What do you like best about working as a tradeshow manager and what are some of the challenges?
by Jeanne Brei
ECN visited MAGIC at the Las Vegas Convention Center just before the closing bell to ask a few tradeshow managers an easy question…What do you like best about working as a tradeshow manager and what are some of the challenges?
Henry Peoples:
“Flexibility is one of the main things I like best. As an independent contractor, I deal directly with the client on both the back end doing prep work and the front end managing the staff and running the team. I’d say that satisfying the staffing demands of the client, especially on the staff’s skill sets and appearances can be challenging. I got my start in Atlantic City and I also travel from city to city for my clients and it can be a challenge finding something to eat and drink after 9 p.m. outside of Las Vegas. I really appreciate Las Vegas being a 24-hour town. I spent 25 years working with hotels—I was manager of convention operations at Mandalay Bay and I opened up the Venetian working as the assistant meeting services manager—and I’ve spent 16 years in tradeshow management—this is not a hobby to me. This is what I do and I love what I do. I never ask my people to do anything I wouldn’t do myself.”
Rosalind Anderson:
“I like that things are constantly changing – there’s no two shows that are ever the same. When I started in the industry someone told me, ‘It’s just like birthing a baby. Every show is different.’ I love figuring out each challenge.”
Emmanuel Acosta:
“What I love best is the people interaction and having happy, excited people at each show…challenges can arise when we have new guests and new employees—they can be challenging but it’s a good challenge. I really like challenges.”
Larry DeFrank:
“What I like best is the challenge of having a successful show—I thrive off of that. My biggest challenge is teaching customer service to the new hires—especially if they don’t show up for work—that’s definitely my biggest challenge.”
Erica Gradney:
“I like the actual word, challenge! I love the challenge of working with the client to understand what their needs are and then empowering the team to do their very best to make the show a success. I love working with lots of different people all the time, especially the diversity of the people on the tradeshow floor. I really like the fact that every show is different and there’s so many different aspects—from tech issues, training, attendees. I love problem solving and putting out fires—whether it’s a technical issue or someone’s personal issues. I believe highly in customer service training and understanding each individual staff member’s needs.”
This story originally appeared in the September/October issue of Exhibit City News, p. 48. For more pictures and original layout, visit http://issuu.com/exhibitcitynews/docs/ecnflipbook_septemberoctober_2018_o?e=16962537/64174552
