I left Thursday morning and got back late Monday night (actually I got back early Tuesday morning since it was after midnight when I arrived back in Alamosa) from Market.
Before I became a shop owner I thought about how much fun it must be to get to go to Market. Seeing all the quilting celebrities,
getting free swag, seeing all the new stuff, ... And yes, all that is fun.
But really it is a trade show. I'm there for work. I don't own a shop because "it seemed like a fun job." It is WORK. I don't go to Market to buy stuff at wholesale price to put in my personal stash. Everything I buy is for the shop in some way. It will either be a product that I put out on the shop floor for sale or something I want to test myself before purchasing in large quantities for the shop or to make a sample for shop so that when the stuff arrives I already have the sample done.
My income from the shop helps to pay bills for my family, buy groceries for my family, pay our mortgage, ... you get the idea. Going to Market is work and something I need to do for my business.
My mission for this Market was to seek out new products. I went with a list. I wanted to talk with the designer, see the items in person, learn how they work directly from the source and decide if it is something I think my customers would like.
I can't show you what I bought because most of it is either being shipped later (lots of Market purchases are pre-order situations) or being shipped to me later this week in the box I sent myself so I wouldn't have to pay extra to the airlines to bring it home with me.
I took lots of photos of various booths, mainly getting display ideas I might be able to use in my shop or just because they were so colorful or cool or creative. I've only shared a few here.
And I think I found my new motto too:
"Be a pineapple. Wear a crown. Stand tall and be sweet on the inside." I love that!
Before I became a shop owner I thought about how much fun it must be to get to go to Market. Seeing all the quilting celebrities,
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| Alex Anderson and me |
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| Sue Spargo and me |
But really it is a trade show. I'm there for work. I don't own a shop because "it seemed like a fun job." It is WORK. I don't go to Market to buy stuff at wholesale price to put in my personal stash. Everything I buy is for the shop in some way. It will either be a product that I put out on the shop floor for sale or something I want to test myself before purchasing in large quantities for the shop or to make a sample for shop so that when the stuff arrives I already have the sample done.
My income from the shop helps to pay bills for my family, buy groceries for my family, pay our mortgage, ... you get the idea. Going to Market is work and something I need to do for my business.
My mission for this Market was to seek out new products. I went with a list. I wanted to talk with the designer, see the items in person, learn how they work directly from the source and decide if it is something I think my customers would like.
I can't show you what I bought because most of it is either being shipped later (lots of Market purchases are pre-order situations) or being shipped to me later this week in the box I sent myself so I wouldn't have to pay extra to the airlines to bring it home with me.
I took lots of photos of various booths, mainly getting display ideas I might be able to use in my shop or just because they were so colorful or cool or creative. I've only shared a few here.
And I think I found my new motto too:
"Be a pineapple. Wear a crown. Stand tall and be sweet on the inside." I love that!
4 comments:
Great post.
I might have to steal your motto....love some of those pictures...amazing work... Glad you got to go, even if it was work, it was fun too???
I'm so jealous! Wish I could have gone. But I sure am enjoying your pictures! Thanks for sharing.
Gonna have to steal the new moto, too. Sounds great!
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