Textbook publishers don't even bother to advertise at their conventions.
I started designing my handbags in my apartment and I had six samples made in satin-finished nylon. I displayed them at trade shows but they went unnoticed at first.
Did I collect baseball cards? I've got 10 books full of plastic in my mother's house. All the Upper Decks, the Fleers, the Fleer Ultras. My grandfather brought me to the trade shows. I collected Marvel cards, too.
I speak for a lot of church groups, youth groups, schools, colleges and do personal appearances. I've done conventions and trade shows. A lot of different little hats.
The entire exhibitions industry in the United States of America has filed for bankruptcy.
I go to all of the trade shows, know a lot of the people making marketing decisions, and I want to keep my finger on the pulse of snowboarding.
My father had always been a traveling salesman - New England, the South, whatever.
A lot was happening, plus there were an enormous number of people in the industry that were going to conventions, so it was a pretty fun time. Also there was a lot of controversy and I was at the forefront of some of that.
