We did our very first show exactly a year ago today. I will always remember the date, the feeling, the details. We were excited, nervous, scared. I had my checklist that I printed off the internet for all the things we would need to take. Luckily, our first show was indoors, so we didn't have to mess with a tent (that was a disaster for another day). For our first show, we picked a monthly flea market. We walked in and quickly realized that a flea market was not the right market for us. This shows how much we didn't know about markets. There is a huge difference between a flea market and a craft show. I think Leann even started to slowly walk backwards out the door.
We didn't back away. We stayed and set up and talked to everyone we could. We sold enough items to make our vendor fee back ($30) and we went back the next month and the next. It was not our market, it was not our customer base. We didn't make a lot of money. In fact, the second month, we lost money. We went back for one reason only- the other vendors. One of the vendors said something to me that I will never forget: we are the modern day gypsies. That statement couldn't be more true.
There is a reason that craft shows and flea markets call their vendors family. Every one of those vendors knew we weren't going to sell. They knew it wasn't the right show for us. They could have ignored us, they could have mocked us. But, they did just the opposite. They supported us, they gave us contact information to shows that they said would fit us better. They guided us and encouraged us. They taught us from the beginning what it means to be part of the vendor world.
When I think back to that day and how much we have grown in one year, I get goosebumps. We are still learning, we still have failures, we are still growing. I am so thankful that we have the opportunity to continue to grow our dream.