What a difference a year makes!! I kept thinking of that phrase throughout the four days of the SF Gift Show. Last year my doubt about my dream becoming a reality was still very high and that doubt cast a shadow over what I was trying to accomplish, I believe. Last year I shared a booth with Alef Judiaca. I had made the deal with Terrance, only 2 weeks prior as we were walking out of the California Gift Show (in LA) one evening and he was lamenting about his incredibly large (3 booths in one) booth for the San Francisco show. I told him I was thinking about attending the SF Show (I had just “launched” my product a month earlier) so we negotiated a deal right then and there for me to “sublease” the space from him. What I remember most about that show is me sitting in my little corner (or so it felt) watching Terrance write order after order all day long. I talked to a few people and got some interest but that doubt was playing with me. A year later and I’m in my own 5×20 booth (also had a booth at the January show) standing tall with confidence as I talked to many people, wrote orders and had fun! The booth was supposed to be 5×10 but better for me to fill up the space (which I did easily) than have an empty booth, thanks Joan! I walked into Moscone Center each day with anticipation this past week proving the point that “attitude is everything”!
I have to say that I was thrilled with the results (orders and connections made) of the show. Saturday and Sunday both flew by as I was engaged in conversations with so many people. I’m getting more adept at reading badges as people stroll by the booth and when I would notice one that said “Nursery” or “Flowers”, I was typically able to pull them in…even “Unity Palo Alto” on a badge allowed me to say something that stopped the person (Michael in this case) and begin a conversation that meandered from Michael explaining what he does at Unity Palo Alto (office manager and bookstore buyer) to my New Age REtailer magazine pick of one of the Best New products at the New Age Show in Denver in June to Catherine Ponder’s books on Abundance, 50 years old and still relevant wisdom today!
Last but not least, this show allowed me to meet Deborah, Bill and Joyce. They are the great sales reps/team for Pomegranate, along with a few other lines, in NorCal. I’m happy to say that they are going to add Words and Watercolors to their bag of tricks! I’m confident that they will assist in W&W growing into the dream I hold for it!! Not to mention that in the bit of conversation that we had, they appear to be fun, interesting, and engaging also! A good fit for me and W&W!! Thanks guys for taking me on!!
All in all it was a very positive experience! Oh yeah, and to top it all off…I got the order (a very nice one!) from Bruce for Grace Cathedral emailed to me yesterday AND the card buyer, Shanta, came by from the C0-op “Other Avenues” store (the one like Rainbow where I had talked to the couple on Saturday) and wrote a lovely order at end of yesterday…it was a great show! Now to get on with fulfilling those orders…….