So, today was my first day at the NSS. And it was everything I wanted it to be. I wasn’t completely overwhelmed. I expected hundreds of vendors and demonstrations and seminars. I was right!
I was very encouraged by the number of contacts I made new products I discovered. I was mostly impressed by the ingenuity and creativity of a lot of the vendors and their designers. It is definitely an encouraging thing for me being in the business. Everyone was very helpful and interested in my business and the niche we aim to serve in the market.
My greatest disappointment was not finding more cards or graphics that catered to diverse cultures, ethnicities and religions. I did find one artist who draws fashionable women of all races. This was a gem. We hope to collaborate on some projects together.
I also found a Jewish vendor with very nice invites for Bar and Bah Mitvahs, Jewish weddings and celebrations. And I found a wonderful Hispanic line that includes a mixture of Spanish and English text. Very brilliant and vibrant cards!
I have not yet found an Asian themed line at all. Chris, I hope you and Neil have some art ready!
Some highpoints were the seminars and demonstrations. I learned an awful lot about marketing and retail displays. I look forward to incorporating these tools in the very near future.
I met a guy doing a demonstration on his product and he said that he needed to make a YouTube video of him doing it. So, because I had my camera, I offered to video you that demonstration for him. He was very appreciative!
I thought it was very funny that I arrived at the show with my one briefcase and my purse, and that by the end of the show my briefcase was so full it couldn’t zip, and I was carrying another large gift bag tote that was so full that it was cutting off my circulation.
And even though I took the bus down 34th Street to 7th Avenue, with my weary feet, I still had to walk to 26th, but the energy of all of the people around me kept me going. The streets of NYC are such a spectacle. So many different people from all walks of life. And the killer part, I could here “Empire State of Mind” being played on just about every block. Now that’s something the smile about.
