---
title: Maximizing Your Time at Industry Events
description: In this episode, James Shepherd sits down with John Newton, chief organizer of the Western States Acquirers Association (WSAA), to talk about how to decide whether to attend, the value of sponsoring versus being an attendee, and proven strategies to maximize networking opportunities.
image: https://www.ccsalespro.com/hubfs/featured%20image-2.png
---
# Maximizing Your Time at Industry Events
In this episode, James Shepherd sits down with John Newton, chief organizer of the Western States Acquirers Association (WSAA), to talk about how to decide whether to attend, the value of sponsoring versus being an attendee, and proven strategies to maximize networking opportunities.
[ James Shepherd ](https://www.ccsalespro.com/podcast/author/james-shepherd)
Aug 8, 2025
---
Are industry conferences worth your time and money? In this episode, James Shepherd sits down with John Newton, chief organizer of the Western States Acquirers Association (WSAA), to talk about how to decide whether to attend, the value of sponsoring versus being an attendee, and proven strategies to maximize networking opportunities. James also shares why some of his best deals and connections have come directly from events like WSAA.
Don’t miss your chance to connect with the industry’s top professionals—**register now for the WSAA 2025 Conference** at [westernstatesacquirers.org](https://westernstatesacquirers.org/).
[Merchant Sales Podcast](https://soundcloud.com/merchant-sales-podcast) · [Maximizing Your Time at Industry Events](https://soundcloud.com/merchant-sales-podcast/maximizing-your-time-at-industry-events)
[](https://westernstatesacquirers.org/)
[](https://www.ccsalespro.com/2026) [](https://fullstackpayments.com/download-app?utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_ixTBkRdnNdK04oCUWDi0LV5zrtP-pTLxi4WQfzzPQYBJJnri3hmdrkID4kxlR5uYYjdCuOgEgaofCtMmq3v3Yk1xpmw&_hsmi=362963412&utm_content=362963412&utm_source=hs_email) [](https://www.ccsalespro.com/how-to-sell-merchant-services-in-6-steps) [.jpg "GetIsoAmp.com")](https://getisoamp.com/index.php/request-demo/)
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