Many friends, family, and team members have joined me over the years at the Dallas Gift Market. I started going with my mom probably almost two decades ago (man I am getting old). What amazes me about the Gift Market is not the amount of people who attend or the number of floors that are filled with showrooms and booths of merchants...what amazes me is the owners who are working those showrooms and booths.
I can always tell when I am talking to a rep and when I am talking to the owner. I deal with good reps and some even great reps...but when you are talking with the owner not only can you see the love they have for what they are trying to get you to buy (by the dozens) but you can also see that this is a make or break moment for them. These products are what are going to pay for their mortgage, their food, their kids college tuition, and possibly their gas back home. These products aren't just cloth and plastic and metal formed together to make an inanimate object...they are the blood, sweat and tears these people have poured in to turn an idea into a reality.
They believe in their products more than they ever believed in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy combined. Not only do they want me to buy it to offer it to my customers but they want me to believe in it too! These people gave up their steady 9-5 jobs to pursue a dream. They took a risk. The took a leap of faith. They probably took out a big loan too.
Some will be the next big thing for the moment. Some I will see at future shows for many years. Some I will never see at a show again.
I have great respect for these vendors. Whether they succeed or not they tried. They did what very few do...they took the risk...they took the leap of faith...they jumped. May God give them all the wings to fly.
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