If you were at the VISION Hi-Tech Training & Expo in Overland Park, KS a few weeks ago, you might have noticed a couple of things in our booth:

• Mad Pop-A-Shot basketball skills.
• An eager team of trans slingers ready to talk reman.
• New faces.

While we are no strangers to a trade show floor, VISION was our first ETE show. We were both pretty excited about having the opportunity to take what we do every day and put it into action. (Full disclosure: as moms, having a hotel room all to ourselves was an added bonus on this adventure.) 
Any trade show or expo is a fun place to meet people and snag some cool giveaways, but at the end of the day, it’s important to focus on the takeaways.
So, what exactly did we take away from this experience?
Nothing compares to meeting live and in person. Not only were we able to put faces to the many voices on the other end of the line, but we made new friends. And these new friends got a visual of what it is we do, more so than just in print or by word of mouth. They got us.
Not everyone knows you. And that’s ok. We’re not going to lie. The first time someone we met hadn’t heard of us, it was a little discouraging and maybe even a little intimidating. Rather than letting this get us down, rather than hearing the words “Who are you?”, we heard a knocking sound. We were able to quickly follow up the unexpected with our enthusiasm and a positive discussion.
Understand your “why.” All of our team had the opportunity to sit in on sessions, but an inspiring one specifically was with Bogi from “All Girls Garage” on finding why you do whatever it is you do in your industry. For us, we’re darn good at what we do by being particularly focused on our customers – our why.
We both came back from the show with a new-found energy and passion. Tapping into this, we’d like to leave you with a challenge:
You get up and go to work every day. You serve your customers and you do your job. But why do you do it? What makes you feel good after each interaction and what can you do better? As a leader, your why applies to more than just you. We challenge you to ask yourself and your team these questions. Really put some thought into it and make sure that you hold your team and yourself accountable, too. By digging a little deeper, you might just find that source of renewed energy – and see a shift in the culture of your business.

With two authors, this article is a little extra special. The Remanalyst and the Duchess of Drivetrain recently went on the road – and learned more than a few things worth sharing. Trade shows: are they about giveaways or takeaways? Share your favorite trade show lesson with Laura & Maggie in the comments below!