As a guy who doesn’t fit into any of the major categories within this industry, my podcast has filled a role across all of them. I’m not a wood guy; I’m not a carpet guy; and I’m not a tile guy. I’m a plastic guy and sometimes an engineered wood guy. There isn’t a major club for that role. With the podcast being business related, I have spanned the entire flooring and tile and stone industries. The language of business is universal, and if you sell donuts, I can probably find a way to relate to you and find out about your inner workings. That being said, I’ve attended The International Surface Event the past three years and the show fits my needs fairly well. This year, I decided to add Coverings, the premiere tile and stone event, to my agenda as well. I’m glad I did.
What does a guy who doesn’t install any tile or stone have to gain by attending a tile show? We won’t even talk about the benefits of being able to promote the podcast. First and foremost, I was able to see a lot of friends from around the country. We walked the show together, talked at booths, attended parties in the evening, and then said we would return to our rooms but ended up at the hotel bar having another drink. Conversations range from just catching up to funny anecdotes from projects to learning how to better run your business.