We’re packing our most comfortable shoes (okay, and maybe one pair of heels) and charging our battery packs in anticipation of a whirlwind trade show season. Just coming off of Mohawk Edge Summit in Nashville in December, we have had a couple of weeks to catch our collective breaths over the holidays. Next up this month: the CCA Global Winter Convention in Phoenix, followed by Domotex Hannover, the Shaw Flooring Network in Atlanta, the Mohawk Roadshow, and the regional markets, and then The International Surface Event (TISE). Whew!  

We won’t be sleeping, that’s for sure. Floor Trends will be there, reporting every step of the way: new technologies, trending 2023 styles and doing interviews with the leaders and newcomers in our industry. 

I am very excited about the opportunities for networking for women in the industry. The Women of CCA will experience breathtaking views and the native cultures of the southwest. Set atop North Mountain in Phoenix, a private dinner event at a Different Point of View promises epic panoramas of the Valley's desert landscape, the city's twinkling lights, and Arizona's colorful landscapes. 

At TISE, Women of the Flooring Industry (WIFI) plans to launch its much-anticipated mentorship group, which will connect like-minded women. Many thanks to a fantastic mentorship planning committee for taking on this momentous task. 

Speaking of momentous, do you have an innovative new product or service you want to launch to the flooring industry? TISE announced a cool new feature for this year’s show: the Startup Station. This is a new area in the exhibit hall that will feature six startup companies who are new launching into the market. 

Innovators who have been in the market for less than two years are invited to apply for consideration. Accepted companies will receive a complimentary turnkey booth space inside the dedicated Startup Station Pavilion in a high-profile location in the exhibit hall. In addition, they will also receive a marketing package to ensure maximum exposure for their company as the TISE event assists as a launch pad for industry exposure their new products or services. To learn more, visit intlsurfaceevent.com. 

Be well, travel light, and see you on the show floors!