National Stationery Show

On the other side of the booth..
I've attended the National Stationery Show in the past, but being an exhibitor was a different experience. I launched my line of paper and gift products there and had a great time! You can see the collection at my website, kianicole.com.
Here are my show highlights:

• set up was a lot harder than I thought. Forgot several things, but necessity spawns creativity ..we discovered you can work wonders with safety pins (thanks Jonetta for keeping a cool head!)


• Product exhibited in the Best New Products showcase!
  


• I had a great time meeting the exhibitors around me. We all became great friends and hope to stay in touch!


• Very great feedback from visitors. I am working on line extensions, expanding my multi-cultural offerings. I will also be translating my cards into Spanish and following up with several overseas contacts.


• Met several wonderful people from our yahoo group including Micetea from Whimsicolor, Liz from Fast Snail, Road Trip Greetings and the Ripe Cards' girls -- all super nice and wonderful to meet in person.


• Got to spend some time with my two of my favorite friends, Sune and Jonetta! Highlight of my trip.
  
• Finally, happy to return to my beautiful boys and husband.


• Thanks to all my friends, family, co-workers and peers who helped to make this dream a reality!

See y'all next year!

Vision to Venture

Besides loving the name and smart look, the Vision to Venture program sponsored by Microsoft promises to be informative. The live events have passed, but the webinar will be posted this Month.

What next

So I have been working on my plans to go to the National Stationery Show as an exhibitor for more or less the last two years. And guess what the show open Sunday. That's right.. Sunday, not in 6 months or 2 months but this week. Am I freaking out. Yes. Am I ready for it to be over and done. Oh yes.
I realized about a month ago that most of my concrete future goals culminated with this show. So I have had a little (not a lot) of time to start thinking about what the heck I am going to do after this show -besides becoming independently rich and famous- which of course, should happen sometime this week :) So here's my short list:

• keep my blog up by posting every week
• reconnect with my book project and get my podcast going
• walk the International Gift Fair in August in NYC
• walk the mart in Charlotte with my friend Jonetta of Glamour Greetings in June and
• exhibit there in September
• visit Cherie, Nzingah and everybody else that I said I would see after the show.

Obviously, in the midst of all this keep my business going, increase retailers etc.

That's my short list.