americas mart

Well, last week was interesting.

I spent the end of the week in fabulous Atlanta.

I am such a nerd, I love to have a badge with my business name on it. Being incorporated is kind of a pain so I guess I am proud that I did it, it makes me feel a little more legit.

Anyway, I don't have a whole lot of pictures of the show because I guess I have turned into a complete goodie-two-shoes and only snuck a few pictures inside the mart- which is ENORMOUS!!!  AmericasMart is the largest wholesale marketplace of its kind, building 3 is comprised of 13 floors and apparently 7.1 million square foot of a merchandise and apparel! 

It can be a little over whelming, especially since in addition to the permanent showrooms the mart houses there are are also 3 floors for temporary booths- many times this is where newer businesses get their start.  It is interesting because you would think people would just try to deck their booths out with killer merchandising, going in with this expectation I was pretty let down.  There were only a few booths that were stand outs.  It was still a great, new experience for me.

Here is one I just LOVED, it is kind of hard to see with the super bright lights but it just had so much personality, I couldn't resist going in to see what the company was all about.

What was really great was talking to booth and showroom owners as well as local shop owners around town, getting tips on the mart, the industry and getting into stores.  Everyone was really so friendly and helpful, it was awesome. 

I also had a meeting with a casting company- they can make molds of my designs and cast them in silver or gold.  I've had many, many conversations with casting companies- mostly in NYC and Rhode Island and I haven't found a company I feel comfortable working with.  I want to work with someone that I can develop a relationship with, someone I can trust and someone that cares about quality- I finally found it!

What I relief to find helpful, friendly people that can help me move my business forward!  I'd say it was a successful trip.