Days 3 and 4 were a blur and we are just now getting recuperated and able to gather our thoughts. We tried to see as many people as we could, but there is only so much time.
Day 3, or Day 2 of the actual Trade Show, was a very busy day and Rebecca and I had to divide and conquer. While Rebecca spent most of her day connecting with some of our favorite brands, I spent the day working on setting up accounts for our new lounge partner. More on this coming soon!
The day ended with a couple after parties that were absolutely fantastic. First we stopped by an Espinosa Media event that they hosted for the various media outlets that were present for the show. This was a fantastic laid back event that was highlighted by a great speech from Erik Espinosa. The passion he has for the industry is infectious and left me wanting to spend another week at the show, even though that would probably kill me. It was also great to spend some time with our fellow media, some that we've known for years and others we just met. It's always interesting how everyone is so welcoming in this industry. From media to manufacturers to retailers, we are all in this together and we all rise together. There is of course competition but nobody is rooting for others to fail and I believe that is truly unique to our industry.
After leaving the Espinosa Media Event, we headed over to eight Lounge at Resort World for Christian Eiroa's birthday celebration. This was another fun night filled with camaraderie, cocktails, cigars, and lively music. The obvious highlight was hearing Christian speak about his story, brand, and life in general. We were also given a special version of the Eiroa 10x50 that was only available to those in attendance. This will be saved for a very special occasion.
This led us in to Day 4, or Day 5 of the Trade Show, which was our final day. This was spent wrapping up business, trying to see everyone we didn't get a chance to see the previous days, and getting all packed up. We realized very quickly that we will need to add to our team for next years show. Check out some of our photos below and let us know what you would like to see from us next year!
I'd have to agree that this seems to be the only industry where it's not dog-eat-dog. Hellofa community! Looks like you both had a blast. Cheers