I just got back from exhibiting at Wedding MBA in Vegas. For those unfamiliar with Wedding MBA, it is a huge conference for wedding professionals with over 5000 attendees.
Ok, so maybe it's because this was my first big "outing" since Covid, but HOLY CRAP, it was beyond overwhelming!
I believe that knowledge is power, and I love that there is so much to see and do and learn, but at some point, it all becomes TOO much!
All of the noise and everyone vying for everyone's attention, it's TOO much!
I was in my booth, watching people shuffle by. Everyone looked like they were on a mission but completely lost at the same time. I didn't have a big flashy booth like some of the larger companies that participated. My booth was a modest size with plain, basic signage.
I tried to avoid having too many expectations going into the show since it was my first time, but I didn't expect that most people would walk right by me without even looking my way.
I guess I assumed that people were there to gather information, so they might at least be a little interested in what I had to offer. Yeah...not so much! lol
Good thing I have been in business for so long that I don't take things personally, or that could have really damaged my self-esteem.
I had to start getting more assertive and stopping people as they walked by, which, I'll be honest...made me feel like a part of the problem, not the solution.
I don't want to be that person. It makes me feel like a used car salesman. But that is the world that we live in, COMPLETE INFORMATION OVERLOAD!
You have to be a disruptor to have a chance of getting ahead. Or do you?
It got me thinking. How do I want to show up in this new world?
With over 5000 people in attendance, Wedding MBA was WAY more about quality than quantity for me, and that's exactly how I want to live my life and conduct my business. That's what I want, so that is how I will show up moving forward.
I have always strived to live a quality life and give quality service, but I have also been preoccupied with what everyone else is doing and worrying that I'm not quite good enough because I'm not one of the big guys with a flashy booth.
If you were one of the few who took the time to stop and connect with me on a truly genuine level...thank you SO much! I am truly grateful that you reminded me through all the noise and craziness...oh yeah, we are all still human. I almost forgot!
I will never be the one who is screaming LOOK AT ME! It's just not who I am.
I don't ever want to be that person. But I am the person who will say, hey...do you want to get away from this craziness and go somewhere quiet to talk?
I have known for a long time that our world is changing and we must adapt or die in life AND business, but Wedding MBA was a glaring representation of how bad it has gotten.
Everyone that I was fortunate enough to connect with shared the same sentiment. It's TOO much!
All of this information is paralyzing us instead of empowering us. It's "The Paradox of Choice" on steroids! With so many options and EVERYONE yelling LOOK AT ME, we don't know where to look or what to do with ourselves.
My takeaway from Wedding MBA was that my suspicions were right, and it might actually be worse than I thought. The good news is that this realization has forced me to take a good hard look at who I am in life and business. I have to decide who I want to be in the madness. I have to decide how I will adapt.
The silver lining is that I did realize what I have to offer, and it is needed now more than ever.
When people would come to my booth and ask me what I did, I would go into my "speel" about how I do business consulting, create systems and build CRM programs into Wix websites, blah, blah, blah. It wasn't until AFTER I got home from Wedding MBA that I realized that while that is a part of what I do, that's not it!
If I could go back and do it again when people asked me what I do, I would confidently say, I cut through all the bullshit, clutter, and noise and help you figure out exactly what is important in your life AND your business.
That is ALWAYS been what I am good at, cutting through the bullshit and being the voice of reason.
In this world of overwhelm and craziness and confusion, I am the person who will guide you away from the madness into a nice quiet corner where we can talk about what matters.
I am the person who will help you cut through the clutter and simplify your life and your business.
I am the person who will remind you why you went into business in the first place.
I am the person who will help you figure out how you want to show up in your business and adapt to this new world.
I am the person who will take you from a place of being overwhelmed and confused to a place of calm and peace.
I am the person who will get you excited about your business again!
I can help you build your business, create systems or build you a beautiful new website, but more than that, I am the person who will remind you that you are enough and that you have something special to offer the world. So, give me a call, and let's figure that shit out! lol
While it may sound like my experience at Wedding MBA wasn't a positive one, that couldn't be farther from the truth! I met some amazing people and made some valuable connections. And, more than anything else, it was the final wake-up call I needed to realize that I have no desire whatsoever to be a part of the craziness that has become our world.
I'll save the flashy booths and "LOOK AT ME" strategy for the big guys. If you want to find me, I'll be at my little booth, ready to talk about some real shit and make meaningful connections.
xo
Gina