We recently returned from the Chicago Gift & Home Show, a trade show for retail buyers to come and stock their stores. I’d like to say that we signed an account with Marshall Field’s and will be appearing on Oprah in May. To be honest, it was quite a brutal and depressing experience. Perhaps some background on the overall trade show experience is in order: The tiny 10×10 space is extremely expensive, and for a small, young business, it is quite an extensive investment. Most established manufacturers are happy to break even on a show, using it to connect with customers, find new ones, and plan to make money on reorders throughout the year. A company like ours is up against giants like Ty, Lang, and The Virginia Candle Company. They spend millions on their trade shows, and usually have no less than six 10×10 spaces. I remember the first show we did last January was so intimidating. Such a huge investment; such a leap of faith. The show was so overwhelming, much of it was spent wondering if we even belonged there and if we stuck out like a sore thumb. It didn’t take long for us to believe that we were supposed to be there, and many veterans were blown away when they heard it was our first show. They said we carried ourselves with the professionalism of a established, um, pro. We didn’t break even, but we landed some great accounts which attributed to a big chunk of our annual revenue. July’s show was a bit slower, but still produced some highlights. This show was also slow, as we verified from other exhibitors with a long history in the trade show scene. Anyone who has had to staff a trade show knows how exhausting they are. You’re on your feet for most, if not all, of a nine hour day. But for me, the worst part of it is the grueling mental anguish. As buyers walk by, some of them not even acknowledging your presence, your mind starts to race. Why aren’t they stopping? Do they hate us? Do they even understand what it is we’re selling? Did they just have a chili dog and are in search of the facilities? If the slow pace continues, you start to question everything about your booth and yourself. Is our booth too complicated? Too plain? Should the prints be moved? Am I blocking the sign? Should I sit, or should I stand? Is it bad to have my hands in my pocket? Should we buy more advertising next time? Should we get a bigger booth? Should we ever do another trade show again? Should we throw in the towel? Should I offer to work as a sales rep for Ty, and at least have something to do? Is it socially acceptable to tackle people in the aisle just so I can explain for ten seconds what were all about? And on and on and on… From a sales perspective, I wish we would’ve done much, much better. But there were buyers who were very interested and went home raving abut our stuff and our catalog. It’s now our job to follow up and see if we can establish a nice long-lasting, mutually beneficial relationship with them. We’ve received several genuine notes of praise from industry experts, who acknowledge the extreme quality and uniqueness of our product. And considering this is only our third trade show, we’ve developed some pretty strong bonds with other exhibitors. Everyone knows how hard the shows can be, and we all share a common disdain for them. And it is really hard to put a value on the network that we’re a part of and the information we continue to gain. So it was the toughest show yet; one that had me questioning my sanity once again. More than once did I consider stapling my head to the carpet just to see if it would draw attention. But my faith is strong, and I believe God had us there for a reason. There were some key marketing ideas I’ve come away with, and I’ve been hashing them out ever since. Bret Nicholaus and Paul Lowrie, the best-selling authors of The Conversation Piece and The Christmas Letters, offered us some valuable advice throughout the show. I told Bret how much I appreciated his insight, and he said, "Sometimes a particular show doesn’t go very well, but something you learn there may end up making a big enough difference that in a year or two, you can look back and realize that it paid for the show." I have a feeling that those words will end up proving to be very prophetic. Until then, we push forward, and stay clear of staplers.

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I remember when I graduated from college almost four years ago and plotted my career path as a freelance illustrator, the well-intentioned arguments from my father on the prospect of getting a "regular" job usually involved some mention of "benefits." I heard it so often, in fact, that I began to think that it really didn’t matter what job I got, as long as the benefits were good. After a while I resolved to myself, "Self, I don’t want to work at a job I hate for forty years just for the benefits."

Many times these days, when I talk to my peers with "regular" jobs, talk of their benefits package seems to take precedence over the actual duties of their job. Four weeks paid vacation. Full dental. A prescription plan. "I’ve got a new job. Great benefits."

Granted, I know my dad was well-meaning, and I know that my peers are fortunate to have a great health plan they can count on. Things happen, and you better be covered in some form when they do. But lately, I’ve begun to wonder about all this "benefits" banter. Is it merely a security blanket to make one think that everything will go well in one’s life? Is it an easy excuse why one can’t take a leap and venture into a more rewarding, and possibly more profitable career?

"If I give this job up, I’ll lose my benefits!"…Dear God, no! Not the benefits!

What about the intangible benefits? Like waking up each and every day excited about the challenges that lay ahead? Or relaxing on a Sunday night WITHOUT the pit in your stomach that comes when you realize that Monday is only a restless night’s sleep away? Or the reward of knowing that the effort you put in means more than just earning that weekly paycheck and low deductible.

I think we as Americans have become quite comfortable. We have every advantage; all the benefits. But the strength of this country was built on the courage of men and women who dared to dream, and risked their security for something better. While I’m better covered now under Kim’s health care plan from her teaching gig than I was when I was a single freelancer, I have had a similar viewpoint on benefits throughout my young adult life. I figure that if I am truly moving in the direction that I believe God has called me to, then I’ll just have to count on Him to take care of me on the journey.

So far, He has provided for us in some unexplainable ways. I’m coming to realize that my security lies not in my bank account, or my diploma, or my benefits package, but from God alone. And I’m okay with that. Because over the last four years, I’ve seen that His benefits package is second-to-none.

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Well, it’s nice to be through with 2002. Not that there was anything horribly wrong with it, although I spent an unwelcome amount of the final days near the toilet compliments of the flu. As you shuffle that to the "Too Much Information" file, I’ll move on. We did fall short of some of our goals for last year, which can get one down and cause one to ask oneself, "Were we too unrealistic?", "Am I a horrible leader?" or "Should we have sprung for that Super Bowl commercial?" Being ever the optimist (I’m a Cubs fan), I have decided to learn from last year and look ahead enthusiastically to the one in front of me. There are a lot of things to be positive about, including some unprecedented capital with which we can finally do some things that need to be done. We did two trade shows last year, both in Chicago. We learned a lot from the experiences and got some great sales. This year we’re planning on expanding our territory and hitting eight shows, including stops in Indianapolis, Dallas, Columbus and Minneapolis. We are finally getting a printed version of our catalog, which is something I’ve been pining for since we sold our first greeting card. It should roll off the presses in a week or so. And, I must say, it is pretty sweet. Sixteen pages of full-color goodness. Other things worth mentioning include more Club K&J promotions in the works and a pitch to appear in more newsprint. And finally, we’ve been working on a support program for Kim & Jason retailers, including a product display that store owners can use to show off our stuff. I think we’ve got a very nice solution that compliments our products nicely. Before long, we’ll be getting humongous custom floor units specially designed for Hallmark and Marshall Field’s…but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. That’s planned for 2004.

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