January 6-11
The first trip of the year was to Imaging USA. I was really excited to see all of our clients, vendors and friends around the industry. Walking the expo floor is always a plus. Vendors are displaying their latest products, innovative ideas & solutions. And then there are the classes. I had a full schedule this year. I pledged to help Jeff Gump & Chris Garcia in the Stadium Club which consumed most of my day. It was all worth it in the end.
The stadium club is room that is available for the attendees of the volume photography classes. The speakers head into this room after their presentation and the attendees can ask questions in a smaller, intimate atmosphere. Since most of us who hang out in this room specialize in volume school or sports photography in one way or another, it’s a great place to network and learn from the best of the best. The Stadium Club provides snacks and refreshments for anyone coming by. If you’re planning on attending Imaging USA 2018 in Nashville, you must add this room on your list of places to stop by!
When I wasn’t hanging at the club, I was attending classes. The keynote speak this year, Mel Robbins (https://melrobbins.com/), was absolutely inspiring and fantastic. The positive energy and motivation was eluding from those who attended her keynote. I went on to watch all of her Ted Talks. She teaches this thing called “The 5 Second Rule” and she’s also published a book about it. Implementing this rule into your life is like lighting a fire under your “arse”. It truly works. I highly recommend reading her book, watching her Ted Talk (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp7E973zozc) and if you get the chance to attend one of her seminars… GO.
Many of the classes at the expos are a repeat of the same information. Sometimes you sit through a 90 minute presentation to learn one or two new things. What’s disheartening is while the quality of our education in the photographic industry is strong, nothing really is new and exciting. We seem to be stagnant. Everyone is searching for the next best thing but none of us can find it. For those of you who have attended multiple workshops or conferences recently, do you agree?
Nevertheless, Imaging USA is always the best conference for networking with colleagues and communicating with vendors. Everyone is in attendance. This is where you can get the support you need to create the magic in your business for the upcoming year.
