How do we keep it going?
Whether you’re a founding farmer or a newbie, you shouldn’t have to be told, that the greatest thing you will come to learn when talking to anyone in the Natural Products industry, is that each and every one of us cares. Whether your passion is producing the hottest gluten-free cookie dough, running the neighborhood’s favorite health food store or, in our case, creating that amazing opportunity where a mother-turned entrepreneur of a gluten-free cookie-dough can connect with the savviest retail gent on the block—we are all uber-passionate. Of course we are all working for a living and want to promote our products, ideas and services in order to promote our own, selfish success. But I digress… truly, truly, more than any other industry I have been remotely associated with, we do care! With that, we at Natural Products Expo East are as excited and perplexed about how to ride the coattails of the recent Expo West’s success as you are. It is not something I did, it is not something you did—it is something WE did—something WE should be proud of and something WE, as an industry have to not lose sight of, so that our industry doesn’t follow that latest economic trending…down, down, down. There were so many people that I talked to at West that said things like, “My product is doing great….I can’t keep products on my shelves…” Perplexing? Yes. Surprising? Not really. Pleasing? Yes. How do we keep it going? I don’t know the answer and if I did, I wouldn’t be sitting here watching the Final Four on T.V.—trying to figure out how to get you to come to Expo East this fall (please don’t ask me what I WOULD be doing) BUT, I do know that if we stop caring now, we start down that path, that too many of our friends and family members have already had to go down. Commit yourself to Expo East today and commit yourself to strengthen the platform to support our industry’s growth in the face of challenging economic times, in the face of ALL economic times. Look at it as a commitment to yourself and your future. Exhibition and registration information is available at www.expoeast.com.
