I can’t believe it is Saturday already. Obviously made it back from Denver. Sick. I started getting a sore throat Monday at the show. I’m convinced it was my excitement/nervousness and inability to sleep well while in Denver that contributed to me getting sick. Breathing the airplane air on the flight home Monday night probably did not help. I spent most of Tuesday in bed, reading and napping. Felt I needed to just “chill”. By Wednesday I launched into a more normal day meeting my friend Adrienne downtown at 9:30. We are acting as support for each other as we both “launch” our businesses. Telling her all about Denver, only irritated my slowly recovering throat. Did more talking that afternoon on the phone and then met with Susan (Mark’s sister) and a few of her friends from High School (we all went to CC together in Lafayette, Indiana… they were a year behind Mark and I) who were out visiting. We had dinner at a lovely Italian restaurant in Sausalito. Food and wine delicious as the company. I should have kept quiet but that is close to impossible when catching up with people you’ve not seen in a number of years. My sore throat traveled down to my chest so now I have a cough. Hoping for a rather low key weekend so I can recover as I’m seriously contemplating doing this all over again in LA for the Gift Show which begins July 16th.
Eva, from the California Gift Show, was walking the corridors of the Denver Trade Show trying to find exhibitors who might be interested in attending the LA show. I’ve been going back and forth with this idea all week. The thing that tips it into the “do it” mode is the fact that I could reach out and easily get a lot of feedback and opinions from the buyers. Granted there are a lot more buyers (20,000 scheduled to attend) but also a lot more exhibitors. I also would have a more realistic view of what to expect (still would hope for orders) which is shaking hands, gathering business cards and making connections. I know the value of developing a personal relationship. That difference alone can sell over a good website design (though I hope to have that soon as well).
All in all, I’m glad I did the Denver show, made some great connections and truly “launched” Words and Watercolors into the World! Best of all, though, was being able to spend 4 days with my daughter. I love her to pieces!
Mark and I plan to go to the Fillmore Jazz Festival here in SF today and maybe a little hike tomorrow. Love the fact that is is already sunny and feeling warm at 9:00 am Saturday morning! Have a “Happy 4th!” everyone!!