By Jeff Pinyot
5.82 tradeshows per year, that’s what I estimate I’ve attended over the 17 years since founding Level Solutions, now ECO Parking Technologies. Take one down and pass it around, 99 tradeshows under my belt.
The early ones, when we were ECO Parking Lights, included a hand-me-down trade show booth that we literally hammered together in the sweaty confines of half lit halls across the nation. What most attendees at trade shows don’t know is this. The Air Conditioning doesn’t fully come on, nor do the “Good Lights” turn on until the doors open to the general population. When I arrive at a trade show, I see my clients dressed in nice suits, dresses, sports coats, etc. They see me in a Steeler T shirt and jeans and tennis shoes (not literally tennis shoes, that’s just what people my age call athletic shoes). They must wonder, (them wondering….) When will Jeff’s business take off, the poor guy just dresses like he lives in a tent on the street. What they don’t know is that I’m about to enter the trade show sauna.
When I’m setting up the show, I have watched over the years various organizations who pay to have their booth set up professionally. I rarely if ever see the “Big Guy” setting up his or her booth. Honestly, I’m not afraid to say that I fantasize about being a professional hockey player, but more on that another time. No, I fantasize about what it would be like to have someone else set up the booth this time. Then my good sense comes back to me, and I recall, this: So the last will be first and the first will be last.
Jeff Pinyot is the President and CBS (Chief Booth Setupper) for ECO Parking Technologies. Jeff can be reached at jspinyot@ecoparkingtech.com.