these sessions will be an open AI workshop live at the Symposium, bring your laptops!

Kevin Prochaska –Kevin has held leadership positions at some of the most prominent pawn companies in the country, Mr. Prochaska has dedicated himself to helping select individuals strategically diversify their wealth and create long-term financial security beyond their primary income sources. For the past 22 years, Mr. Prochaska has served as the CEO of Lombard Financial Services, L.P., a pawnshop holding company with 11 locations in Northeast Texas, in addition to a single store he founded in 1988. Kevin’ will be doing a one-off presentation on business and life planning on legacy investing along with accumulating wealth and preparing for succession or other in the business journey in life. Something the majority of US fail to do from what I witness from a global client base.

Pawnshop Consulting Group – Jerry Whitehead will be providing a range of input, support, and education throughout the entire event. Starting with a grand overlook as to how the industry is trending currently and where we see it heading today and whole bunch more!

Mid-States Recycling – Jack Brown will be providing some high level introspect into the metals business, the trade itself, along with all the processes related to maximizing your returns and insuring your investments in metals and beyond. Jack is also a long-term Industry supporter! Jack will be doing a one-off presentation for this year’s Symposium as one of our high line sponsors and long term supporter of PCG.

Fashionphile – Sean Makovsky – High level educational and fully interactive seminar of current status, future, and how to make more business and money in the high-end luxury handbag business and more. Sean is also a highly skilled, long-term multi-unit Pawn Management specialist who can provide high perspective and results driven data on how these programs can be integrated to also maximize results and returns for your Pawn business.

PawnLeads – Jeff Trimble will provide introspect into high-level web technology, digital marketing, ad campaigns, text marketing, and so much more. Another interactive session and input on how to maximize benefits from utilization of text technology, email marketing, direct marketing and maximizing customer contact through constant contact and social media marketing and more on steroids.

Sam Read (pawnbroker, engineer, software designer, Marine, gold maven & more) – Sam will be providing a one-off multi-part Comprehensive Bullion Trading & Training program on steroids presented over several seminars at our event, worth every cent to show up for just this one!

Special Guest – EZ Corp – Nick Cohen – Director of Acquisitions (Special Projects) – This year’s symposium will be blessed to have Nick Cohen presenting at our event as well. He will be providing a high-level seminar on perspectives, projects, challenges, and related subject matter of the public company side of our business as well as engaging our participants in a wide range of open dialogue and subject matter. Another do not miss opportunity to hear it from one of the worlds’ largest pawn operations and what they see today in their multi-national business and then some.

Simple Pawn / LA Familia – John Thedford – John will be providing very successful and high-level views from the executive standpoint of ALL of the components they have successfully developed and implemented on building winning cultures in numerous organizations. John has successfully built numerous large scale multi-unit pawn operations in his career from Value Pawn, LaFamilia, Smart Financial, and now the Simple Pawn organization operating with more than 120 stores in multiple countries. John out of accounting school started out with Cash America and was involved in the pre-IPO for Cash America with Coopers & Lybrand back in the day and EZ Corp as well.

Eyeson – Roberto Doering – Eyeson has developed some of the most comprehensive surveillance and fully interactive POS system integrations technology on the market today. Hear it from the global leader of the next generation of surveillance technology and much more. These systems have the ability to fully integrate into POS systems, provide valuable store traffic data, flow, and manage comprehensive view and analysis of the physical store assets.

Jeff Wilhelm – Entrepreneur / Consultant – Providing a wide range of perspective from a long-term multi-store operator and his perspectives on team building, culture, compensation, and multi-unit management and more as one of the industry’s leading consultants today. Jeff is another multi-decade well-seasoned pawn professional who will be providing some introspect into some of the most successful pawn operations on the planet today. Hear it from the professional and meet and greet up close and up front.

Or Barak – P2M.ai – Born and raised in Israel, Or now splits his time between Tel Aviv and New York. He is recently married to his wife Eden, and outside of work, he enjoys cooking, traveling, long-distance swimming, and marathon running. Or is a tech-driven entrepreneur with a background that includes serving in an intelligence unit of the IDF and holding roles at Microsoft and Intel. Passionate about solving real-world problems, he founded P2M.ai after discovering the challenges pawnshop owners face in accessing traditional bank financing. Committed to truly understanding the industry, Or has personally visited over 1,400 pawn shops across more than 35 states in the U.S., working to build financial solutions designed to help pawnshops grow and thrive.

Justin Whitehead – Recent Graduate from TCU with his straight A – Masters, my son, and a long-term 3^rd generation pawnbroker inside, having grown up around our various family pawn operations and the Pawnshop Consulting Group. Justin will be providing a philosophical look at our industry from a historical point, sighting input from numerous philosophers and pointing in on our real mission in Atlantis – seeking knowledge and lost treasure in the lost city of Atlantis. Justin will be providing a deep reflection of all that it is we do as an industry and the human race today.

Link of our Blog Page – Check out All of our Blogs, Click Here

Jerry Whitehead

Jerry@pawnshopconsultinggroup.com

www.pawnshopconsultinggroup.com

954-540-3697

PCG International Pawn Symposium

Ladies and Gentleman in Pawn Land!

There have been many developments since our announcement for the return of the Pawnshop Consulting Group’s International Pawn Symposium.

2025 Theme – “In search of lost knowledge and treasure in the

ancient city of Atlantis”!

Dates are October 12^th – 17^th and will be hosted at the World Class Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

For those of you who attended our 1st International Pawn Symposium held at the Ritz Carlton in Naples, you had the opportunity to meet and listen to my son Justin Whitehead – yes, my son and here is what we have

coming from him this year in Atlantis.

Justin will be providing one of our openers for this year’s event followed by one of the closers of the event as well.

This year’s theme is centered around “In Search of Lost Knowledge in the Lost City of Atlantis

A little background on this presenter:

• Grew up in a pawn family
• Worked in family shops as a youngster @ Pawn Max (started by myself (Jerry in Florida), and the Original Uncle Joe’s Pawn out of Ft. Worth Texas followed by Doc Holliday’s out of Austin Texas. Many road trips checking out stores on the way, some as an adult “Gold n Pawn” (Bobby Whitehead Jr’s Store Gold N Pawn, Weatherford Texas), attending conventions growing up, attended many workshops led by myself (Jerry) he spoke on Social Media at the 1^st symposium in Naples, endless lunch and dinner table conversations (charged as business expenses) and musings on back porches with good cigars and good friends
• Undergrad in Philosophy from FAU, minor in anthropology, classical studies certification, emphasis in computer science
• Masters in Liberal Arts from TCU all of which while maintaining a 4.0 GPA
• He has been a tutor at a college. Now works in student affairs at TCU, hobbies include programming video games, D&D, travel when it can be afforded (He met his wife on a voyage to Sweden), and navel-gazing (a joke about philosophers and the coining of the term and how he’s done navel-gazing and ready to report his findings to the pawn world that is his direct and extended family with all of our attendeeds at the Symposium)

For those of you who may have attended our 1^st International Pawn Symposium at the Ritz Carlton in Naples Florida, Justin did speak at that event back in 2011.

From Justin’s research and background, here are a few tasty morsels for us to chew on that will be expanded upon as we set the stage for the world class presentations and social functions that will happen this year in Atlantis as we search for lost knowledge and treasure

PHILOSOPHICAL TREASURE HUNTING 101

• The myth of Atlantis

  • According to the ancient philosopher Plato. Once upon a time, there was a mighty power based on an island in the Atlantic Ocean. This empire was called Atlantis, and it ruled over several other islands and parts of the continents of Africa and Europe

  • Atlantis was arranged in concentric rings of alternating water and land. The soil was rich, the engineers technically accomplished, the architecture extravagant with baths, harbor installations, and barracks. The central plain outside the city had canals and a magnificent irrigation system. Atlantis had kings and a civil administration, as well as an organized military

  • Plato used it as a parable, but we’ll get into that as the presentation takes shape

• Here are some bullet points for us to examine in anticipation of my son’s presentation and setting the stage for us so to speak in Atlantis this coming October!

Philosophical Thoughts

Philosophical approaches to running a pawn business – the treasure of Atlantis: wisdom.

An informed discourse on several great thinkers and how their philosophies can be applied to modern day operations. Think of it as if you were a King/Queen of your pawn empire, and have at your court a philosopher, a consigliere, to whom you are granted erudite advice in a classical sense on ways in which to run thine empire.

An examination into the nature of what philosophy entails and how being a thinking, reflective, pawnbroker can enrich your experience of running a pawn business for not just professional, but also personal, growth – how the two can go hand-in-hand for a well-rounded, thriving, approach to running a pawn empire.

Among practical anecdotes, Plato’s Myth of Atlantis, and Allegory of the Cave set the scene for how and why this approach can be theoretically effective for the wise ruler of pawn. What follows is then an examination of Søren Kierkegaard’s concept of the Spheres of Existence and its insight to how personal choice and commitment can lead to an authentic experience of being a pawn operator/ruler – more importantly: how this can shatter cultural stereotypes of the business model and lead to a flourishing of not just the operator,  but of the business/kingdom itself in its relation to the community in which it presides.

• From Justin, In my anthropology minor studying Asia, and then again in Social and Political Philosophy, I studied the book it was from, the Tao Te Ching, and found out about the concept of wu wei

  • Working at Gold-N-Pawn under my Uncle, Bobby Whitehead Jr., my father’s brother, I gleaned some insight into wu wei from him in relation to sales. He said, “A customer does not want to be sold something, they want to buy something.” It reminded me of that kind of Karate-Zen that is a lesson from nature: “the frog lets the fly come to it.” No need to be pushy, “I am here if you need me or have any questions.” Perhaps you’ve experienced this yourself in a store, or say a car lot, the pressure is unattractive and has an opposite effect than what the salesperson desires

Closing

• My gift, as it were, to you here is all of this information on how philosophy can potentially help you to run not just your business, but yourself. Hopefully, this understanding can correlate towards effective management styles and adaptability to forces within and without the pawn world that will help. If you are looking for where to go next, perhaps try a humanities perspective to seeing things in the world like Thales did and you can capitalize on it – view it from various angles, watch movies, read books, listen to music, watch the news (but try not to let it cloud your reason when it appeals to your emotions), monitor the markets, go to church if that’s your thing, talk to each other and see if you can put yourself in other peoples’ shoes to gain their insight, take time to reflect, go on a vacation – enjoy Atlantis!!!

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL PAWN SYMPOSIUM 

This event is limited to 100 attendees and is only $1495 per head – which includes all meals, social functions and the seminars being presented at this world class resort.

You can secure your participation by scanning this QR Code, once confirmed we will send you the Pass Key for the Hotel reservation for the host property:

We are currently accepting paid participation to guarantee slots on the roster. We have about 85+ participants on the list currently and paid reservations are coming in now.

We have also procured a room-block at this EPIC resort of only $149 a night plus their resort fees.

Don’t Miss out, all of the Pawnshop Consulting Group’s Symposiums have sold out! Space is limited to 100 to maximize the interaction, socialization, and opportunity to learn from and visit with many other like minded individuals in a luxurious atmosphere!

To Follow ALL of our Blogs CLICK HERE

Jerry Whitehead – Pawnshop Consulting Group – International Pawn Symposium

PCG International Pawn Symposium

2025 Theme – In search of lost knowledge and treasure, in the ancient city of Atlantis!

Dates are October 12^th – 17^th and will be hosted at the World Class Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

George Prout – SmartGrown Lab Diamonds

From Jerry, it should be noted George approched PCG early last year (2024) to explore bringing lab grown diamonds into the Pawn Sphere directly from the Largest Grower in the World, JB Bhanderi of which he is the president of. In this collaboration, we created a brand (SmartGrown) specifically for the Pawn Space!

As George would like to say, and correctly I might add – LABS are the biggest disruptor in the history of the Jewelry Industry.

DeBeers has lost their control of the global diamond float and is in state of flux. Labs have come on strong with our client base, and this past year at the National Pawnbrokers Convention, teamed up, we onboarded more than 35 new clients and sold a large volume of product to pawnbrokers at that show, and over this past year in the Pawn Space right out of the chute.

Our clients who know how to value price and turn product are doing extremely well in this arena and it is here to stay. 

If your not in the lab diamond and jewelry trade YOU ARE MISSING THE BOAT! 

Bio on George Prout

George Prout brings over 40 years of experience in the jewelry business to play in his role as President of JB Bhanderi (Surreal Diamonds), the world’s largest Lab Grown Diamond Grower, but he’s also known as a contributing editor for Southern Jewelry News and Mid-America Jeweler where he’s written the popular Applied Marketing 101 column for the past fifteen years.

A graduate of Brown University, George began his jewelry career in retail working for Kay Jewelers while a college student, and then spent over a decade in the field as a sales representative for the Citizen Watch Company and Town and Country Jewelry manufacturing.

By the mid-nineties his role evolved into senior management positions, and he has subsequently guided several companies to top tier status serving Independent Jewelry stores. And now, as President of JB Bhanderi, the North American arm of the world’s largest Lab Grown Diamond Grower, George is applying his knowledge to the Pawn Industry as well.

George’s unique perspective combines a comprehensive understanding of consumer behavior with detailed insights into marketing and merchandising initiatives by leaders in the Diamond Industry.

As George puts it, “DeBeers’ magical tagline ‘A Diamond is Forever’ created the societal imperative of a gift of a diamond ring in order to seal an engagement. But the emergence of Lab Grown diamonds is creating a wonderful opportunity to democratize diamonds, such that now, A Diamond is Foreveryone! And we see a fantastic upside for the Pawn Industry, as this plays directly into the Pawn retail swing plane”.

Presentation – How to Build a Pawn-centric Lab Grown Diamond strategy that maximizes the size of the Opportunity while minimizing the Risks.

George and Smartgrown Diamonds, the consumer-facing Lab Grown Diamond brand built specifically for the Pawn retail vertical will lay out a road map for where Lab currently is and where it’s going, from the perspective of the world’s largest Grower, including a step-by-step plan for capturing market share in this critical category.

Come witness one of the most immediately productive and informational presentations coming from the worlds’ largest producer in Lab Diamonds exclusively at the at the Symposium.

Symposium Attendees can expect to witness some amazing opportunities on packages of product from the largest grower in the world that will only be available at this years International Pawn Symposium. 

Here is how our list of Pawn Professionals 0f which is shaping up for the “Ask some Pawn Professionals Anything YOU want”

Our panel is lining up with the following experts thus far:

• Jerry Whitehead – Founder of the Pawnshop Consulting Group

• Vito Wise – Pawnbroker / Creator of Pawnbrokers Helping Pawnbrokers Market Place and Much more

• Kevin Prochaska – CEO of Lombard Financial – A premier group of high end pawnshops / Former president of the National Pawnbrokers Association

• Sam Shockett – Owner – Kings Pawn – One of the largest volume and most distinguished single store Pawn Operations in the USA

• Maurice Fuller – Owner – Chesapeake Square Pawn – A newer rising star in the Pawn Industry

• Sean Makovsky – Multi-Unit Pawn Operating Specialist and much more, National Director for Fashionphile Luxury Goods

• Nicholas (Nick) Cohen – Business Development Leader for EZ Corp / Pawnbroker

• And ?? TBA

A footnote from PCG – Producer of the International Pawn Symposium

Our events are not trade shows nor conventions. They are high level inter-active educational seminars conducted by numerous experts within and outside the Pawn Industry.

These events also center on close interaction of ALL of the participants by keeping them together for all of the functions, seminars, food, and ALL social functions which are a primary component of the event itself.

In effect, High Level education and social networking on steroids.

AS for exclusivity, we keep attendance at a controlled level to insure maximum benefit of time with our educators, presenters, participants, and sponsors. All of which are required from our experience to obtain the best of the best, from the best!!

This event is limited to 100 attendees and is only $1495 per head – which includes all meals, social functions and the seminars being presented at this world class resort.

We are currently accepting paid participation to guarantee slots on the roster. We have about 85+ participants on the list currently and paid reservations are coming in now.

Use this QR Code to register for the Symposium, once confirmed, we will send you the Hotel Passkey for Atlantis, slots are filling up quickly !!

We have also procured a room-block at this EPIC resort of only $149 a night plus their resort fees.

Jerry Whitehead @ 954-540-3697 – Pawnshopconsultinggroup@gmail.com

This year’s PRESENTERS provide a wide-range of expertise and subject matter, once again making the International Pawn Symposium THE event to attend for Pawn Professionals seeking to advance their business acumen and more.

Pawnshop Consulting Group – Blog Pages Link Click Here

Jerry Whitehead – Pawnshop Consulting Group – International Pawn Symposium

PCG International Pawn Symposium

2025 Theme – In search of lost knowledge and treasure, in the ancient city of Atlantis!

Dates are October 12^th – 17^th and will be hosted at the World Class Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

Roberto Doering & Eyeson

From Jerry, it should be noted that Roberto and Eyeson has stepped up and supported and sponsored every single event that PCG has produced over the past 25 years of our existence.

The world of technology is changing at lightspeed, and Eyeson has and remains to be one of THE leaders in intuitive intelligent video surveillance technology and more. 

Bio on Robert Doering

Roberto Doering, CEO of Eyeson Digital, has 35 years of experience in technology applied to business management and electronic security. He is fluent in English, Spanish and Portuguese, and holds a degree in International Business from Florida International University and a degree in Electronics from Fundação Instituto Tecnológico de Osasco, Brazil.

He has developed fully integrated electronic security and centralized monitoring projects for hundreds of clients in high-risk industries including medical marijuana, jewelry, pawnbroker, high-end retail, hospitality, logistics and manufacturing. He works with clients of all sizes from single store owners to large chains throughout the Americas. Roberto provides expert advice in the use of security technology to create homogeneous security and operational management throughout organizations with multiple facilities. He strives to help his clients foster a culture of safety and performance improvement within their businesses.

Through their sponsorship and presentation, Roberto will be providing an indepth examination of many aspects of video surveillance technology along with the integration of AI into this arena. 

Presentation – Title: Roadmap to Developing and Implementing AI Security and Operations Strategies for Pawnshops.



Synopsys: Roberto will walk our group through the steps of developing a solid AI strategy for securing pawnshops from single stores to large chains. Our conversation will consider the current state of technology, ethical and legal issues in AI, and maximizing investment returns. You will be exposed to MIT scholars and tech leaders investigating this subject. Together we’ll learn how to not become a guinea pig for AI companies but rather invest on proven technologies designed to help you run more profitable and secure pawnshop operations.

Come witness one of the finest and more informational presentations coming from the technology sector, Roberto Doering at the Symposium.

Here is how our list of Pawn Professionals 0f which is shaping up for the “Ask some Pawn Professionals Anything YOU want”

Our panel is lining up with the following experts thus far:

• Jerry Whitehead – Founder of the Pawnshop Consulting Group

• Vito Wise – Pawnbroker / Creator of Pawnbrokers Helping Pawnbrokers Market Place and Much more

• Kevin Prochaska – CEO of Lombard Financial – A premier group of high end pawnshops / Former president of the National Pawnbrokers Association

• Sam Shockett – Owner – Kings Pawn – One of the largest volume and most distinguished single store Pawn Operations in the USA

• Maurice Fuller – Owner – Chesapeake Square Pawn – A newer rising star in the Pawn Industry

• Sean Makovsky – Multi-Unit Pawn Operating Specialist and much more, National Director for Fashionphile Luxury Goods

• Nicholas (Nick) Cohen – Business Development Leader for EZ Corp / Pawnbroker

• And ?? TBA

A footnote from PCG – Producer of the International Pawn Symposium

Our events are not trade shows nor conventions. They are high level inter-active educational seminars conducted by numerous experts within and outside the Pawn Industry.

These events also center on close interaction of ALL of the participants by keeping them together for all of the functions, seminars, food, and ALL social functions which are a primary component of the event itself.

In effect, High Level education and social networking on steroids.

AS for exclusivity, we keep attendance at a controlled level to insure maximum benefit of time with our educators, presenters, participants, and sponsors. All of which are required from our experience to obtain the best of the best, from the best!!

This event is limited to 100 attendees and is only $1495 per head – which includes all meals, social functions and the seminars being presented at this world class resort.

We are currently accepting paid participation to guarantee slots on the roster. We have about 85+ participants on the list currently and paid reservations are coming in now.

Use this QR Code to register for the Symposium, once confirmed, we will send you the Hotel Passkey for Atlantis, slots are filling up quickly !!

We have also procured a room-block at this EPIC resort of only $149 a night plus their resort fees.

Jerry Whitehead @ 954-540-3697 – Pawnshopconsultinggroup@gmail.com

This year’s PRESENTERS provide a wide-range of expertise and subject matter, once again making the International Pawn Symposium THE event to attend for Pawn Professionals seeking to advance their business acumen and more.

Pawnshop Consulting Group – Blog Pages Link Click Here

Jerry Whitehead – Pawnshop Consulting Group – International Pawn Symposium

EMERGENCY EMERGENCY EMERGENCY EMERGENCY

Calling on ALL of our Pawnbroker Friends & Family!!

AS you all know we are facing a Tariff war and the short and long-term impact of these events are going to have a direct effect on our business. 

Spoke to Craig Harrison(M&M MERCHANDISERS) today (04/14/2025) and several other well connected vendors and others who are in the supply mix, and here is what were hearing and seeing::

• Best Buy and other retailers have already valued up retail prices by 40% or more FYI

• Many large big box retailers and Ecom sites like Amazon and other have stopped shipments in their tracks coming out of China and some other countries

• Many Chinese manufacturers already have their cost of production and inventory now tied up in their warehouses and containers

• Many containers out to sea turned around and went back to China

• Many manufacturers in China have already seen massive personnel layoffs pending the Tariff wars and the rapid declination of orders

• In theory it could take them months to years to retool and reboot

• SUPPLY CHAINS ALREADY TIGHTENING UP

MY MESSAGE TO THE PAWN COMMUNITY RIGHT NOW IS MULTI – FOLD

• REMEMBER THE PANDEMIC

• LOTS OF SUPPLIERS WERE MONTHS BEHIND ON GETTING AND DELIVERING PRODUCT FOR RETAILERS ACROSS THE BOARD

• RETAIL BIG BOX WAS HAMMERED AND TOOK YEARS TO RECOVER

PAWNBROKERS

• WERE ONE OF THE BIGGEST RECYCLERS ON EARTH

• MANY OF US SOLD EVERYTHING THAT WASN’T BOLTED TO THE CEILINGS OUT OF STORES DURING THE PANDEMIC

• THIS SPELLS OPPORTUNITY

  • START BUYING AS MUCH FROM YOUR CONSUMERS AS YOU CAN NOW

  • LTV, OR LOAN TO VALUE RATIO’S CAN BE PUSHED UP TO THE UPPER LEVELS OF NEHA (MORE PEOPLE WILL REDEEM IN THEORY AND BUY THE PRODUCT)

  • WE CAN ADVERTISE AND PUSH NOW OUR PRICES ARE TARIFF FREE CURRENTLY

  • RETAIL MARGINS ON GOODS CAN REMAIN RELATIVELY STRONG (EXCLUDING AGING)

  • BUY EVERYTHING IN SITE YOU CAN NOW FROM THE SUPPLIERS THAT CURRENTLY HAVE INVENTORY – APPLIES TO SOME RETAILERS, BUY THEIR PRE TARIFF INVENTORY WHEN AND WHERE POSSIBLE

  • ALL OF THIS SPELL’S OPPORTUNITY, DON’T MISS THE BOAT

JUST A FEW WORDS OF WISDOM OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, AND PAWN ON LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, MUCH MORE TO FOLLOW AND WE WILL BE WATCHING THE RETAIL TRENDS THROUGH ALL OF OUR FINANCIAL ANALYSIS WE PROVIDE IN REAL TIME TO WIDE RANGE OF OPERATORS IN THE USA AND ABROAD!!

CHECK OUT ALL OF OUR BLOGS AND SUBCRIBE BY CLICKING HERE

JERRY WHITEHEAD

PAWNSHOP CONSULTING GROUP, LLC

WWW.PAWNSHOPCONSULTINGGROUP.COM

PAWNSHOPCONSULTINGGROUP@GMAIL.COM

954-540-3697

International Pawn Symposium

PCG International Pawn Symposium

2025 Theme – In search of lost knowledge and treasure, in the ancient city of Atlantis!

Dates are October 12^th – 17^th and will be hosted at the World Class Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

The Mack Family & The Pawn Industry

As the owner of the Pawnshop Consulting Group and the producer of the International Pawn Symposium (Jerry Whitehead), I want to acknowledge how Bravo Systems continues to support the Pawn Industry on multiple levels. 

For the record they (BRAVO) and Tally Mack specifically have been an honor to work with over these past  years since she was brought in by her father to lead the company to the power house that it has become today. It should be noted that Bravo has stepped up and supported and sponsored every event that PCG has produced over the past dozen years or so since their roll out got moving along.

In the art of these technology services, Bravo has become the global leader in technology systems in the Pawn Space, with more than 4000 subscribers on their platform today!

Bio for Tally Mack 

Tally Mack is the CEO of Bravo Store Systems, but what should be duly noted and what really sets her apart is that she’s a fifth-generation pawnbroker. Growing up in the industry gives her a real understanding of what life is like at the counter and the behind the scenes activity to operating a store and or multiple stores. While she has a law degree from DePaul and leadership training from Harvard, what she cares about most is building teams and creating useful tools that help pawnbrokers succeed. Because she’s lived and breathed this business her whole life, and loves brining to life products that work in the real world.

From Jerry,

Having come to know Tally over these years, it has been a pleasure to watch her navigate the strategic growth of Bravo and life balancing of family and more.

As a 2nd generation pawnbroker on my end, with 50+ years in the Industry, it is refreshing to witness that a technology company specifically geared for Pawn also has several multi-generational pawnbrokers at the helm. This includes development of precedurial and technology systems on steroids to put it mildly specifically in the Pawn Space. 

From my experience over the last 35+ years of working with, utilizing, and implementing various Pawn technology systems, with the exception of 1 back in the 80’s, most of the others did not have leadership nor technical people who came directly out of the Pawn industry.

Facing this delimma alone created in my humble opinion a lof of disconnect between end users and techno staffs and more. Too many times I heard the comments, of, “their just pawnbrokers, they don’t understand technology” . In that same vein from my own utilization, to many of our clients globally, lots of disconnect and lack of appreciation of what the end users, (pawnbrokers), owners and operators have had to endure for technology implementation and utilization. 

In the case of Tally, she has successfully navigated the transition as a start up company to now – the largest provider of pawn technology in our space today with over 4000 subscribers in multiple countries. All along, while building and reinforcing their corporate culture, building a highly functional staff, and managing a global client base post 2-significant mergers/acquisitions of 2 other long standing pawn software products, CompuPawn and PawnMaster into their fold.

As an operator, I can tell you these are significant challenges and Bravo has successfully transitioned all of this while building a stable, robust, operating platform and an award winning staff. 

Tally’s Presentation(s)

When Tally and I were discussing the Symposium, I thought it would be refreshing to hear it from her what they (Bravo) has been through in their history – the challenges of developing the technology, culture, and the teams.

With her leadership skills having her present at the Symposium in an open feedback type of session(s) provides all of us some real perspective on what it took to get there, what it takes to stay there, and perhaps a glimpse into the next generation of technical development that Bravo is into for our attendees.

This also provides opportunity for our attendees through open dialogue to perhaps discuss future desires at our World Class event along with all of our social networking activities that will be going on throughout the event in Atlantis. 

Having worked with Tally over numerous events, she is a talented, and a gifted speaker. Her presentation at the Symposium also promises to be a sifnificant look into the management of the platform, the relationships with the industry, and what the future holds for them, and for us. This will be another DO NOT MISS opportunity to hear it from the world’s leading pawn software technology company – Jerry Whitehead

A footnote from PCG – Producer of the International Pawn Symposium

Our events are not trade shows nor conventions. They are high level inter-active educational seminars conducted by numerous experts within and outside the Pawn Industry.

These events also center on close interaction of ALL of the participants by keeping them together for all of the functions, seminars, food, and ALL social functions which are a primary component of the event itself.

In effect, High Level education and social networking on steroids.

AS for exclusivity, we keep attendance at a controlled level to insure maximum benefit of time with our educators, presenters, participants, and sponsors. All of which are required from our experience to obtain the best of the best, from the best!!

This event is limited to 100 attendees and is only $1495 per head – which includes all meals, social functions and the seminars being presented at this world class resort. You can reserve your slot today by scanning the QR Code here, once verified, we will send you the reservation link for the Host Property (Atlantis)

We are currently accepting paid participation to guarantee slots on the roster. We have about 85+ participants as of date of this blog on the list currently and paid reservations are coming in now.

We have also procured a room-block at this EPIC resort of only $149 a night plus their resort fees.

Jerry Whitehead @ 954-540-3697 – Pawnshopconsultinggroup@gmail.com

This year’s PRESENTERS provide a wide-range of expertise and subject matter, once again making the International Pawn Symposium THE event to attend for Pawn Professionals seeking to advance their business acumen and more.

Jerry Whitehead – Pawnshop Consulting Group – International Pawn Symposium

International Pawn Symposium

PCG International Pawn Symposium

2025 Theme – In search of lost knowledge and treasure, in the ancient city of Atlantis!

Dates are October 12^th – 17^th and will be hosted at the World Class Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

The Mack Family & The Pawn Industry

As the owner of the Pawnshop Consulting Group and the producer of the International Pawn Symposium (Jerry Whitehead), I want to acknowledge how Bravo Systems continues to support the Pawn Industry on multiple levels. 

For the record they (BRAVO) have stepped up and supported and sponsored every event that PCG has produced over the past 15 years of their existence.

In the art of these technology services, Bravo has become the global leader in technology systems in the Pawn Space, with more than 4000 subscribers on their platform today!

Bio on Steven Mack (stay tuned for Tally Mack Bio on Next Blog)

Steve Mack is the Chairman of Bravo Store Systems which he started after years of running his family’s pawn business. After growing from 1 to 50 stores across multiple states (Super Pawn), he saw that the industry needed better technology. That’s why he created Bravo, which now provides the leading software for pawn shops. Steve has always had a vision for the future and spends most of his days learning about AI and innovating new products for the pawn industry. His goal has always been simple: give business owners tools that make daily operations easier, help them serve customers better, and help their businesses grow.

From Jerry — as an observer, when I first went to officially visit Steve some 20 years back and witness his PRIMA software system that drove an extreme value enhancement to his Super Pawn business, I was simply amazed. It should be noted that technology along with Steven’s vision for large, high volume, high-end large format stores directly led to that group of stores being acquired at the most significant amount of money ever paid for a mult-store operation at that time from one of the public companies. That transaction was in excess of 120 million back then, and the technology I witnessed 20+ years ago with the product evaluators, auto listing systems for various Ecom sites, automation for inventory control of online sales internally and externally, all the way down to auto label printing for FEDEX on sold items, was truly amazing. I am a techno buff, and what I witnessed back then was amazing. On another note, when Steven launched Bravo, I was one of the first actual demo’s of the platform before their formal launch and even onboarded their first client (outside of family) as I recall. 

Steven’s Presentation(s)

AS Steve and I (Jerry) were catching up a few months ago, I shared with him that his vision of the future of automation and more that he touched on at the Pawn Summit several years back that PCG and Bravo produced was a glimpse into the future. Time has come to pass, and Steven is now well on down the road as to how AI and more automation comes into play on many levels in our lives and businesses. The presentation that Steve will ultimately provide for us, will be a once in a lifetime opportunity to witness and hear at the International Pawn Symposium. Steve is such a unique visionary, his glimpses into the future will be nothing short of amazing and he will be providing a very unique inter-active presentation at this years International Pawn Symposium. 

A footnote from PCG – Producer of the International Pawn Symposium

Our events are not trade shows nor conventions. They are high level inter-active educational seminars conducted by numerous experts within and outside the Pawn Industry.

These events also center on close interaction of ALL of the participants by keeping them together for all of the functions, seminars, food, and ALL social functions which are a primary component of the event itself.

In effect, High Level education and social networking on steroids.

AS for exclusivity, we keep attendance at a controlled level to insure maximum benefit of time with our educators, presenters, participants, and sponsors. All of which are required from our experience to obtain the best of the best, from the best!!

This event is limited to 100 attendees and is only $1495 per head – which includes all meals, social functions and the seminars being presented at this world class resort. You can reserve your slot today by scanning the QR Code here, once verified, we will send you the reservation link for the Host Property (Atlantis)

We are currently accepting paid participation to guarantee slots on the roster. We have about 85+ participants as of date of this blog on the list currently and paid reservations are coming in now.

We have also procured a room-block at this EPIC resort of only $149 a night plus their resort fees.

Jerry Whitehead @ 954-540-3697 – Pawnshopconsultinggroup@gmail.com

This year’s PRESENTERS provide a wide-range of expertise and subject matter, once again making the International Pawn Symposium THE event to attend for Pawn Professionals seeking to advance their business acumen and more.

Jerry Whitehead – Pawnshop Consulting Group – International Pawn Symposium

2025 International Pawn Symposium

At long last, Pawnshop Consulting Group is bringing the International Pawn Symposium back!

PCG promoted two of these events in the past, one at the Ritz Carlton in Naples Florida and the other one at the Ritz Carlton on five mile beach in Georgetown in the Cayman Islands.

Both of these events were oversubscribed and offered many in our community opportunities to learn from a litany of experts in a variety of fields and subject matter.

This of course coupled with luxurious environments with amazing delicacies and the ultimate in networking adventures and opportunities to share and enjoy in various group environments.

The ability to relax, share, and express input and knowledge with many like minded individuals while being pampered in 5-diamond resorts is un-parallelled in anything going on in the Pawn Industry today.

For 2025, the Pawnshop Consulting Group has chosen the world class Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas to host our 2025 event.

Dates are set for October 12^th – 17^th.

We have set our theme for the 2025 event as:

IN SEARCH OF KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM IN ONE OF THE MOST ANCIENT INDUSTRY’S IN THE WORLD – TREASURE TO BE FOUND IN ATLANTIS!!

We have selected this venue as it provides relatively easy access to get to from many major cities, offers world-class resort amenities, perfect for group functions, and has many extracurricular opportunities for our groups to explore and enjoy!

Here is a link to the venue to check out for yourself:

Atlantis Bahamas Information Link Here

The 2025 International Pawn Symposium will be limited to only 100 attendees. Space is limited and guaranteed to be over-subscribed.

We set our attendance at manageable levels so that ALL attendees have an opportunity to fully benefit from the educational and social activities that WE engineer into our events.

Attendance fees for the event itself are only $1495 per attendee. This includes all meals, educational seminars, and all social functions.

We have negotiated a room block of standard rooms at the resort of $149 + resort fees, and are working on fees for the Cove and Reef private condominiums as well.

The Pawn Symposium website and official registration portal coming soon, till then, email us directly to reserve your spot. Once our block is full, we will close down the registration portal and other, and make plans on seeing our guests at the Atlantis in the Bahamas!

Current Line UP of Speakers and Presenters

Pawnshop Consulting Group is proud to be participating with Surreal Diamond as the largest grower of Lab Diamonds on the Planet. Together we have created a brand specifically for the Pawn industry and it is call “SmartGrown”! They are one of our topline sponsors, providing high-level knowledge, skills, unlimited quantities and information on the lab diamond business from the worlds’ largest lab grower today. Their participation will be coupled with a range of show specials and some treasure hunting on top of hearing it up-close and upfront from the largest producer on the planet of LGD goods!

Bravo Systems – Steve and Tally Mack will be both presenting on a number of high-level topics — future of the industry as we know it, the next generations of technology and the benefits thereof. These two are without a double two of in the industry’s leading technology guru’s operating the largest technology platform for pawn on planet earth.

Pawnshop Consulting Group – Jerry Whitehead will be providing a range of input, support, and education throughout the entire event. Starting with a grand overlook as to how the industry is trending currently and where we see it heading today and whole bunch more!

Mid-States Recycling – Jack Brown will be providing some high level introspect into the metals business, the trade itself, along with all the processes related to maximizing your returns and insuring your investments in metals and beyond. Jack is also a long-term Industry supporter! Jack will be doing a one-off presentation for this year’s Symposium as one of our high line sponsors and long term supporter of PCG.

2a.com – Sean Makovsky – High level educational and fully interactive seminar of current status, future, and how to make more business and money in the high-end luxury handbag business and more. Sean is also a highly skilled, long-term multi-unit Pawn Management specialist who can provide high perspective and results driven data on how these programs can be integrated to also maximize results and returns for your Pawn business.

PawnLeads – Jeff Trimble will provide introspect into high-level web technology, digital marketing, ad campaigns, text marketing, and so much more. Another interactive session and input on how to maximize benefits from utilization of text technology, email marketing, direct marketing and maximizing customer contact through constant contact and social media marketing and more on steroids.

Sam Read (pawnbroker, engineer, software designer, Marine, gold maven & more) – Sam will be providing a one-off multi-part Comprehensive Bullion Trading & Training program on steroids presented over several seminars at our event, worth every cent to show up for just this one!

Special Guest – EZ Corp – Nick Cohen – Director of Acquisitions (Special Projects) – This year’s symposium will be blessed to have Nick Cohen presenting at our event as well. He will be providing a high-level seminar on perspectives, projects, challenges, and related subject matter of the public company side of our business as well as engaging our participants in a wide range of open dialogue and subject matter. Another do not miss opportunity to hear it from one of the worlds’ largest pawn operations and what they see today in their multi-national business and then some.

Simple Pawn / LA Familia – John Thedford – John will be providing very successful and high-level views from the executive standpoint of ALL of the components they have successfully developed and implemented on building winning cultures in numerous organizations. John has successfully built numerous large scale multi-unit pawn operations in his career from Value Pawn, LaFamilia, Smart Financial, and now the Simple Pawn organization operating with more than 120 stores in multiple countries. John out of accounting school started out with Cash America and was involved in the pre-IPO for Cash America with Coopers & Lybrand back in the day and EZ Corp as well.

Eyeson – Roberto Doering – Eyeson has developed some of the most comprehensive surveillance and fully interactive POS system integrations technology on the market today. Hear it from the global leader of the next generation of surveillance technology and much more. These systems have the ability to fully integrate into POS systems, provide valuable store traffic data, flow, and manage comprehensive view and analysis of the physical store assets.

Jeff Wilhelm – Entrepreneur / Consultant – Providing a wide range of perspective from a long-term multi-store operator and his perspectives on team building, culture, compensation, and multi-unit management and more as one of the industry’s leading consultants today. Jeff is another multi-decade well-seasoned pawn professional who will be providing some introspect into some of the most successful pawn operations on the planet today. Hear it from the professional and meet and greet up close and up front.

Justin Whitehead – Recent Graduate from TCU with his straight A – Masters, my son, and a long-term 3^rd generation pawnbroker inside, having grown up around our various family pawn operations and the Pawnshop Consulting Group. Justin will be providing a philosophical look at our industry from a historical point, sighting input from numerous philosophers and pointing in on our real mission in Atlantis – seeking knowledge and lost treasure in the lost city of Atlantis. Justin will be providing a deep reflection of all that it is we do as an industry and the human race today.

David Johns –

David Johns was active in retail and financial services businesses from 1964 to 2022 when he retired at 83 years of age to take care of his wife, Sara, who has advanced illness.

During his 58 years in the workplace, he served as an officer of four pawn store groups, Value Pawn, La Familia Pawn, Premier Pawn and SMART Financial.  The first twenty-five years of his career were spent as the Director of Human Resources for Sears Southeast, covering the HR Function for several Sears Southeastern Divisions. Following his time with Sears he served as an officer for the noted pawn store groups. Between officer assignments in the pawn industry, he provided consulting services to a number of privately held financial, retail and pawn entities.

He was a member of the Board of Directors of the National Pawnbrokers Association (NPA) for many years and served on several committees with that organization.  David has been a guest speaker at NPA national conventions as well as several regional pawnbroker association conventions.  Additionally, he has been a guest speaker over time at annual law enforcement conventions in Florida regarding cooperation between law enforcement and pawnbrokers.  He is a graduate of Mississippi State University with a degree in Finance where he also completed course study for degrees in Economics and Industrial Psychology, now known as Organizational Psychology

In the past, David has authored a plethora of articles and training modules about human resources and talent selection for Sears, Cash America International, Value Pawn, La Familia Pawn and Premier Pawn & Jewelry. During the early 2000s he was a member of a blue-ribbon panel that presented four seminars each year titled Business Strategies and Solutions, typically held in Atlanta, Phoenix, Chicago and Dallas.

He is noted for his over fifty years of research and use of the Thurstone Temperament Schedule (TTS) to evaluate work groups and the financial productivity of these groups.  The selection and training techniques used by David are recognized as being among the most effective in the retail and pawn industries.

David and his wife Sara live in Central Florida where they have been active in a number of charitable organizations for nearly thirty years.   They have three children, eight grandchildren and one great grandchild.   

SPECIAL PRESENTATION – TO BE ANNOUNCED FROM ANOTHER LONG-TERM HIGHLY RECOGNIZED PAWN PROFESSIONAL AND ENTREPRENEUR, STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFORMATION!

Jerry Whitehead

Jerry@pawnshopconsultinggroup.com

www.pawnshopconsultinggroup.com

954-540-3697

PCG International Pawn Symposium

2025 Theme – In search of lost knowledge and treasure, in the ancient city of Atlantis!

Dates are October 12^th – 17^th and will be hosted at the World Class Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

Jack Brown & Midstates Recycling

Note from the Producer, as the owner of the Pawnshop Consulting Group and the producer of the International Pawn Symposium (Jerry Whitehead), I have a duty to share what a stand up guy that Jack Brown is and his company Midstates Recycling.

For the record they have stepped up and supported and sponsored every single event that PCG has produced over the past 25 years of our existence.

It should also be noted that MidStates hands down has also been a huge supporter to ALL of our trade associations and our industry. They in affect, put back what comes to them!

In the art of these services, there is NO better provider out there in my humble opinion, and as another fact, I used Midstates religiously before the creation of PCG with all of my Pawn Operations of yesteryear once I learned enough to know what was, and was not happening thanks to Jack!

Bio on Jack Brown

Jack Brown is the Owner and Operations Manager for Mid-States Recycling, Inc., located in Des Plaines, Illinois.  Mid-States, a family owned business began operations in 1981 under the direction of Jack’s father Ellis Brown, former President of the Simmons Refining Company of Chicago.

Jack, having a background and firm understanding in technical sales joined Mid-States shortly thereafter in 1982.  Over the course of the next 40+ years Jacks’ responsibilities have grown to include all Plant, Laboratory, Gemstone Recovery, Refining, Purchasing and Marketing functions of the company. 

Jack has previously served as a Director for the National Pawnbrokers Association, has recently served on the NPA Vendors Advisory Committee and is the current president of the Central States Chapter of the International Precious Metal Institute.

Through their sponsorship and presentation, Jack will be providing an indepth examination of many aspects of precious metals and more at the Symposium.

Jack’s history in this industry provides a wide perspective on markets, metals, timing, processing, staging, hedging, and so much more.

Come witness one of the finest and more informational presentations coming from the metals’ master himself, Jack Brown at the Symposium.

More on Jack and his presentation to follow

Here is how our list of Pawn Professionals o0f which is shaping up for the “Ask some Pawn Professionals Anything YOU want”

Our panel is lining up with the following experts thus far:

• Jerry Whitehead – Founder of the Pawnshop Consulting Group
• Vito Wise – Pawnbroker / Creator of Pawnbrokers Helping Pawnbrokers Market Place and Much more
• Kevin Prochaska – CEO of Lombard Financial – A premier group of high end pawnshops / Former president of the NPA
• Sam Shockett – Owner – Kings Pawn – One of the largest and most distinguished single store Pawn Operations in the USA
• Maurice Fuller – Owner – Chesapeake Pawn – A newer rising star in the Pawn Industry
• Sean Makovsky – Multi-Unit Pawn Operating Specialist and much more
• Nicholas (Nick) Cohen – Business Development Leader for EZ Corp / Pawnbroker
• And ?? TBA

A footnote from PCG – Producer of the International Pawn Symposium

Our events are not trade shows nor conventions. They are high level inter-active educational seminars conducted by numerous experts within and outside the Pawn Industry.

These events also center on close interaction of ALL of the participants by keeping them together for all of the functions, seminars, food, and ALL social functions which are a primary component of the event itself.

In effect, High Level education and social networking on steroids.

AS for exclusivity, we keep attendance at a controlled level to insure maximum benefit of time with our educators, presenters, participants, and sponsors. All of which are required from our experience to obtain the best of the best, from the best!!

This event is limited to 100 attendees and is only $1495 per head – which includes all meals, social functions and the seminars being presented at this world class resort.

We are currently accepting paid participation to guarantee slots on the roster. We have about 85+ participants on the list currently and paid reservations are coming in now.

We have also procured a room-block at this EPIC resort of only $149 a night plus their resort fees.

IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND THIS EVENT – CONTACT ME DIRECTLY NOW TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ATTENDNACE PAYMENT AND CONFIRMATION AND WE WILL PROVIDE THE ROOM BLOCK HOTEL PASSKEY TO GUARANTEE YOUR DISCOUNTED ROOM AT THIS WORLD CLASS RESORT.

Jerry Whitehead @ 954-540-3697 – Pawnshopconsultinggroup@gmail.com

This year’s PRESENTERS provide a wide-range of expertise and subject matter, once again making the International Pawn Symposium THE event to attend for Pawn Professionals seeking to advance their business acumen and more.

Jerry Whitehead – Pawnshop Consulting Group – International Pawn Symposium

Jeff Trimble of Pawnleads will be one of our high-level presenters and sponsors this year at the 2025 International Pawn Symposium at Atlantis in the Bahamas

PCG International Pawn Symposium

2025 Theme – In search of lost knowledge and treasure, in the ancient city of Atlantis!

Dates are October 12^th – 17^th and will be hosted at the World Class Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

Jeff Trimble & The Pawn Leads Platform

Through their sponsorship and presentation, Jeff will be providing an indepth examination of how their platform develops high-level – fully integrated websites, provides site maintenance, hosting, monitoring with AI powered social media integration, adword program and management, extensive constant contact programs through their extensive Pawn Leads CRM and more. 

Here is how our list of Pawn Professionals o0f which is shaping up for the “Ask some Pawn Professionals Anything YOU want”

Our panel is lining up with the following experts thus far:

• Jerry Whitehead – Founder of the Pawnshop Consulting Group
• Vito Wise – Pawnbroker / Creator of Pawnbrokers Helping Pawnbrokers Market Place and Much more
• Kevin Prochaska – CEO of Lombard Financial – A premier group of high end pawnshops / Former president of the NPA
• Sam Shockett – Owner – Kings Pawn – One of the largest and most distinguished single store Pawn Operations in the USA
• Maurice Fuller – Owner – Chesapeake Pawn – A newer rising star in the Pawn Industry
• Sean Makovsky – Multi-Unit Pawn Operating Specialist and much more
• Nicholas (Nick) Cohen – Business Development Leader for EZ Corp / Pawnbroker
• And ?? TBA

A footnote from PCG – Producer of the International Pawn Symposium

Our events are not trade shows nor conventions. They are high level inter-active educational seminars conducted by numerous experts within and outside the Pawn Industry.

These events also center on close interaction of ALL of the participants by keeping them together for all of the functions, seminars, food, and ALL social functions which are a primary component of the event itself.

In effect, High Level education and social networking on steroids.

AS for exclusivity, we keep attendance at a controlled level to insure maximum benefit of time with our educators, presenters, participants, and sponsors. All of which are required from our experience to obtain the best of the best, from the best!!

This event is limited to 100 attendees and is only $1495 per head – which includes all meals, social functions and the seminars being presented at this world class resort.

We are currently accepting paid participation to guarantee slots on the roster. We have about 85+ participants on the list currently and paid reservations are coming in now.

We have also procured a room-block at this EPIC resort of only $149 a night plus their resort fees.

IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND THIS EVENT – CONTACT ME DIRECTLY NOW TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ATTENDNACE PAYMENT AND CONFIRMATION AND WE WILL PROVIDE THE ROOM BLOCK HOTEL PASSKEY TO GUARANTEE YOUR DISCOUNTED ROOM AT THIS WORLD CLASS RESORT.

Jerry Whitehead @ 954-540-3697 – Pawnshopconsultinggroup@gmail.com

This year’s PRESENTERS provide a wide-range of expertise and subject matter, once again making the International Pawn Symposium THE event to attend for Pawn Professionals seeking to advance their business acumen and more.

Jerry Whitehead – Pawnshop Consulting Group – International Pawn Symposium

Sean Makovsky along with Fashionphile who recently acquired Two Authenticators will be sponsoring and providing a high level session on the intricacies of establishing and developing a luxury brand profile in your operation with access to unlimited sources of product.

PCG International Pawn Symposium

2025 Theme – In search of lost knowledge and treasure, in the ancient city of Atlantis!

Dates are October 12^th – 17^th and will be hosted at the World Class Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

Bio On Sean Makovsky

It should be noted that Sean has a long history in our beloved Pawn Industry. Aside from his accounting degree from University of Central Florida, he started as a Manager for Cash America from 1999 – 2002. From there he became a market Manager for Cash America directly supervising 13 stores and close to 100 associates before being promoted again to Director of Field Operations over seeing 68 stores for Cash America in South and West Texas. His span ran from 1996 – 2015 with Cash America. 

From there Sean was an Area Supervisor for Brittex Financial another highly successful Pawn Chain started out of Texas (Money Mart) that grew to 28 stores in several states before being acquired by First Cash. Another highend brand started by Larry Nuckols out of Texas, a long term very prominent figure within the Pawn Industry.

Post the Pawn World, Sean became the National Sales Director for Marque Luxury America one of the first major entries into the pre-owned luxury handbag business and more. He was successful in driving strong sales and business growth nationally and more while directing the company. 

Today, Sean is the Business Development Director for Fashionphile & 2a authenticators. He has been in charge of Business Development, Sales Strategy and Planning, Client Relationship Management, along  with maintaining extensive performance analysis of these products and services within and outside the Pawn Industry today.

Sean created amazing results in implementing, developing, training, and monitoring the success of these programs across a wide-spectrum of operators and continues to do so today.

Through their sponsorship and presentation, Sean will be providing an indepth examination of how their platform can work seamlessly to enhance any operators presence and knowledge with talking, providing, and dealing with luxury handbags and more.

This session promises to be another high level presentation packed with usable takeaways coming from another Pawn professional with real life and practical experience in enhancing product lines and revenues in the Pawn Space for decades. Hear it from another proven professional in the Pawn space. 

It should be noted that Sean will also be one of our Pawn Experts that will be hosting our panel of Pawn professionals which is shaping up to be like no other ever seen in the Pawn Industry today. Our panel is lining up with the following experts thus far:

• Jerry Whitehead – Founder of the Pawnshop Consulting Group
• Special Guest —
• Vito Wise – Pawnbroker / Creator of Pawnbrokers Helping Pawnbrokers Market Place and Much more
• Kevin Prochaska – CEO of Lombard Financial – A premier group of high end pawnshops / Former president of the NPA
• Sam Shockett – Owner – Kings Pawn – One of the largest and most distinguished single store Pawn Operations in the USA
• Maurice Fuller – Owner – Chesapeake Pawn – A newer rising star in the Pawn Industry
• Sean Makovsky – Multi-Unit Pawn Operating Specialist and much more
• Nicholas (Nick) Cohen – Business Development Leader for EZ Corp / Pawnbroker
• And ?? TBA

A footnote from PCG – Producer of the International Pawn Symposium

Our events are not trade shows nor conventions. They are high level inter-active educational seminars conducted by numerous experts within and outside the Pawn Industry.

These events also center on close interaction of ALL of the participants by keeping them together for all of the functions, seminars, food, and ALL social functions which are a primary component of the event itself.

In effect, High Level education and social networking on steroids.

AS for exclusivity, we keep attendance at a controlled level to insure maximum benefit of time with our educators, presenters, participants, and sponsors. All of which are required from our experience to obtain the best of the best, from the best!!

This event is limited to 100 attendees and is only $1495 per head – which includes all meals, social functions and the seminars being presented at this world class resort.

We are currently accepting paid participation to guarantee slots on the roster. We have about 85+ participants on the list currently and paid reservations are coming in now.

We have also procured a room-block at this EPIC resort of only $149 a night plus their resort fees.

IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND THIS EVENT – CONTACT ME DIRECTLY NOW TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ATTENDNACE PAYMENT AND CONFIRMATION AND WE WILL PROVIDE THE ROOM BLOCK HOTEL PASSKEY TO GUARANTEE YOUR DISCOUNTED ROOM AT THIS WORLD CLASS RESORT.

Jerry Whitehead @ 954-540-3697 – Pawnshopconsultinggroup@gmail.com

This year’s PRESENTERS provide a wide-range of expertise and subject matter, once again making the International Pawn Symposium THE event to attend for Pawn Professionals seeking to advance their business acumen and more.

Jerry Whitehead – Pawnshop Consulting Group – International Pawn Symposium

Sam Read holding his bullion bar of gold

That’s right – with the return of the International Pawn Symposium we have secured a speaking opportunity from one of the most widely recognized Pawn Broking Bullion Specialists in OUR space and a PCG Focus Group Member and much more, Mr. Sam Reading!

PCG International Pawn Symposium

2025 Theme – In search of lost knowledge and treasure, in the ancient city of Atlantis!

Dates are October 12^th – 17^th and will be hosted at the World Class Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

This Blog introduces another one of our very special presenters one of PCG’s newer friends, client, and Focus Group member of which our attendees will be blessed to hear from in Paradise!

Mr. Sam Reading whom is considered to be one of the most accredited professionals in the Pawn and Bullion Industry’s today!

Sam came on the radar with PCG several years back and petitioned our legendary PCG Focus Group for membership and succeeded in getting voted on. This was immediately followed up with him volunteering up a group session with our members in Boise Idaho.

Sam is a newer entry in the Pawn Space (2015) and took so much of the input from our group members and ran with it! Should be noted that recently he has even mastered adding a luxury brand to his growing chain of Pawn Shops up in the Boise Idaho area. 

Bio On Sam Reading

Sam Reading is a Marine Vet (Semper FI), a Software Visionary, and of course a Pawnbroker. 

After serving his country first as a Marine and then as a contractor with Palantir he opened his first Pawnshop in 2015. In February of 2025 he opened his 5th Pawn store.

He started dabbling in gold and silver bullion in 2017, and got serious about it in 2019. Getting good at bullion (through years of trial and error) has allowed him to double his revenues year over year for 5 years straight. 

Now he wants to pass his secrets on to you at the PCG International Pawn Symposium and give you the shortcut to replicating his bullion success in your stores.

Symposium Bullion Masterclass Rundown:

Sam provided an abbreviated version of the Bullion MasterClass several years ago at one of our focus group meetings up in Maryland. One of our members from that gathering, told the group the following year he had already done over 5-million dollars in bullion business from the lessons obtained at that group session. 

The steps and the education of these sessions alone will more than pay for ALL of your investment to attend the PCG Internatioanl Pawn Symposium in Atlantis this year!

Sam will be providing a condensed format of his live weekly training he currently has running into (3) sessions at the Symposium event.

What you will learn: 

-A framework for ethically “spying” on the competitors in your area and how to use what you learn to dominate your local market

-The 4 step testing/authentication method Sam uses to be 100% confident in what he is buying so he can offer more than anyone else

–Sam’s rolodex of industry contacts and partners you will need to be successful

-How to fund your bullion business almost completely with other people’s money.

-The marketing tactics Sam uses to attract big bullion deals like cheese attracts mice.

-And everything else you need to know to crush it in the bullion game.

A footnote from PCG – Producer of the International Pawn Symposium

Our events are not trade shows nor conventions. They are high level inter-active educational seminars conducted by numerous experts within and outside the Pawn Industry.

These events also center on close interaction of ALL of the participants by keeping them together for all of the functions, seminars, food, and ALL social functions which are a primary component of the event itself.

In effect, High Level education and social networking on steroids.

AS for exclusivity, we keep attendance at a controlled level to insure maximum benefit of time with our educators, presenters, participants, and sponsors. All of which are required from our experience to obtain the best of the best, from the best!!

This event is limited to 100 attendees and is only $1495 per head – which includes all meals, social functions and the seminars being presented at this world class resort.

We are currently accepting paid participation to guarantee slots on the roster. We have about 85+ participants on the list currently and paid reservations are coming in now.

We have also procured a room-block at this EPIC resort of only $149 a night plus their resort fees.

IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND THIS EVENT – CONTACT ME DIRECTLY NOW TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ATTENDNACE PAYMENT AND CONFIRMATION AND WE WILL PROVIDE THE ROOM BLOCK HOTEL PASSKEY TO GUARANTEE YOUR DISCOUNTED ROOM AT THIS WORLD CLASS RESORT.

Jerry Whitehead @ 954-540-3697 – Pawnshopconsultinggroup@gmail.com

This year’s PRESENTERS provide a wide-range of expertise and subject matter, once again making the International Pawn Symposium THE event to attend for Pawn Professionals seeking to advance their business acumen and more.

Jerry Whitehead – Pawnshop Consulting Group – International Pawn Symposium

That’s right – with the return of the International Pawn Symposium we have secured a speaking opportunity from one of the most widely recognized Human Resource Experts of our beloved Industry (Pawn) and so much more, Mr. David Johns!

PCG International Pawn Symposium

2025 Theme – In search of lost knowledge and treasure, in the ancient city of Atlantis!

Dates are October 12^th – 17^th and will be hosted at the World Class Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

This Blog introduces another one of our very special presenters and long term friends of mine of which our attendees will be blessed to hear from in Paradise!

Mr. David Johns whom is considered to be one of the most accredited professionals in the Pawn Industry today!

On my end, as one of the founding family members of the Uncle Joe’s Pawn Chain out of DFW – I had the privilege to meet David Johns who was director of Human Resources for Cash America back in 1992 when we sold our family Pawn Chain (Uncle Joe’s Pawn) to Cash America. 

David left such an impression on me at that time and I have always considered him to be one of the finest people I had ever met.

It should be noted that even though I had already cut my deal with the next dream team I was joining (Doc Holliday’s Pawnbrokers and Jewellers) out of Austin Texas, I considered Cash America for at least a minute back in late 1992 because of Mr. Johns!

This was only to find – that in laters years in life we would have many opportunities to work together and collaborate on a wide range of subject matter and clients as well. 

David has a long history in the Human Resources arena and the Pawn Industry as well.

AS a graduate of the University of Mississippi, David joined the original Sears & Roebuck team and served as director of HR for about 20 years before being recruited himself by Cash America as director of Human Resources.

This was to be followed up by being asked to join, develop and create the dream team which later became known as Value Pawn operation out of Florida and several other significant multi-unit Pawn operations from there. 

The rest is history 

David has recently retired from his extensive career serving the Pawn Industry and others and is enjoying spending quality time with his beloved wife (Sarah) of many decades.

I had to gently persuade and “ask” him to come and join us for the return of the International Pawn Symposium, as he has presented at every event that PCG has ever produced, including the first two International Pawn Symposiums. 

David’s Presentation(s) for the 2025 International Pawn Symposium

David will be presenting a couple of specialty pieces on a range of industry perspectives and outlooks from someone with a long and substantial history of serving our beloved industry

David and I discussed providing a global view from his perspective on the changes he was not only involved in, but the steps, trials, tribulations, and efforts required to create some of the most successful pawn operations in history. This piece promises to be an informative trip down memory lane from one of the top executives from some of THE most successful Pawn companies in History and what it took to fail and succeed!

David will also be elaborating on what it takes to continue to source for the best of the best when it comes to talent, and why so much emphasis needs to be placed on it, and how to truly find:

“The right fit candidates, for the right fit jobs”

These perspectives will be coming from an individual who has spent his lifetime in developing some of the most successful teams in history!

A footnote from PCG – Producer of the International Pawn Symposium

Our events are not trade shows nor conventions. They are high level inter-active educational seminars conducted by numerous experts within and outside the Pawn Industry.

These events also center on close interaction of ALL of the participants by keeping them together for all of the functions, seminars, food, and ALL social functions which are a primary component of the event itself.

In effect, High Level education and social networking on steroids.

AS for exclusivity, we keep attendance at a controlled level to insure maximum benefit of time with our educators, presenters, participants, and sponsors. All of which are required from our experience to obtain the best of the best, from the best!!

This event is limited to 100 attendees and is only $1495 per head – which includes all meals, social functions and the seminars being presented at this world class resort.

We are currently accepting paid participation to guarantee slots on the roster. We have about 85+ participants on the list currently and paid reservations are coming in now.

We have also procured a room-block at this EPIC resort of only $149 a night plus their resort fees.

IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND THIS EVENT – CONTACT ME DIRECTLY NOW TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ATTENDNACE PAYMENT AND CONFIRMATION AND WE WILL PROVIDE THE ROOM BLOCK HOTEL PASSKEY TO GUARANTEE YOUR DISCOUNTED ROOM AT THIS WORLD CLASS RESORT.

Jerry Whitehead @ 954-540-3697 – Pawnshopconsultinggroup@gmail.com

This year’s PRESENTERS provide a wide-range of expertise and subject matter, once again making the International Pawn Symposium THE event to attend for Pawn Professionals seeking to advance their business acumen and more.

Jerry Whitehead – Pawnshop Consulting Group – International Pawn Symposium

International Pawn Symposium

That’s right, ladies and gentleman, the return of the International Pawn Symposium has secured a speaking opportunity from one of our publicly controlled companies, Mr. Nicholas (NICK) Cohen

PCG International Pawn Symposium

There have been many developments since our announcement for the return of the Pawnshop Consulting Group’s International Pawn Symposium.

2025 Theme – In search of lost knowledge and treasure, in the ancient city of Atlantis!

Dates are October 12^th – 17^th and will be hosted at the World Class Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

This Blog introduces another one of our very special presenters of which our attendees will be blessed to hear it from one of the most accredited professionals in the Pawn Industry today!

PCG has had the privilege to work with EZ Corp on several transactions over their lengthy history and more recently, with more in the mix.

I am very proud to introduce another Pawn Professional with relevant input on our beloved industry from a Publicly Traded Company’s perspective, Mr. Nick Cohen.

A bit on Nick’s BIO:

Nick is currently the VP of Business Development at EZCorp, Inc (Nasdaq: EZPW). In this role, Nick’ is focused on pawnshop acquisitions, new stores, partnerships and expansion of the MaxPawn Luxury business unit. 

Nick started his tenure at EZCorp in 2018 and spent approximately 3 years in the field as a pawnbroker and store manager at EZPawn (Texas), Value Pawn (Florida) and Cash Converters in (Australia).

Prior to working at EZCorp, Nick held various entrepreunerial roles at start up and early stage companies, Upper Echelon Shoes (footwear), Tagpop (ecommerce), and various consulting roles at other companies.

In addition, Nick has also been an international touring DJ for 20+ years.

Nick also holds an MBA with a concentration in Finance and Accounting from NYU Stern (2016) and a BA with a concentration in Economics from Vassar College (2007).

Nick loves the pawnbroking industry and is passionate about meeting other great operators in our industry to share best practices and learnings. Nick lives the EZ cultural values of People, Pawn, and Passion!

Nick’s Presentation for the 2025 International Pawn Symposium

Nick will be presenting a high-level piece on a range of industry perspectives and outlooks from the public company’s points of view

AS most of us know, public money changed the industry forever and attendees at the Symposium will have an opportunity to hear a range of perspectives from the public company and have open dialogue with them

EZ corp is one of the largest publicly traded pawn companies in the world with a multi-national presence and is comprised of more than 1100 stores today 

A footnote from PCG – Producer of the International Pawn Symposium

Our events are not trade shows nor conventions. They are high level inter-active educational seminars conducted by numerous experts within and outside the Pawn Industry.

These events also center on close interaction of ALL of the participants by keeping them together for all of the functions, seminars, food, and ALL social functions which are a primary component of the event itself.

In effect, High Level education and social networking on steroids.

AS for exclusivity, we keep attendance at a controlled level to insure maximum benefit of time with our educators, presenters, participants, and sponsors. All of which are required from our experience to obtain the best of the best, from the best!!

This event is limited to 100 attendees and is only $1495 per head – which includes all meals, social functions and the seminars being presented at this world class resort.

We are currently accepting paid participation to guarantee slots on the roster. We have about 85+ participants on the list currently and paid reservations are coming in now.

We have also procured a room-block at this EPIC resort of only $149 a night plus their resort fees.

IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND THIS EVENT – CONTACT ME DIRECTLY NOW TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ATTENDNACE PAYMENT AND CONFIRMATION AND WE WILL PROVIDE THE ROOM BLOCK HOTEL PASSKEY TO GUARANTEE YOUR DISCOUNTED ROOM AT THIS WORLD CLASS RESORT.

Jerry Whitehead @ 954-540-3697 – Pawnshopconsultinggroup@gmail.com

This year’s PRESENTERS provide a wide-range of expertise and subject matter, once again making the International Pawn Symposium THE event to attend for Pawn Professionals seeking to advance their business acumen and more.

Jerry Whitehead – Pawnshop Consulting Group – International Pawn Symposium

That’s right, ladies and gentleman, the return of the International Pawn Symposium has secured a speaking opportunity from another “Pawn Legend”, Mr. Jeff Wilhelm

PCG International Pawn Symposium

There have been many developments since our announcement for the return of the Pawnshop Consulting Group’s International Pawn Symposium.

2025 Theme – In search of lost knowledge and treasure, in the ancient city of Atlantis!

Dates are October 12^th – 17^th and will be hosted at the World Class Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

This Blog introduces another one of our very special presenters of which our attendees will be blessed to hear it from one of the most accredited professionals in the Pawn Industry today!

Next up, I am very proud to introduce a long-term friend of our beloved Pawn Industry and PCG‘s – Mr. Jeff Wilhelm!

A bit on Jeff”s BIO along with some observations from myself – Jerry Whitehead:

Jeff started his 37-year career working in the pawn industry with Cash America International.

He also credit’s to a mutual mentor of ours and that is David Johns, for sharing a vision of what life would be like in the pawn business and with Cash America. (My family and I sold out Pawn Chain to Cash America in 1992 and David almost talked me into joining the team) 

In Jeff’s case -man, was he right. As a store trainee, he worked his way through the program and became an Area Supervisor and Training Coordinator for Cash America.

After 5 years with Cash, he moved back to Florida to work with a friend, Joe Bartholomew at Southern Pawn. Joe may have been the best pawnbroker that he had come across in some 32 years of his life cycle. Joe let him see and gave him the vision of how the independent brokers did business.  He found out through this experience that he loved independent shops as much as corporate ones.

Jeff has been blessed to have had so many amazing people cross his life’s path in business. He offer’s thanks to the following: Joe B, John T, Don H, Dan C, David C, Kevin S, Jack H, Dan F, Rob B, Gardy R, Bart B, Monty W, Virginia, Carl K, David J, Jon C, Tim M, Teresa H, David B and Bob M. and many more along the way with all the teams he has had the privilege to work with over the years.

Jeff’s world changed again in business when he came across a person named John Thedford, (thank you Sir, as John is still a mentor today “Jeff’s words”).  John gave him a platform and a vision that at the time that he had not experienced or seen in the pawn world.

At that time, Jeff opted-in with a startup pawn operation with only 4 stores. He was able to move into a corporate training role at Value Pawn & Jewelry (VP&J), where he personally trained over 175 new GM’s using the principles of Covey Leadership. During his time with VP&J as Director of Leadership and Development.  The company grew to 75 stores over a six-year period.

Jeff has also worked as a Pawnshop consultant. A great opportunity came with a partnership with Bay Area Pawnshops in Clearwater Florida, of which he later sold his interest in the stores and went into pawnshop and retail consulting full time.

Jeff was given the opportunity to work with a former client of the Pawnshop Consulting Group’s which was CashWiz, a 21-store chain based in the Caribbean and USA as the Director of Leadership and Store Support for 3 years (of which he continues to consult with today).

Jeff truly misses all the teams at this organization where he had made many lasting relationships in the US and throughout the Caribbean.

In 2018, he joined National Pawn and Jewelry based in Raleigh/Durham NC, as Director of Training and Profitability. “Another former client group of the Pawnshop Consulting Group and long term friend of the founder, Mr. Bob Moulton”.  From Jeff — “Thank you, Bob Moulton for waiting several years before I said yes to NPAJ”.

With his role at NPAJ he had the honor to be a part of an amazing team of 180 human assets and 19 stores, with more to come as the Director of Store Operations for NPAJ. This company was awesome and just finds way to win.

They sold NPAJ in 2024 which will be to date the largest per store Average and asset multiples ever paid for a pawn company in current Pawn history.

“I would like to thank all the team members and the amazing company culture that was created at NJAP. Peter Drucker said best “Culture eats strategy for breakfast”.

Jeff so looks forward to the next journey in his life path, as he knows it will have its challenges with lots of excitement that will keep him smiling and looking for new ways to continue to achieve success.

From Jeff:

Oct 30,2023, we became grandparents’ of which has definitely been life changing, thank you Erin and Kevin for bringing baby Jack Wayne Nether into our lives who is an amazing happy little boy.

That same year Erin was diagnosed with cancer, of which she has achieved full remission.

Along the way, in my life’s path I received the best gift that anyone could have given to me is Barbara Marier, my wife and the mother of 3 wonderful kids (Erin 30, Rian 28 and Kyleigh 25) which words on this page can’t express or do any justice just how awesome Barbara is for many years she has been the strength of the family and has always believed in me even when I would say I was going to make a change or make things hard for her. Thank you dear and I love you.

She is so much better than me and I always say I out kicked my coverage. We have a goal together to be able to stop working at 62 I believe she will, but not sure about me. So, I will make sure I spend each day being thankful for you being in my life’s path. Again, I love you.

I believe when time my time passes on this earth I will be remembered as a loving father, husband, brother, son and uncle who was caring and believed in sharing all he has with others with passion, consistency and a little intensity. 

With my faith and 7 habits role of Health, father, family and husband, life of (SEE DO GET), career over the past year I see life as be happy, smile more along the way, life is short so have fun.

Jeff”s Presentation for the 2025 International Pawn Symposium

Jeff will be presenting a high-level piece on the many intricate components of coming into a live operation, blending in, establishing the culture, gaining the respect of the team, and strategically growing the brand while also achieveing extremely low personnel turnover while obtaining substantial growth and historic KPI performance and more.

This year’s presentation will be like no other Jeff has presented before – as he has continued to polish, revamp, and revise the successes of his lifelong journey within our beloved Pawn Industry.

It should also be noted that Jeff will be one of our “fellow pawnbrokers” hosting with us out panel of Pawn Experts that we will have this years event in Atlantis as well. It is rumored, Bob Moulton of National Pawn may join us as well!

A footnote from PCG – Producer of the International Pawn Symposium

Our events are not trade shows nor conventions. They are high level inter-active educational seminars conducted by numerous experts within and outside the Pawn Industry.

These events also center on close interaction of ALL of the participants by keeping them together for all of the functions, seminars, food, and ALL social functions which are a primary component of the event itself.

In effect, High Level education and social networking on steroids.

AS for exclusivity, we keep attendance at a controlled level to insure maximum benefit of time with our educators, presenters, participants, and sponsors. All of which are required from our experience to obtain the best of the best, from the best!!

This event is limited to 100 attendees and is only $1495 per head – which includes all meals, social functions and the seminars being presented at this world class resort.

We are currently accepting paid participation to guarantee slots on the roster. We have about 85+ participants on the list currently and paid reservations are coming in now.

We have also procured a room-block at this EPIC resort of only $149 a night plus their resort fees.

IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND THIS EVENT – CONTACT ME DIRECTLY NOW TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ATTENDNACE PAYMENT AND CONFIRMATION AND WE WILL PROVIDE THE ROOM BLOCK HOTEL PASSKEY TO GUARANTEE YOUR DISCOUNTED ROOM AT THIS WORLD CLASS RESORT.

Jerry Whitehead @ 954-540-3697 – Pawnshopconsultinggroup@gmail.com

This year’s PRESENTERS provide a wide-range of expertise and subject matter, once again making the International Pawn Symposium THE event to attend for Pawn Professionals seeking to advance their business acumen and more.

Jerry Whitehead – Pawnshop Consulting Group – International Pawn Symposium

That’s right, ladies and gentleman, the return of the International Pawn Symposium has secured a speaking opportunity from another “Pawn Legend”, Mr. John Thedford

PCG International Pawn Symposium

There have been many developments since our announcement for the return of the Pawnshop Consulting Group’s International Pawn Symposium.

2025 Theme – In search of lost knowledge and treasure, in the ancient city of Atlantis!

Dates are October 12^th – 17^th and will be hosted at the World Class Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

This Blog introduces another one of our very special presenters of which our attendees will be blessed to hear it from one of the most accredited professionals in the Pawn Industry today!

Next up, I am very proud to introduce a long-term friend of our beloved Pawn Industry and PCG‘s – Mr. John Thedford!

A bit on John’s BIO along with some observations from myself, Jerry Whitehead:

On a personal level, I have known John since the Initial Public Offering of Cash America back in the 80’s. At that time, John was one of the accountants on the IPO team of Coopers and Lybrand who was involved with the due diligence and much of the underwriting phases of Cash America’s IPO in 1987 followed by EZ Corp out of Austin Texas in 1989.

From there, John moved on to Florida and started the ground work for what would become Value Pawn.

John is a lifelong entrepreneur with a proven success record. He has founded numerous thriving retail corporations, including Value Pawn & Jewelry, Rite-Rite Rental Centers, La Familia Pawn and Jewelry, Premier Pawn and Jewelry, SMART Financial and the current project is Simple Pawn.

It should be noted that Value Pawn became the largest privately owned multi-store pawn chain operating more than 70 stores in the USA at the time of its acquisition.

Value Pawn was a corporate acquisition of EZ Corp in a transaction that totaled 120 million dollars at time of acquisition in January of 2009.

John’s dedication to driving success has earned him multiple awards, including the prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the Financial Services Sector in 2019. The Ernst & Young program recognizes entrepreneurs and leaders of high-growth companies who excel in areas such as innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their businesses and communities while also transforming our world.

Most recently John was awarded the esteemed William Booth Award at The Salvation Army’s “An Evening for “Others.” This award is among the highest accolades bestowed by The Salvation Army and reserved for the individuals who exemplify unwavering dedication to the organization’s mission.

The author of the book, SMART MOVES MANAGEMENT, John builds and believes in results-driven, World Class Operations through strategic focus on a rigorous human resource approach; he believes that “it’s not about IQ, it’s about “I Do”. John also subscribes to the tenet that “the most powerful force on earth is a human engaged in meaningful work. Employers must select with science and hold together with leadership and culture.”

John’s experience encompasses years of coordinating executive teams and organizational processes which has resulted in winning strategies.

John’s Presentation for the 2025 International Pawn Symposium

It should be noted that Mr. Thedford did present at both of the International Pawn Symposiums that we hosted back in 2011 at the Ritz Carlton in Naples Florida, and also in 2012 at the Ritz Carlton in Georgetown in the Cayman Islands.

For our 2025 event, John will be presenting a high-level piece on the many intricate components that are involved in building award winning culture in ANY organization.

This is a topic matter that is very dear to John, as ALL of his organizations have excelled with winning culture for many reasons, but primarily due to his vision and ability to assemble some of the best teams that ALL of his projects seem to excel in.

This year’s presentation will be like no other John has presented before, as he has continued to polish, revamp, and revise the successes of their award-winning corporate culture aspects with the diversification of multi-national Pawn operations that both LaFamilia, and now Simple pawn have become involved in, in their global expansion.

Simple Pawn currently operates more than 120+ stores as of the date of this blog operating across the USA, Caribbean, Puerto Rico, and Latin America.

It should also be noted, that Mr. Thedford’s team has invited us to consider having some pawn tours while we are in the Bahama’s to tour one of their stores located in Nassau!

Simple Pawn’s – CashWiz brand has a store in Nassau.

This was also another group that PCG had a wonderful opportunity to work with early on in our consulting role.

Pawn tours on the horizon in the Bahamas, stay tuned for more information, as this tour will have a limited head-count!

A footnote from PCG – Producer of the International Pawn Symposium

Our events are not trade shows nor conventions. They are high level inter-active educational seminars conducted by numerous experts within and outside the Pawn Industry.

These events also center on close interaction of ALL of the participants by keeping them together for all of the functions, seminars, food, and ALL social functions which are a primary component of the event itself.

In effect, High Level education and social networking on steroids.

AS for exclusivity, we keep attendance at a controlled level to insure maximum benefit of time with our educators, presenters, participants, and sponsors. All of which are required from our experience to obtain the best of the best, from the best!!

This event is limited to 100 attendees and is only $1495 per head – which includes all meals, social functions and the seminars being presented at this world class resort.

We are currently accepting paid participation to guarantee slots on the roster. We have about 85+ participants on the list currently and paid reservations are coming in now.

We have also procured a room-block at this EPIC resort of only $149 a night plus their resort fees.

IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND THIS EVENT – CONTACT ME DIRECTLY NOW TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ATTENDNACE PAYMENT AND CONFIRMATION AND WE WILL PROVIDE THE ROOM BLOCK HOTEL PASSKEY TO GUARANTEE YOUR DISCOUNTED ROOM AT THIS WORLD CLASS RESORT.

Jerry Whitehead @ 954-540-3697 – Pawnshopconsultinggroup@gmail.com

This year’s PRESENTERS provide a wide-range of expertise and subject matter, once again making the International Pawn Symposium THE event to attend for Pawn Professionals seeking to advance their business acumen and more.

Jerry Whitehead – Pawnshop Consulting Group – International Pawn Symposium

Ladies and Gentleman in Pawn Land,

PCG’s Jerry Whitehead has been invited to present again this year at the upcoming Midwest Show to be held May 16^th – 18^th in Indianapolis.

Here is a link for more information, and PCG invites any of you in the Pawn Space to attend this show. The Midwest celebrates more than 30++ years as one of the Premier Regional Shows.

Midwest Convention INFO Link Here

Pawnshop Consulting Group has had the privilege to present and speak at the last 2+ decades worth of events for the Midwest and find this to be a wonderful group to work with and experience.

The Midwest organizers have asked me to provide topic matter on what it takes to grow your business.

In my case, I have grown numerous organizations, starting with our family brand we grew to a dozen stores before being acquired by Cash America in the early 90’s as one.

At that time, that acquisition achieved the highest asset valuation multiple ever paid for our organization by Cash America.

A transaction with leases valued at more than 12-million dollars in late 1992.

The next project was Doc Holliday’s out of Austin Texas, of which I essentially was brought in post the sale of our family business to achieve OPERATIONAL control and substantial growth results for Doc’s.

The plan was to grow the company strategically while anticipating an Initial Public Offering.

Starting with 8-stores upon my arrival as director of Operations in early 1993 to more than 50 stores in 6-states by late 1996 before being acquired by Cash America in 1997.

A transaction with leases that fetched more than 35 million dollars at that time.

Cash America strategically knew our per store performances were exceptional and far exceeded their per store averages at a rate of 2 to 1 which prompted one of the highest asset values and corporate acquisitions ever achieved for an acquisition in their history post our family transaction back in 1992.

It should be noted that this transaction was a combination of cash, debt, and equity. The longer term value of the Cash America equity also was greatly enhanced beyond the initial value at the time of that acquisition for those who retained their stock.

As part of my role as the Operation’s Director during the onboarding phase, I strategically leveraged decades of active pawn and growth, along with extensive relationships created by various Board Participations of numerous Pawn Associations.

I served as a Director for the Texas Pawnbrokers Association upon my return from Maui in 1987 initially before serving on the National Pawnbrokers board for some 18 years, followed by the Florida Pawnbrokers Association and more.

SHOULD I GROW MY BRAND AND IF SO HOW

Growing your business can be one of the most rewarding experiences an organization can go through, along with the some of the greatest misery as well.

A very wise man told me a long time ago, son, if you had one really big operation, you would most likely achieve more success, have potentially less stress, and live long and prosper.

In my rearview mirror at my age now, may have been true.

For the same, the excitement of growing the brands and or the businesses was also very emotional and exciting for me.

In the case of our family brand, the “Uncle Joe’s Pawn” operation that operated our of North Texas for 30 years was truly one of the most exciting times in life, coupled with emmense stress.

It should be noted family operations can be quite challenging. These can be coupled with various levels of capabilities, moods, emotions, opinions, and family issues to name a few.

For the Midwest Presentation I will be providing an very informative session on the pro’s and con’s of growing your business, with an extensive outline on the steps and procedures to consider both, pre and post making such decisions.

For growth, we will also examine the steps and processes that should be taken into consideration before considering such an endeavor as well.

In my case, as the creator of the Pawnshop Consulting Group, we are celebrating 25 years of existence this year and have a global reach into more than 40 countries today.

This session at the Midwest promises to be a very informative and acclaimed presentation from someone who has been there, and done that.

Looking forward to seeing many of you in Indianapolis this year!

Feel free to reach out if I can be any assistance, and until then!

Jerry Whitehead

www.pawnshopconsultinggroup.com

www.pawnsymposium.com

pawnshopconsultinggroup@gmail.com

954-540-3697

PCG International Pawn Symposium

Ladies and Gentleman in Pawn Land!

There have been many developments since our announcement for the return of the Pawnshop Consulting Group’s International Pawn Symposium.

2025 Theme – In search of lost knowledge and treasure, in the ancient city of Atlantis!

Dates are October 12^th – 17^th and will be hosted at the World Class Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

This Blog introduces another one of our very special presenters of which our attendees will be blessed to hear it from one of the most accredited professionals in the Pawn Industry today! 

Currently we have more than a dozen high-level presenters at this years event!

Next up, I am very proud to introduce a long-term friend of mine and PCG’s – Mr. Kevin Prochaska!

Kevin’s background is extensive and I had the privilege to work with Kevin several decades back when we were building the Doc Holliday’s brand out of Austin Texas many years ago before we sold that multi-state operation to one of the public companies.

Kevin Prochaska is a seasoned financial services executive, entrepreneur, and wealth diversification strategist with 45 years of experience in the pawn industry.

In addition to having held leadership positions at some of the most prominent pawn companies in the country, Mr. Prochaska has dedicated himself to helping select individuals strategically diversify their wealth and create long-term financial security beyond their primary income sources.

For the past 22 years, Mr. Prochaska has served as the CEO of Lombard Financial Services, L.P., a pawnshop holding company with 11 locations in Northeast Texas, in addition to a single store he founded in 1988. 

Before founding Lombard, Mr. Prochaska spent over two decades in executive roles at major pawn, financial services and operating companies, including:

• Senior Vice President at Cash America – Leading strategic growth and operational expansion in one of the largest pawn and financial service companies in the U.S.
• Chief Financial Officer at EZCorp – Overseeing financial strategy and management for a key player in the pawn and alternative financial services sector.
• Chief Operations Officer at Doc Holliday’s – Managing business operations and driving efficiency in a major pawn retail chain.
• Chief Financial Officer at Premier Aviation – Overseeing financial planning and operations in the aviation industry.
• President and Treasurer of the National Pawnbrokers Association – Advocating for the industry and shaping policies that impact pawn businesses nationwide.

Mr. Prochaska holds an MBA in Small Business Finance and Real Estate (1984–1986) and a BBA in Accounting (1982–1984) from The University of Texas at Austin.  Mr. Prochaska is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), licensed by the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy since April 1986.

Mr. Prochaska’s career also includes military service with the U.S. Army Security Agency, where he developed the discipline and strategic thinking that continue to shape his approach to financial strategy today.

AS a footnote, Kevin has presented at both of the Prior Pawn Symposiums that the Pawnshop Consulting Group has produced. Kevin’s knowledge, skill, and wit is unmatched anywhere in the Pawn Industry today and will be another do not miss opportunity. 

Kevin’ will be doing a one-off presentation on business and life planning on legacy investing along with accumulating wealth and preparing for succession or other in the business journey in life. Something the majority of US fail to do from what I witness from a global client base.

Kevin will also be hosting with us on our panel of some of the most distinguished pawn professionals in the industry today.

An open desk discussion with our attendees and panel of distinguished Pawn Professionals on all levels discussing anything, and everything. 

Our events are not trade shows nor conventions. They are high level inter-active educational seminars conducted by numerous experts within and outside the Pawn Industry.

These events also center on close interaction of ALL of the participants by keeping them together for all of the functions, seminars, food, and ALL social functions which are a primary component of the event itself.

In effect, High Level education and social networking on steroids.

AS for exclusivity, we keep attendance at a controlled level to insure maximum benefit of time with our educators, presenters, participants, and sponsors. All of which are required from our experience to obtain the best of the best, from the best!!

This event is limited to 100 attendees and is only $1495 per head – which includes all meals, social functions and the seminars being presented at this world class resort.

We are currently accepting paid participation to guarantee slots on the roster. We have about 80+ participants on the list currently and paid reservations are coming in now.

We have also procured a room-block at this EPIC resort of only $149 a night plus their resort fees.

IF YOU WISH TO ATTEND, CONTACT ME DIRECTLY NOW TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR ATTENDNACE PAYMENT AND CONFIRMATION AND WE WILL PROVIDE THE ROOM BLOCK HOTEL PASSKEY TO GUARANTEE YOUR DISCOUNTED ROOM AT THIS WORLD CLASS RESORT.

ALL PCG SYMPOSIUM EVENTS SELL OUT

This year’s PRESENTERS provide a wide-range of expertise and subject matter, once again making the International Pawn Symposium THE event to attend for Pawn Professionals seeking to advance their business acumen and more.

Jerry Whitehead – Pawnshop Consulting Group – International Pawn Symposium

pawnshopconsultinggroup@gmail.com —- 954-540-3697

PCG International Pawn Symposium

Ladies and Gentleman in Pawn Land!

There have been many developments since our announcement for the return of the Pawnshop Consulting Group’s International Pawn Symposium.

2025 Theme – In search of lost knowledge and treasure, in the ancient city of Atlantis!

Dates are October 12^th – 17^th and will be hosted at the World Class Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

THIS Blog starts the process of featuring each of our presenters on a case basis.

First up will be Justin Whitehead – yes, my son and here is what we have coming from him this year in Atlantis.

Justin will be providing one of our openers for this year’s event followed by one of the closers of the event as well.

This year’s theme is centered around “In Search of Lost Knowledge in the Lost City of Atlantis

As a Prelude to the opener, here is a little taster coming up from the masterful Philosopher, my son, who is a 3^rd generation Pawnbroker who has grown up in and around a lifetime of the Pawn Business, Pawn Brokers, and for the last 25 years, Pawn Shop Consulting Group.

A little background on this presenter:

• Grew up in a pawn family
• Worked in family shops as a kid @ Pawn Max, and the Original Uncle Joe’s Pawn out of Ft. Worth Texas. Many road trips checking out stores on the way, some as an adult “Gold n Pawn” (Bobby Whitehead Jr’s Store), attending conventions growing up, attended many workshops led by my father, spoke on Social Media at the 1^st symposium in Naples, endless lunch and dinner table conversations (charged as business expenses) and musings on back porches with good cigars and good friends
• Undergrad in Philosophy from FAU, minor in anthropology, classical studies certification, emphasis in computer science
• Masters in Liberal Arts from TCU all of which while maintaining a 4.0 GPA
• I’ve been a tutor at a college. Now I work in student affairs at TCU, hobbies include programming video games, D&D, travel when I can afford it (I met my wife on a voyage to Sweden), and navel-gazing (a joke about philosophers and the coining of the term and how I’m done navel-gazing and ready to report my findings to the pawn world that is my direct and extended family with you all at the Symposium)

For those of you who may have attended our 1^st International Pawn Symposium at the Ritz Carlton in Naples Florida, Justin did speak at that event back in 2011.

ALL OF THIS INFORMATION WILL DOVETAIL INTO PRACTICAL TERMS OF MAXIMIZING KNOWLEDGE TO BENEFIT YOU AND YOUR PAWN BUSINESS FOREVER!

From Justin’s research and background, here are a few tasty morsels for us to chew on that will be expanded upon as we set the stage for the world class presentations and social functions that will happen this year in Atlantis as we search for lost knowledge and treasure

PHILOSOPHICAL TREASURE HUNTING 101

• The myth of Atlantis
  • According to the ancient philosopher Plato. Once upon a time, there was a mighty power based on an island in the Atlantic Ocean. This empire was called Atlantis, and it ruled over several other islands and parts of the continents of Africa and Europe
  • Atlantis was arranged in concentric rings of alternating water and land. The soil was rich, the engineers technically accomplished, the architecture extravagant with baths, harbor installations, and barracks. The central plain outside the city had canals and a magnificent irrigation system. Atlantis had kings and a civil administration, as well as an organized military
  • Plato used it as a parable, but we’ll get into that as the presentation takes shape
• Here are some bullet points for us to examine in anticipation of my son’s presentation and setting the stage for us so to speak in Atlantis this coming October!

What is philosophy?

• Philosophy is the study of the nature of reality, knowledge, and morality, or a system of beliefs and values (Cambridge Dictionary)
  • Logic via a syllogism. We all know that there can easily be a relation of wealth to power. In this sense, wealth can be a tool for power, we also all have heard the old adage that knowledge is power, therefore knowledge is a tool for wealth. Treasure: accumulated or stored wealth (what do we try to do in Pawn and most businesses in general)
  • Along this form of deductive reasoning, we can posit that the pursuit of knowledge is the pursuit for a type of treasure (wisdom)
• An inspection into our humanity, from where do we derive meaning and what resonates with us on a personal and professional level – a desire for universal understanding leading to becoming a more powerful leader in business

Why is philosophy important?

• “To be fully awake (not woke) and fully alive” – Heraclitus (a precursor to Plato)
• “The unexamined life is not worth living” – Socrates (the teacher of Plato)
• The responsibility that we have as social creatures to be reflective of ourselves and our relation to others, how to improve society through ourselves (joke – anyone who wants to discuss other facets of philosophy, such as metaphysics, can meet me at the bar after my third (non-alcoholic) beer)
• A philosopher, if they are a good one, will not want for money because they can use their capacity for deriving wisdom from their experiential knowledge to predict trends and analyze future possibilities – Thales (the first recorded philosopher) got rich from predicting a drought and buying as many olives as he could in the seasons before it hit, thus capitalizing on the drought when it eventually, thankfully, for him, came
• Aim is to help you here with developing a cognitive toolkit with which to be able to better derive wisdom (treasure) from your experiences in order to maximize personal and therefore professional growth. One of the ways to do that is through being able to have perspective on situations. Hopefully, something offered here (Atlantis) can help to facilitate nuances and potential shifts in perception to assist with your business evaluations and strategies – “the worst enemy you can meet will always be yourself” (Nietzsche). Let us try to master ourselves via this treasure
• Transition – “Experience without theory is blind, theory without experience is mere intellectual play” – Kant. You all have amassed vast quantities of experience; I have been in school for 7 years studying theory. Let’s combine our forces. We start with a tale of battle

• Myth of Atlantis – Socratic dialogues of the Timaeus and CritiaS
  • Rather than give exact reporting of past events, Plato’s Atlantis story describes an impossible set of circumstances, which were designed by Plato to represent how a miniature utopia failed and became a lesson to us defining the proper behavior of a state (how many seemingly impossible circumstances do we incur in our Pawn Businesses?)
  • It waged an unprovoked imperialistic war on the remainder of Asia and Europe. When Atlantis attacked, Athens showed its excellence as the leader of the Greeks, the much smaller city-state the only power to stand against Atlantis. Alone, Athens triumphed over the invading Atlantean forces, defeating the enemy, preventing the free from being enslaved, and freeing those who had been enslaved
  • After the battle there were violent earthquakes and floods, Atlantis sank into the sea, and all the Athenian warriors were swallowed up by the earth.
  • A parable: between wealth and modesty; a mighty aggressor vs a small but just city. A cultural war between maritime and agrarian society, between engineering science and spiritual/philosophical forces

Aristotle

• Eudaimonia – our ultimate aim, a sense of flourishing in life and thus in business
• Virtue ethics – how we achieve eudaimonia
  • Virtue lies at the median between two extremes (deficiency – excess)
• Akrasia – knowing something is wrong and doing it anyway (vices can enslave us)
• Habitual formation of virtue leads to a proper disposition toward the good via practical wisdom in the application of our knowledge into our actions over a period of time

St. Augustine

• The idea of proper love – money is only good for something else, not an end in and of itself
• Why do we run pawn shops, etc.? Does it lead to my flourishing? Sad tales of money ruining families and businesses – what is worth – worth?
• Aristotle said that we could have all the riches in the world but they would matter naught without someone to share them with

Kierkegaard

• Spheres of existence
  • Aesthetic (pleasure) – living in finite moments, striving for that next moment, reliving moments of attainment in the past. The search for more pleasure: hedonism. Don Juan. Not really existing because these are fleeting moments. Life, to Kierkegaard, isn’t just about that next sale, bonus, or numbers that may appear in the revenue bracket on a spreadsheet
  • Ethical – commitment to something. Social relations. A married person, their commitment to their partner. Every moment shared enriches past and future moments, expounding throughout a whole life, thus existing in a greater facet not tied to finite momentary pleasures. We can extrapolate this to commitment to one’s business. Comes with pain, but in the existential tradition, that can enrich the pleasure
  • Transition – speaking of pain, Nietzsche was a glutton for it but had perspective on how to potentially use it to our advantage

Nietzsche

• Übermensch
  • “The greater the obstacle the more glory in overcoming it. – What does not destroy makes me stronger”
  • Overcoming builds character – you yourself are something to overcome
• Parable
  • The Camel – education. Bears the weight of the knowledge of what current business standards say is the correct way to operate, eventually becoming a burden when realizing that there is no one true be-all, end-all, way to operate (everyone’s path towards eudaimonia can be different)
  • The Lion – To rule over the desert the lion must overthrow the existing lord, a Dragon. The Dragon represents the institutions and societal conventions which determine the current paradigm of business (or anything, really) – imposes rules. The true individual builds their own business (or life) on their own terms for their own purpose. Wills its own will
  • The Child – unburdened by rules and conventions, new fresh beginning free to discover the meaning of things for itself
    • Joke – speaking of children, my dad (I kid) and the development of PCG and the symposium series
  • The will to power – “He who has the why to live can bear almost any how” (self-determination (a defining trait of any entrepreneur, I’m sure you would all agree)
    • Seeing competitors and downturns in business as something to overcome, opportunities to learn from and gain more power

• Marcus Aurelius – the Pax Romana: peace, calm and stability (long may you reign with your respective businesses with the aid of a stoic disposition)
• Internalizing the value of things dear to us and experiencing the joy they can bring in life which helps to abate their leaving us when they are gone
• There are many things in life that we cannot control, but one thing we can control is how we feel about it, and thus the choices we then make in response
• Covid-19, economic downturns, unforeseen circumstances of disaster and upheaval. Developing a sense of being resolute in your business endeavors creates a steadfast persona that can weather the storm (how was this event for our beloved Pawn Industry?)

• In my anthropology minor studying Asia, and then again in Social and Political Philosophy, I studied the book it was from, the Tao Te Ching, and found out about the concept of wu wei
  • Working at Gold-N-Pawn under my Uncle, Bobby Whitehead Jr., my father’s brother, I gleaned some insight into wu wei from him in relation to sales. He said, “A customer does not want to be sold something, they want to buy something.” It reminded me of that kind of Karate-Zen that is a lesson from nature: “the frog lets the fly come to it.” No need to be pushy, “I am here if you need me or have any questions.” Perhaps you’ve experienced this yourself in a store, or say a car lot, the pressure is unattractive and has an opposite effect than what the salesperson desires

Immanuel Kant

• Categorical imperative – basically just imagining do unto others as you would have done unto you – any decision you make, think – would I be ok with someone doing this to me, if yes, ethical (goodwill)
• People are ends unto themselves, not means to an end. We can work to remind ourselves of this with our employees and our customers: respect can lead to motivation via finding the search for flourishing within them – what is going to make you happy here? Money – a means to an end to fulfill their search perhaps
• Respecting the rationality of the person who takes out a loan or pawn on something – especially given that in the economic environment for a lot of people where there can increasingly often be little, or no, recourse of alternatives. In this light, it is a moral principle routed in goodwill to provide this service
• We provide a service to society, there is pride (and profit) that can be found in this understanding
• Story from dad about the guy with the $30 loan on a bracelet he paid off on for years, leading to them wanting to gift it back to him for being such a repeat customer, and their statement about their rationale in pawning it to prevent it from being stolen in the first place, and the ensuing watching of them go down the street to the next pawn shop to re-pawn it – it is about respecting the rationality of the customer
• That said, every situation is unique and so moral actions cannot be absolute, but we also have Aristotelian virtue ethics in our toolkits. Our wisdom from experience and habits from acting reasonably can infer ways in which we are ought to proceed. Perhaps it is evident that someone is on drugs, or if the goods appear stolen, if your intuition (wisdom) is piqued, it would then be a categorical imperative, and your right as a business owner, to refuse service and such

Closing

• My gift, as it were, to you here is all of this information on how philosophy can potentially help you to run not just your business, but yourself. Hopefully, this understanding can correlate towards effective management styles and adaptability to forces within and without the pawn world that will help. If you are looking for where to go next, perhaps try a humanities perspective to seeing things in the world like Thales did and you can capitalize on it – view it from various angles, watch movies, read books, listen to music, watch the news (but try not to let it cloud your reason when it appeals to your emotions), monitor the markets, go to church if that’s your thing, talk to each other and see if you can put yourself in other peoples’ shoes to gain their insight, take time to reflect, go on a vacation – enjoy Atlantis!!!

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL PAWN SYMPOSIUM 

This event is limited to 100 attendees and is only $1495 per head – which includes all meals, social functions and the seminars being presented at this world class resort.

We are currently accepting paid participation to guarantee slots on the roster. We have about 80+ participants on the list currently and paid reservations are coming in now.

We have also procured a room-block at this EPIC resort of only $149 a night plus their resort fees.

This year’s PRESENTERS provide a wide-range of expertise and subject matter, once again making the International Pawn Symposium THE event to attend for Pawn Professionals seeking to advance their business acumen and more.

VENDOR – SPONSORS – PRESENTERS

Pawnshop Consulting Group is proud to be participating with Surreal Diamond as the largest grower of Lab Diamonds on the Planet. Together we have created a brand specifically for the Pawn industry and it is call “SmartGrown”! They are one of our topline sponsors, providing high-level knowledge, skills, unlimited quantities and information on the lab diamond business from the worlds’ largest lab grower today. Their participation will be coupled with a range of show specials and some treasure hunting on top of hearing it up-close and upfront from the largest producer on the planet of LGD goods!

Bravo Systems – Steve and Tally Mack will be both presenting on a number of high-level topics — future of the industry as we know it, the next generations of technology and the benefits thereof. These two are without a double two of in the industry’s leading technology guru’s operating the largest technology platform for pawn on planet earth.

Pawnshop Consulting Group – Jerry Whitehead will be providing a range of input, support, and education throughout the entire event. Starting with a grand overlook as to how the industry is trending currently and where we see it heading today and whole bunch more!

Mid-States Recycling – Jack Brown will be providing some high level introspect into the metals business, the trade itself, along with all the processes related to maximizing your returns and insuring your investments in metals and beyond. Jack is also a long-term Industry supporter! Jack will be doing a one-off presentation for this year’s Symposium as one of our high line sponsors and long term supporter of PCG.

2a.com – Sean Makovsky – High level educational and fully interactive seminar of current status, future, and how to make more business and money in the high-end luxury handbag business and more. Sean is also a highly skilled, long-term multi-unit Pawn Management specialist who can provide high perspective and results driven data on how these programs can be integrated to also maximize results and returns for your Pawn business.

PawnLeads – Jeff Trimble will provide introspect into high-level web technology, digital marketing, ad campaigns, text marketing, and so much more. Another interactive session and input on how to maximize benefits from utilization of text technology, email marketing, direct marketing and maximizing customer contact through constant contact and social media marketing and more on steroids.

Sam Read (pawnbroker, engineer, software designer, Marine, gold maven & more) – Sam will be providing a one-off multi-part Comprehensive Bullion Trading & Training program on steroids presented over several seminars at our event, worth every cent to show up for just this one!

Special Guest – EZ Corp – Nick Cohen – Director of Acquisitions (Special Projects) – This year’s symposium will be blessed to have Nick Cohen presenting at our event as well. He will be providing a high-level seminar on perspectives, projects, challenges, and related subject matter of the public company side of our business as well as engaging our participants in a wide range of open dialogue and subject matter. Another do not miss opportunity to hear it from one of the worlds’ largest pawn operations and what they see today in their multi-national business and then some.

Simple Pawn / LA Familia – John Thedford – John will be providing very successful and high-level views from the executive standpoint of ALL of the components they have successfully developed and implemented on building winning cultures in numerous organizations. John has successfully built numerous large scale multi-unit pawn operations in his career from Value Pawn, LaFamilia, Smart Financial, and now the Simple Pawn organization operating with more than 120 stores in multiple countries. John out of accounting school started out with Cash America and was involved in the pre-IPO for Cash America with Coopers & Lybrand back in the day and EZ Corp as well.

Eyeson – Roberto Doering – Eyeson has developed some of the most comprehensive surveillance and fully interactive POS system integrations technology on the market today. Hear it from the global leader of the next generation of surveillance technology and much more. These systems have the ability to fully integrate into POS systems, provide valuable store traffic data, flow, and manage comprehensive view and analysis of the physical store assets.

Jeff Wilhelm – Entrepreneur / Consultant – Providing a wide range of perspective from a long-term multi-store operator and his perspectives on team building, culture, compensation, and multi-unit management and more as one of the industry’s leading consultants today. Jeff is another multi-decade well-seasoned pawn professional who will be providing some introspect into some of the most successful pawn operations on the planet today. Hear it from the professional and meet and greet up close and up front.

Justin Whitehead – Recent Graduate from TCU with his straight A – Masters, my son, and a long-term 3^rd generation pawnbroker inside, having grown up around our various family pawn operations and the Pawnshop Consulting Group. Justin will be providing a philosophical look at our industry from a historical point, sighting input from numerous philosophers and pointing in on our real mission in Atlantis – seeking knowledge and lost treasure in the lost city of Atlantis. Justin will be providing a deep reflection of all that it is we do as an industry and the human race today.

SPECIAL PRESENTATION – TO BE ANNOUNCED FROM ANOTHER LONG-TERM HIGHLY RECOGNIZED PAWN PROFESSIONAL AND ENTREPRENEUR, STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFORMATION!

Jerry Whitehead – Pawnshop Consulting Group – International Pawn Symposium

Ladies and Gentleman in Pawn Land!

There have been many developments since our announcement for the return of the Pawnshop Consulting Group’s International Pawn Symposium.

2025 Theme – In search of lost knowledge and treasure, in the ancient city of Atlantis!

Dates are October 12^th – 17^th and will be hosted at the World Class Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas.

These events are not trade shows nor conventions. They are high level inter-active educational seminars conducted by numerous experts within and outside the Pawn Industry.

These events also center on close interaction of ALL of the participants by keeping them together for all of the functions, seminars, food, and ALL social functions which are a primary component of the event itself.

In effect, High Level education and social networking on steroids.

AS for exclusivity, we keep attendance at a controlled level to insure maximum benefit of time with our educators, presenters, participants, and sponsors. All of which are required from our experience to obtain the best of the best, from the best!!

This event is limited to 100 attendees and is only $1495 per head – which includes all meals, social functions and the seminars being presented at this world class resort.

We are currently accepting paid participation to guarantee slots on the roster. We have about 80+ participants on the list currently and paid reservations are coming in now. SECURE YOUR SPOT NOW BY CONTACTING JERRY WHITEHEAD DIRECTLY

We have also procured a room-block at this EPIC resort of Atlantis for only $149 a night plus their resort fees.

WE DO HAVE A ROOM BLOCK AND A PASS KEY FOR MAKING RESERVATIONS AT THE HOST PROPERTY

This year’s PRESENTERS provide a wide-range of expertise and subject matter, once again making the International Pawn Symposium THE event to attend for Pawn Professionals seeking to advance their business acumen and more. Any one take away benefits YOUR business forever in most cases. 

At this years event PCG will be hosting an expanded board of Pawn Professionals to provide an Open “Ask US anything” panel of pawn experts unmatched anywhere in the World today, another do not miss opportunity!

VENDOR – SPONSORS – PRESENTERS

Pawnshop Consulting Group is proud to be participating with Surreal Diamond as the largest grower of Lab Diamonds on the Planet. Together we have created a brand specifically for the Pawn industry and it is call “SmartGrown”! They are one of our topline sponsors, providing high-level knowledge, skills, unlimited quantities and information on the lab diamond business from the worlds’ largest lab grower today. Their participation will be coupled with a range of show specials and some treasure hunting on top of hearing it up-close and upfront from the largest producer on the planet of LGD goods!

Bravo Systems – Steve and Tally Mack will be both presenting on a number of high-level topics — future of the industry as we know it, the next generations of technology and the benefits thereof. These two are without a doubt two of in the industry’s leading technology guru’s operating the largest technology platform for pawn on planet earth. Bravo is also one of our high-line sponsors for this year’s event. 

Mid-States Recycling – Jack Brown will be providing some high level introspect into the metals business, the trade itself, along with all the processes related to maximizing your returns and insuring your investments in metals and beyond. Jack is also a long-term Industry supporter! Jack will be doing a one-off presentation for this year’s Symposium as one of our high line sponsors and long term supporter of PCG.

Pawnshop Consulting Group – Jerry Whitehead will be providing a range of input, support, and education throughout the entire event. Starting with a grand overlook as to how the industry is trending currently and where we see it heading today and a whole bunch more!

2a.com – Sean Makovsky – High level educational and fully interactive seminar of current status, future, and how to make more business and money in the high-end luxury handbag business and more. Sean is also a highly skilled, long-term multi-unit Pawn Management specialist who can provide high level perspectives based on results driven data and how these programs can be integrated to also maximize results and returns for your Pawn business.

PawnLeads – Jeff Trimble will provide introspect into high-level web technology, digital marketing, ad campaigns, text marketing, and so much more. Another interactive session and input on how to maximize benefits from utilization of text technology, email marketing, direct marketing and maximizing customer contact through constant contact and social media marketing and more on steroids.

Sam Read (pawnbroker, engineer, software designer, Marine, gold maven & more) – Sam will be providing a one-off multi-part Comprehensive Bullion Trading & Training program on steroids presented over several seminars at our event, worth every cent to show up for just this one!

Special Guest – EZ Corp – Nick Cohen – Director of Acquisitions (Special Projects) – This year’s symposium will be blessed to have Nick Cohen presenting at our event as well. He will be providing a high-level seminar on perspectives, projects, challenges, and related subject matter of the public company side of our business as well as engaging our participants in a wide range of open dialogue and subject matter. Another do not miss opportunity to hear it from one of the worlds’ largest pawn operations and what they see today in their multi-national business and then some.

Simple Pawn / LA Familia – John Thedford – John will be providing very successful and high-level views from the executive standpoint of ALL of the components they have successfully developed and implemented on building winning cultures in numerous organizations. John has successfully built numerous large scale multi-unit pawn operations in his career from Value Pawn, LaFamilia, Smart Financial, and now the Simple Pawn organization operating with more than 120 stores in multiple countries. John out of accounting school started out with Cash America and was involved in the pre-IPO for Cash America with Coopers & Lybrand back in the day and EZ Corp as well.

Eyeson – Roberto Doering – Eyeson has developed some of the most comprehensive surveillance and fully interactive POS system integrations technology on the market today. Hear it from the global leader of the next generation of surveillance technology and much more. These systems have the ability to fully integrate into POS systems, provide valuable store traffic data, flow, and manage comprehensive view and analysis of the physical store assets.

Jeff Wilhelm – Entrepreneur / Consultant – Providing a wide range of perspective from a long-term multi-store operator and his perspectives on team building, culture, compensation, and multi-unit management and more as one of the industry’s leading consultants today. Jeff is another multi-decade well-seasoned pawn professional who will be providing some introspect into some of the most successful pawn operations on the planet today. Hear it from the professional and meet and greet up close and up front.

Justin Whitehead – Recent Graduate from TCU with his straight A – Masters, my son, and a long-term 3^rd generation pawnbroker inside, having grown up around our various family pawn operations and the Pawnshop Consulting Group for decades. Justin will be providing a philosophical look at our industry from a historical point, sighting input from numerous philosophers and pointing in on our real mission in Atlantis – seeking knowledge, wisdom, and lost treasure in the lost city of Atlantis. Justin will be providing a deep reflection of all that it is we do as an industry and the human race today.

SPECIAL PRESENTATION – TO BE ANNOUNCED FROM ANOTHER LONG-TERM HIGHLY RECOGNIZED PAWN PROFESSIONAL AND ENTREPRENEUR, STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TWO MORE HIGH LEVEL VENDOR PRESENTERS!

Jerry Whitehead – Pawnshop Consulting Group – International Pawn Symposium

PAWNSHOPCONSULTINGGROUP@GMAIL.COM

954-540-3697

“SmartGrown” Diamonds – exclusive brand for Pawn

In 2024 Pawnshop Consulting Group officially lined itself with the largest LGD grower in the world, and our exclusive product BRAND for Pawn is – “SmartGrown” Diamonds.

Many of our clients (PCG’s) this year (2024) have moved into labs and are doing very well with the onboarding of this huge profit center and opportunity.

For our larger retail pawn operators, we do offer market exclusivity for those who have illustrated they can support, market, and more importantly move the product.

Lab Diamonds have become the largest segment in conventional retail jewelry in the world today.

You can become part of the movement, or just miss the tidal wave all together.

For those of you who would like to know how to get in on this exclusive brand for Pawn being offered by Pawnshop Consulting Group, feel free to contact me directly !!

Jerry Whitehead @ 954-540-3697

pawnshopconsultinggroup@gmail.com

Contact INFO click Here

]]> https://pawnshopconsultinggroup.com/2025-international-pawn-symposium-2/ Sun, 03 Nov 2024 01:34:10 +0000 https://pawnshopconsultinggroup.com/?p=7160

2025 International Pawn Symposium

At long last, Pawnshop Consulting Group is bringing the International Pawn Symposium back!

PCG promoted two of these events in the past, one at the Ritz Carlton in Naples Florida and the other one at the Ritz Carlton on five mile beach in Georgetown in the Cayman Islands.

Both of these events were oversubscribed and offered many in our community opportunities to learn from a litany of experts in a variety of fields and subject matter.

This of course coupled with luxurious environments with amazing delicacies and the ultimate in networking adventures and opportunities to share and enjoy in various group environments.

The ability to relax, share, and express input and knowledge with many like minded individuals while being pampered in 5-diamond resorts is un-parallelled in anything going on in the Pawn Industry today.

For 2025, the Pawnshop Consulting Group has chosen the world class Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas to host our 2025 event.

Dates are set for October 12^th – 17^th.

We have set our theme for the 2025 event as:

IN SEARCH OF KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM IN ONE OF THE MOST ANCIENT INDUSTRY’S IN THE WORLD – TREASURE TO BE FOUND IN ATLANTIS!!

We have selected this venue as it provides relatively easy access to get to from many major cities, offers world-class resort amenities, perfect for group functions, and has many extracurricular opportunities for our groups to explore and enjoy!

Here is a link to the venue to check out for yourself:

Atlantis Bahamas Information Link Here

The 2025 International Pawn Symposium will be limited to only 100 attendees. Space is limited and guaranteed to be over-subscribed.

We set our attendance at manageable levels so that ALL attendees have an opportunity to fully benefit from the educational and social activities that WE engineer into our events.

Attendance fees for the event itself are only $1495 per attendee. This includes all meals, educational seminars, and all social functions.

We have negotiated a room block of standard rooms at the resort of $149 + resort fees, and are working on fees for the Cove and Reef private condominiums as well.

The Pawn Symposium website and official registration portal coming soon, till then, email us directly to reserve your spot. Once our block is full, we will close down the registration portal and other, and make plans on seeing our guests at the Atlantis in the Bahamas!

Jerry Whitehead

Jerry@pawnshopconsultinggroup.com

www.pawnshopconsultinggroup.com

954-540-3697

PCG – Presenting at both the Midwest Convention and the NPA Pawn Expo Show in Las Vegas

First Up:

Pawnshop Consulting Group’s Jerry Whitehead will be presenting at the upcoming Midwest Show in Indianapolis May 17^th – 19^th.

Speaking on behalf of myself (Jerry Whitehead) I am so proud of the Midwest group – in 2023 they bestowed the “Krupnik – Stempkowski Lifetime Achievement Award” at their annual convention to yours truly.

I remain so blessed and thankful for this prestigious recognition coming from the Midwest group.

PCG will be presenting an up-to-date presentation at the Midwest show.

This piece is focusing on a culmination of “Best Practices in Pawn” that I have learned through a lifetime of service (50 years ++) in the Pawn Industry as an operator, owner, and a consultant.

This presentation will be a “one off” provided as a specialty piece at the Midwest this year ONLY.

We will be examining a number of potential life and or business changing practices we have been involved in, learned in our journey, and/or introduced in our life cycle spanning some 50 years in the Pawn Industry.

This event is an open forum type that will be encouraging active feedback and interaction from any and all of our participants who may join us this year up in Indianapolis.

This session promises to be one of the best coming from the Pawnshop Consulting Group as we gear up for all of our PAWN friends and family involved with and participating at this years Midwest show.

PCG has been speaking at and participating with the Midwest group for more than 20 years and are very much looking forward to this year’s show.

The Hotel Room block is filling up quickly and sells out every year.

Follow the link below if you have not already registered for the event and or book your hotel room and get registered for the event.

Hopefully we will see you there!

https://www.midwestpawnbrokersconvention.com/

Next up – Pawnshop Consulting Group will be presenting again this year at the National Pawnbrokers Pawn Expo.

Our presentation for the community will be at our Industry insight piece I will be hosting with a very special guest of ours on Monday July 22^nd at 1 PM. 

This presentation will focus on enhancing industry opportunities with an introduction to one of the most significant offerings I believe the Pawn Industry may ever witness.

We will be discussing amongst other things – an extraordinary exclusive PAWN industry opportunity being presented at the NPA show and at our booths with our affiliate partner during the trade show floor hours.

See schedule details here: PawnExpo.com conference-schedule

I will also be this year’s Moderator for the “Legends Unleashed” that will be hosted by the NPA.

This will be held on Thursday July 25^th at 12:45 PM to 2:30 PM and here is some insight from the NPA on this special presentation:

Legends Unleashed – Panel Discussion to include: Michael Mack, Bob Moulton, Sam Shocket & Nick Fulton with Jerry Whitehead as Moderator

Step into the exhilarating world of pawnbroking as industry titans unite in a dynamic and insightful session. Join us for a riveting exploration of the pawn industry’s past, present, and future, as legendary figures engage in spirited dialogue, sharing unparalleled expertise and diverse perspectives. In this unique session, seasoned veterans with decades of experience will take center stage to discuss the evolution of the pawn industry, its challenges, and the innovative strategies that have shaped their success. With anecdotes that span the history of their careers, this session promises a rich tapestry of wisdom, wit, knowledge and storytelling.

Be sure to stop by and visit us on the trade show floor for ALL the information on our exclusive industry offering and more:

We will be on the main end-cap on the trade show floor during event hours – booths 201-300 respectively.

Jerry Whitehead

Pawnshop Consulting Group, LLC.

Contact INFO Here

“PCG PAWN PEER FOCUS GROUP HEADING TO GALVESTON TEXAS”

That’s Right, Pawnshop Consulting Group‘s Legendary Pawn Peer Focus Groups is descending on to one of Texas’s major coastal cities for our spring gathering of 2024 in Galveston Texas!

This Pawn Peer Group is in its 13th year of its cycle, and is returning to see 2 of our members, Tom’s Pawn own Brian & Shellie Garrett and their newly developed Luxury Brand specialty store and their new high-end gun retail operation “Tom’s Sport Shop“, along with Harrisburg Pawn of Houston hosted by Jarred Mick !! 

What are Pawn Peer Focus Groups?

Pawn Peer Focus Groups, created by Jerry Whitehead and Pawn Shop Consulting Group, connect pawnbrokers. Together pawn operators learn, observe, and critique each other while sharing best practices. Over the past 13 years, members have become great friends that travel together, work together, and even vacation together.

PCG Peer Focus Groups offer an opportunity to become accountable to your pawn industry peers because peers are accountable to their peers and the level of accountability is unmatched by any other system in the Pawn Industry today.

Our schedule of activities for the Spring Focus Group gathering in Galveston Texas IS as follows:

Tuesday – April 9^th 2024 – Load in Day for the Tremont House

 in Galveston

• Informal cocktail social on premise or nearby (downtown)

• JW – arriving by 10PM

Wednesday – April 10^th 2024

• 8:00 – 9:00 AM Breakfast room (Library Room) On site

• 9:15 – 10:15 AM – On the Bus – Off to Harrisburg Pawn (Houston)

• 10:15 – 11:30 AM – Harrisburg Store Tour IN/OUT with Jarred

• 11:30 – 12:30 PM – On the Bus – Toms Luxury Store

• 12:30 – 1:30 PM – Tom’s Luxury Store

• 1:30 – 3:00 PM – ON Bus – Lunch Out TBD (Brian Garrett)

• 3:00 – 3:15 PM – On the Bus – Toms High End Gun Store

• 3:15 – 4:00 PM – Tom’s High End Gun Store

• 4:00 – 5:00 PM – On the Bus – Back to the Hotel

• Dinner – Optional

Thursday – April 11^th 2024

• 8:00 to 9:00 AM – Breakfast on site – room (Library Room)

• 9:15 – 9:45 AM – Salutations – Introductions (Press Room for all Sessions)

• 10:00 – 11:00 AM – Metrics – JW/Jarred – Harrisburg Pawn

• 11:00 – 11:15 AM – Break

• 11:15 – 12:30 PM – Best Practices/Observations/Operational Requests – Jarred Mick

• 12:30 – 1:30 PM – Lunch On site – (Library Room)

• 1:45 – 3:45 PM – Critiques Groups – Harrisburg Pawn (Press Room)

• 3:45 – 5:00 PM – Guest George Prout – Presentation on Lab Diamond Trends & Opportunities

• Session – ENDS – Dinner TBD – Offsite?

Friday – April 12^th 2024

• 8:00 to 9:00 AM – Breakfast on site, room (Library Room)

• 9:15 to Noon – Brian Garrett – Store Performances – growth, best practices, revenues & metric performance, concepts, struggles, successes – Q&A Session (Press Room)

• Noon – 1:00 PM – Lunch on site, room (Library Room)

• 1:15 – 3:15 PM – Critiques – Tom’s Luxury, Tom’s Guns

• 3:15 – 4:00 PM – Refreshing Break

• 4:00 – 4:30 PM – Vote & Discussion Petitioner

• 4:30 – 5:00 PM – Next Victim – Date & Market

• 6:00 PM – Dinner out for remaining attendees

We’re looking for two more members for the only Pawn Peer Focus Group in the world like THIS ONE AND ONLY!

Do you have what it takes? Consider petitioning for joining, we have two spots remaining and that will be it!

Jerry Whitehead

Pawnshop Consulting Group, LLC.

Contact Info Click Here

“PCG PAWN PEER FOCUS GROUP HEADING TO DALLAS TEXAS”

That’s Right, Pawnshop Consulting Group‘s Legendary Pawn Peer Focus Groups is descending on to Dallas Texas!

This Pawn Peer Group is in it’s 13th year of it’s cycle, and is returning to see 2 of our founding members of the groups, P&J Pawn and Uncle Dan’s Pawn in Dallas.

What are Pawn Peer Focus Groups?

Pawn Peer Focus Groups, created by Jerry Whitehead and Pawn Shop Consulting Group, connect pawnbrokers. Together pawn operators learn, observe, and critique each other while sharing best practices. Over the past 13 years, members have become great friends that travel together, work together, and even vacation together.

PCG Peer Focus Groups offer an opportunity to become accountable to your pawn industry peers because peers are accountable to peers, the level of accountability is unmatched by any other system.

“Pawnshop Consulting Group PAWN PEER FOCUS GROUP HEADING TO DALLAS TEXAS”

Here is our updated tentative schedule for the Dallas group meeting coming up the week of October 22nd – 27th 2023:

Sunday – October 22^nd 2023 – Load in Day for the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas

• Set Up – Screen N Projection Systems – Patrick N Jerry
• Informal cocktail social on premise or nearby (downtown Dallas)

Monday – October 23^rd 2023

• 8:00 – 9:00 AM Breakfast room (Governor’s Ballroom) > Top Floor Adolphus Hotel 19^th Floor – All American BF
• 9:00 – 10:00 AM – Salutations Quick Introductions (ALL) & P&J Pawn Best Practices begin (Diana Machado) – (Governors Ballroom)
• 10:15 – 12:15 PM – On the bus to P&J Pawn – Store Tour
• 12:30 PM – Lunch – Mi Cocina’s
• 1:45 PM – Bus – back to Hotel
• 2:00 – 2:30 PM – Premiere Firearms – Intro / Presentation
• 2:30 PM – 6:00 PM – Continue Best Practices & Discussion
  • P&J Best Practices Continue – Diana Machado / Patrick Wade
  • Financial Review & Metrics PCG
  • Store critiques – identifying strengths & weaknesses
  • Importance and Privilege of Family and Family-owned businesses
  • Q&A
• 7:00 to 10:00 PM – Perry’s Steak House – Top Shelf Dallas TX – Uber / Lyft

  Tuesday – October 24^th 2023

• 8:00 to 9:00 AM – Breakfast on site, room (Governors Ballroom) Continental BF
• 9:00 AM – ON the bus – store tours Uncle Dans (4) stores in line up
• 12:30 – 2:00 PM – Lunch Terry Black’s BBQ – Deep Ellum
• 2:00 to 5:30 PM – Store tour completions – back to hotel
• 7:00 – Campisis’ Dinner Buffet with Music – Uber/Lyft

Wednesday October 25^th 2023

• 8:00 to 9:00 AM – Breakfast on site, room (Governors Ballroom) Adolphus Buffet
• 9:15 to Noon – Uncle Dan’s – Metrics Review (combined stores) PCG & Christy – Best Practices Begin
• Noon – 1:30 PM – Lunch on site, room (Governors Ballroom) Americana
• 1:30 – 3:30 PM – Critiques – Stores N More – MGMT TEAM
• 3:30 – 4:00 PM – Refreshing break
• 4:00 – 6:00 PM – Sessions Resume
• 7:00 – Dinner out Javier’s Gourmet Dallas – Uber / Lyft

Thursday October 26^th 2023

• 8:00 to 9:00 AM – Breakfast on site, room (Governors Ballroom) All American
• 9:30 to NOON – Store and Operations Critiques Continue UD
• Noon – 1:30 PM – Lunch on site, room (Governors Ballroom)
• 1:30 – 2:30 PM – Stephen Foster – Presents Pawn Owner Diamond Program + Questions and Answers
• 2:30 – 2:45 PM – Session Break
• 2:45 – 3:15 PM – Seth Ward – Security / Underwriting Considerations
• 3:15 – 4:30 PM – New/Old Business & Next Victim – Dates Session Wrap

Were looking for two more members for the only Pawn Peer Focus Group in the world like THIS ONE AND ONLY!

Do you have what it takes? Consider petitioning for joining, we have two spots remaining and that will be it!

Jerry Whitehead

Pawnshop Consulting Group, LLC.

Contact Info Click Here

PCG Legendary Focus Groups head back to Dallas Texas

That’s right, Pawnshop Consulting Group’s Legendary Focus Groups are heading to Dallas Texas for our Fall Gathering.

PCG groups will be descending on Dallas this upcoming October 22nd – 27th.

We will be hosted by two legendary and original group members for 13 years, Uncle Dans’ Pawn and P&J Pawn, both in Dallas Texas.

This will be our 2nd tour back through Texas to see these two fantastic operators and some of the best of the best in the Pawn Industry today.

It has been some 12 years since our last visit to Dallas to see these two fantastic operators, and our groups are looking forward to see the amazing transitions they have been up to since our last focus group visit!

We have several members in our groups today that have not seen these two operators and are in for a real treat.

Uncle Dan’s a long time PCG client and family member, operates 9 amazing stores in Dallas and Patrick Wade with P&J Pawn and his team have been long time PCG clients, family and group members as well.

Both of these two groups have been nominated for best of Pawn by the Dallas Observer!

PCG‘s Legenday Focus Group, brings over 400+ years of Pawn Wisdom together and is looking forward to crawling through every aspect of our original Long time Dallas members once again!

Pawnshop Consulting Group’s legendary focus groups are in year 13 of our inception and have been growing stronger each year as we really move into our groove with what it is we do.

There is nothing like this anywhere in the Pawn Industry today, and PCG is proud to continue to drive what it takes to be the best of the best and continuously learning how to improve upon what it is we do with our growing global client base.

For some perspective, here is what a typical focus group schedule looks like, and this one applies to Dallas coming up this October:

We have selected the historic Adolphus Hotel in downtown Dallas, one of the premier hotel establishments in the region, tentative schedule as follows:

Sunday – October 22^nd 2023 – Load in Day for the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas

• Informal cocktail social on premise or nearby (downtown Dallas)

Monday – October 23^rd 2023

• 8:00 – 9:00 AM Breakfast room (TBD)
• 9:00 – 10 AM – P&J Pawn Best Practices room – (TBD)
• 10:15 – 12:15 PM – On the bus to P&J Pawn – Store Tour
• 12:30 PM – Lunch (TBD) – informal networking & discussions
• 1:45 PM – Bus – back to Hotel
• 2:00 PM – 5:30 PM – Continue Best Practices & Discussion
  • Financial Review & Metrics PCG
  • In depth analysis of financial performance & strategies
  • Store critiques – identifying strengths & weaknesses
  • Q&A
• 7:00 to 10:00 PM – Evening Dinner & Event – Hosted by Patrick Wade

Tuesday – October 24^th 2023

• 8:00 to 9:00 AM – Breakfast on site, room (TBD)
• 9:00 AM – ON the bus – store tours Uncle Dans (4) stores in line up
• 12:30 – 2:00 PM – Lunch TBD
• 2:00 to 5:30 PM – Store tour completions – back to hotel
• 7:00 – ? – Group dinner our with the Uncle Dan’s team hosting

Wednesday October 25^th 2023

• 8:00 to 9:00 AM – Breakfast on site, room (TBD)
• 9:15 to Noon – Uncle Dan’s – Metrics Review (combined stores) PCG & Christy – Best Practices Begin
• Noon – 1:30 PM – Lunch on site, room (TBD)
• 1:30 – 3:30 PM – Best Practices – UD’ Q&A
• 3:30 – 4:00 PM – Refreshing break
• 4:00 – 5:30 PM – Sessions Resume
• 7:00 – ? Dinner out or ? TBD

Thursday October 26^th 2023

• 8:00 to 9:00 AM – Breakfast on site, room (TBD)
• 9:15 to NOON – Store and Operations Critiques Begin
• Noon – 1:30 PM – Lunch on site, room (TBD)
• 1:30 – 3:30 PM – Critiques resume
• 3:30 – 4:00 PM – Next victim (dates & time)
• 4:00 – 4:30 PM – New or Old Business
• 4:30 – Session Wrap

Pawnshop Consulting Group Peer Groups – Applied pressure, and brutal truth !!

PCG is actively seeking (2) new members for this Peer Group, do you think you might have what it takes to be the best of the best?

Reach out!!

Jerry Whitehead

Pawnshop Consulting Group, LLC.

954-540-3697

Pawnshop Consulting Group is proud to be speaking again at CAPA – California Pawnbrokers Association Show in Long Beach California!!