Back in September 07 I began to the write the following, titled Walkin’ the “other side” of Surf Expo.
“You walk in the entrance to the show and WHAM!, sensory overload. If you are new, you might not be sure where you are, where to go first or how to find things. It takes you a second to get oriented. If you are an old timer, it’s like riding a bike. You automatically follow your feet as they lead you to those familiar areas and companies that fill all the needs of your business.
But, there is a little voice in the back of your head telling you to explore, find those lines that are unique and special just like your business. How will you get it all done? There is so much to see and so little time for any serious kind of exploration to…dun dun dun duhhhh, ”The Other Side” of the show.
Just like our buyers and exhibitors, our staff is diverse in their interests -- as well as what areas of the show we work on. Some of us surf or skate. Some of us could care less about either sport and just want to look good on the beach when we go on vacation.
I was reminded of this when I walked the show with Sean. He who hails from the Surf world and still goes surfing whenever he can; I who grew up at the beach, but stay dry under an umbrella as much as I can. And, the last time I was on a skateboard I was riding a Bain (if they are even still around) and the Z-boys of Dogtown were only 15.
My point here is that because of our interest and what we do now for Surf Expo, our attention and time is spent very differently at our show. So Sean and I decided to hang out for a while and “expand” our worlds and see what we were (perhaps) missing.”
It’s not because I don’t have anything to say, or that I haven’t been anywhere; I guess…I just don’t really have an excuse. Call it laziness, being busy, my dog ate it, whatever…I am going to try and be a more “active blogger”, and not a slacker. Not because I know you all have been anxiously awaiting “Aly’s way overdue blog”, but more to make available another perspective on what we do at Surf all year long, in hopes of delivering a great show for you.
So, bare with me, I’m going to go back in time a bit with the next couple of blogs and do a quick re-cap. And if you are interested, beginning in April I’ll be on the road again visiting stores and buyers. Some of the places I’ll be going to include the Gulf Coast, Southern California, the Georgia and Carolina coast, the Northeast coastal areas, and the Caribbean.
Check in occasionally and see if I’ve been in your area and what kind of real trouble I might possibly get into. If you happen to have any questions as well, about what I do on these trips, feel free to contact me anytime.
Until then, happy spring!