A May Recap

I’m writing this on Sunday morning. I don’t know why, but I often enjoy getting up early on weekends (and holidays) to do some work while the house is still quiet. I didn’t sleep well last night. I have this amazing ability to fall asleep on the couch in a matter of minutes while watching TV with J. But as soon as I attempt to fall asleep in actual bed, I lie awake. With the lack of TV conversations to listen to, my own thoughts run wild. And just like that, it’s 2AM and I’m wide awake, thinking about NSS.

In general, the show went well. We didn’t have any hiccups with travel or set-up (besides being told once to get off a ladder because of their union rules). It’s crazy how many little details I stressed about pre-show that didn’t end up happening in the slightest. Maybe we got lucky.

Photo credit.

(This photo takes me back to when Jordan asked me if I cared if my flooring tiles were not all going the same way. In the moment my exhausted self said no. I care now though. :p )

What I was not expecting was how emotional it would be for me. I may be a sarcastic bitch but I do wear my heart on my sleeve, especially when it comes to JAA. While I definitely had a few moments of what felt like unrequited love, I left the show with a lot of new wholesale accounts so I’m thankful.

I also wanted to share some logistical details for those of you who may be considering the show in the future. I know firsthand how overwhelming figuring everything out can be. Here are some of the questions I’ve been asked:

1.) How did you get everything there?

By plane! We had four checked bags and two carry-ons. It was definitely a challenge getting everything through the airport and into taxi cabs, but we managed. I felt more comfortable going this route rather than shipping a big crate since it was my first show. I also shipped a box of heavy things (like catalogs) to my hotel in a Flat Rate box. You can ship directly to Javits but expect a hefty fee for storing it there (expect a hefty fee for most things regarding Javits).

2.) How did you do your walls?

I got my walls through Manny Stone. I was comforted by the idea of my walls being set up by someone else by the time I arrived at Javits. They cost is more than building walls yourself, but for me it was worth having one less thing to worry about. I went with their foam core walls, rather than the hard wall option, in an attempt to keep costs down for my first show (basically an impossible task, but I did try!).

3.) Where did you stay?

We stayed in a hotel that was walking distance to Javits. While it may have been cheaper to stay in a less popular area, the convenience of being about to walk to the show felt priceless to me. I enjoyed the trek to the show each morning, complete with personal pep talk along the way.

4.) Would you do it again?

Yes! While I did find the show challenging at times, it was also really inspiring. At the show I was literally making notes of things I would do differently next year. To me, trade shows are a long-term commitment. It takes time to build brand recognition to a new audience and that is ultimately my main goal in doing the show.

Let me know what other questions you have! I’m happy to share. Back to work… lots of designing and product planning going on behind the scenes here you guys!! ;]