"So ya, Thought ya, Might like to go to the show. To feel the warm thrill of confusion? That space cadet glow. Tell me is something eluding you, sunshine? Is this not what you expected to see? If you wanna find out what's behind these cold eyes You'll just have to claw your way through this disguise."
In the Flesh? (Waters)
I was listening to Pink Floyd last night after a good session of Wii Skiing. As the annual National trade show is approaching and on my mind, these words rung true. The experience for me is still overwhelming. There is so much to see. So many important decisions need to be made. So much pressure to provide you my customers with the best possible selection. And so much "socializing" available with other industry members. All packed into four days.
Yes, four days. To see everything produced that could possibly be relevant to a ski shop owner. That's a lot to see in a short time! I am nervous and excited every year at this time as the show approaches.
So it is a bit overwhelming to me, and a lot of hard serious work. And there is important partying to do as well. Oops- did I say that? I meant "social interaction". This is important too. Chatting it up with colleagues is definitely important on a lot of levels. Many are even business related! And this is the best opportunity to do it.
This year the show moves from Las Vegas to Denver. I won't get into the politics of the industry, but for various reasons, many retailers will not be going to the show this year. It could all change at the last moment, but it looks like only about twenty percent of the storefronts across the country will be represented. This is both good and bad in my eyes. On the one hand it is easier to get appointment to see product lines at a time that fits into my itinerary as the sales reps have less appointments. I can more easily get the ear of a factory tech or national sales manager. On the other hand we as retailers need to support a national show as an industry. If we don't, it will go away. On top of it all, I want to come back from the show with a great skiing stoke. I like to be pumped up by the vibe at the show. The vibe of thousands of passionate skiers reveling in all that gear in one room. It reminds me why I am involved in this silly business where it is so hard to scratch out a living. If you go to the big Warren Miller showings just before the ski season starts, you know what I mean. You walk out knowing you will dream of epic powder days for nights afterwards. You want to ski so bad you can taste it in your mouth.
Hopefully, the dealers who do show up are the ones that do have that passion and so will not pass on the show. Hopefully, even if it is smaller in numbers, the quality of the participants will be top notch and so it will still have a strong and positive vibe. I will personally pledge right now that I will do my part!
Being in Denver changes a few other things for me as well. I have a good friend in Denver and will get to spend some time with him there. Martin Sulser from the shop will come along as usual, but I send him back after a few days. After that I stay with my friend Jim. Jimmy and I skied a lot in High School and see each other rarely since then. I can't wait to see him. He is pumped too. He will be with me as a "buyer" and I will send him out to research and view some categories of products for me.
Also different is that there will be two "on snow" days after the four days of the Floor Show. That means two days of ski demos! Yahoo! The best part of my job! The Demo will be at Winter Park. I have a condo in the village for Jim and I. Psyche! Jim is really excited too. Last night he sent me a facebook note and joked "Hey Whitey, If you want to invite Ingrid Backstrom to come skiing with us that's fine by me". I wrote back that I know Ingrid a bit and typically get a few runs in with her at the demos and would introduce him. Jim won't sleep well tonight I think! Yes Jimmy, this will be even better than you could imagine!
Yes, every year the show is better than I can imagine and I have been there many times. Better than I remember it. Better than any other job in the world!
Now I'm getting all worked up too. I hadn't been thinking about the trade show much yet with business as brisk as it is this time of year, but it is getting close enough that I am getting pretty excited. I guess I had better just jump into the shower and go to work!
