The Gift of Growth
This season, give yourself—and your mystery shopping business—a gift of growth. Sharing mystery shopping tips and tricks with peers at the first-ever Confero/MSPA meetup sparked confidence, community, and connection. It showed how learning together strengthens your side hustle and builds friendships that last.
At the Shopper Meet Up in Cary, North Carolina, that spirit of growth came to life. Laura, a long-time mystery shopper and presenter, captured the experience in her reflection below.
Mystery Shopper Networking: Building Your Community
Laura’s Story
By Laura, Confero Mystery Shopper and Meetup Instructor
I was nervous. A month ago, I was gearing up for the Confero/MSPA sponsored first-ever “Shopper Meet Up” in Cary, North Carolina. Excited—and to be honest—a little panicked, I hoped the day would be meaningful for every attendee.
Our team had spent months planning content, discussing ideas, and perfecting the schedule. Elaine Buxton had even secured the perfect event space at the Cary Chamber of Commerce. Despite all of that preparation, I still wondered whether shoppers would attend and engage. Those questions stayed with me until the moment the event began.
New Mystery Shopper Friendships Forged
In hindsight, I shouldn’t have worried. An amazing group of shoppers walked through the door. Some arrived with a friend, while others didn’t know anyone in the room. Even so, everyone shared one thing—a genuine love of mystery shopping.
As the morning unfolded, the atmosphere began to shift. The quiet, tentative energy transformed into lively conversation during our Lunch and Learn. During those discussions, attendees exchanged mystery shopping tips and tricks, shared stories, swapped contact information, and compared experiences from the field. As a result, they came as strangers and left as friends.
The Power of Peer Learning
I’m biased, but I believe our content added real value, and attendees agreed based on their feedback. However, the most powerful learning didn’t come from the formal sessions. Instead, it came from the conversations happening naturally around the room.
Over the years, I’ve attended nearly 25 shopper-related conferences. Every time, the lessons I remember best come from fellow shoppers. They help you problem-solve, master unfamiliar technology, and handle the unexpected. In addition, the relationships I’ve built through events like these have shaped my business in countless ways.
It may feel like you’re out there alone, but mystery shopping has never been a solo act.
Somewhere, another shopper is walking in right behind you—learning, observing, and improving too.
— A Confero Reflection
Mystery Shopping Tips and Tricks: Peer Connections Build Confidence and Community
The Cary meetup reminded everyone that the mystery shopping community thrives when shoppers share what works—and what doesn’t. Professional growth and friendships often develop side by side. When we learn together, everyone benefits.
Give Yourself the Gift of Side Hustle Growth
The MSPA Americas is sponsoring ShopperFest, a weekend dedicated to learning, networking, and building your mystery shopping business. The event will be held in Las Vegas, June 26–28. It’s the largest shopper gathering of the year and offers even more opportunities to strengthen skills and form lasting connections.
Therefore, now is the perfect time to start planning. We hope to see you there!
Want More on Mystery Shopping?
Confero has been in the mystery shopping business since 1986. Here’s an interview we coordinated with WRAL Raleigh in 2009 featuring a shopper sharing insights from the field: Mystery Shopper Shares Secrets of the Job – WRAL
