The Ecowood Team invited me along to help out with the Outdoor Retailers Show in Salt Lake so I hopped on a plane in Sac and headed over. A friendly rep from Gregory and Vasque gave me the lowdown on what to expect. Sure seemed like a lot of people on the plane were headed this way. They were easy to spot by their comfortable patina gear and ready smile. I got the impression these people love what they do.
I arrived to inversion air smog issues in Salt Lake, BUT the booth was well under way. Cool. There was still a lot to do, so I earned my keep helping with product assembly and crawling around behind the booth. I am living proof of these products’ ease of assembly.
Ecowood’s booth this year is new. Made of 98% recycled and reclaimed wood, it is a modular design of posts and cross bars that combines environmental passion with functional design. The banners, too, are recycled materials and made of recycled yogurt containers. This display breaks down into boxes which fit in the back of an Expedition and assembles in minutes (operator error excluded). It is new to their list of innovative products and has become a show favorite, after the laborious task of set up by other exhibitors. All that and a green statement, too.
On break, I took a little walk around the expansive Salt Palace. The booths run the gamut - some so elaborate that scaffolding had to be assembled to hang walls and ropes and lighting fixtures and some with minimal set up. The big outfitters are all here, but what I wanted to learn about was the small business ventures whose bread and butter is made from contacts at the show. Fashion designers, natural fiber manufacturers, backpacks and jewelry, safety equipment and all the support industries for them: it’s all here.
The Outdoor Retailer’s Breakfast preceded opening day. As an outsider, it was a fascinating view into the dynamics of conscience and responsive creativity that keeps things fresh and new. For me, listening to the winners of the Innovation and Ambassador awards speak to their vision of the expanding market and their struggles was well worth the 7am wake up call. Jill Bamberg, keynote speaker, addressed relevant and transitional issues for small to medium businesses. I was moved by her recognition of this group’s potential to solve clean water issues on a global scale. The people in this room, I thought, might very well do just that. The green theme of this year’s presentation was pretty interesting given Ecowood’s planet-friendly mindset.
The show has been fun. It’s filled with smart, innovative, niche market small businesses, people who have adopted a philosophy in an industry that celebrates that spirit. Here are people clustered who support and understand the process, who want one another to thrive. The camraderie among the buyers and exhibitors is longstanding and supportive. A lot of laughter, easy talk and comfortable business takes place. They look each other up, keep in touch, try to find ways to work each others’ products into their growth. They know each other’s voices, if not their faces, and want to genuinely connect. Visitors to our booth stopped because they know the value of lean and green recycled wood products that make a statement and promote a lifestyle.
In a broader sense, what I come away with from the Outdoor Retailers Show, Salt Lake, is that people here live what they sell. They consciously and compassionately celebrate the process, the people and the product. Over and over, they shake hands and offer advice and share their stories and thrive because they know the journey is a shared one.
Love what you do. And they do.
NMcC
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