After months of preparation we are set to kick off another season of trade shows. An Activity that in the past two years has certainly seen a change, but moreover in the past decade has changed dramatically.
When I first joined the editorial staff of DERMASCOPE, some 13 years ago, going to trade shows was without question of utmost importance to the aestheticians and manufacturers alike. Education was a primary function and having an opportunity to be face to face with key educators and representatives from the manufacturer and distributors was priceless. Everyone involved took these weekends quite seriously. The days started early and ended late and even when it seemed they were done, there were still parties and networking events to attend. However, along the course of the last decade the number of shows has multiplied, thereby the days have gotten shorter and fewer at each individual event.
So what changed? Well, a lot of things changed actually. However, the two factors that have had the most decided impact over the past decade are the newest generation to join the workforce and the Internet.
Without a doubt the Internet has altered the course of our lives, similar to the invention and widespread use of first radio and television. then cars and mass transportation. There was a time when a family vacation meant loading up the family station wagon and driving to your destination. The travel itself was as much a part of the experience as what you did in between. Once flying became both ‘reasonably’ priced and more accessible to the masses the travel portion of the vacation became an afterthought that was more hassle than part of the overall experience. Looking back now, it is easy to see that this adjustment was o of many that resulted in a generation that is far more about immediate gratification than any that have come before them.
I make no judgments about whether this is good or bad, but simply reflect on the way things are today and theorize on how we got here. One might ask, “What were we thinking?” and the answer is simpler than you would imagine. We weren’t. Where we are today was not a journey of design, but a destination reached through millions of subtle choices day after day that were seemingly irrelevant.
This pattern exists in general and as relevant to the industry. As the economy has declined there has been a resurgence of interest in solid education in the past year or so. People are becoming far more conscientious in regards to allocating funds and want more value for their expenditures. While this shift has begun to bring back to center, the need still exists for someone or some “thing” to step up and provide leadership and a plan that charts a course to take the industry from where it is to where it wants to go. There are many associations and organizations vying for this position right now. However, there is only one that positioned and has all the tools in place to address your needs today – Aesthetics International Association (AIA).
We have spent the better part of the past decade preparing for this moment. Therefore, we are beyond ecstatic for this day to come. At the International Congress of Esthetics and Spa, Miami, April 10-12 we will effectively marry the past to the future and bring you the best of all worlds when we launch our new tools that are set to revolutionize the industry. So, if you are attending the conference you must stop by booth number 203 and 205 for a demonstration of the incredible tool. If you are unable to attend, you can view demonstration by visiting our website at www.aiaprofessional.com beginning April 10.
In closing, I think the Allstate commercial sums it up best: “When we look back on this period in history, will it be viewed as The Great Recession or the recession which made us great?” I truly believe that with the shifts that have already begun, that launch of these new tools, and the masses banding together in AIA to share your time and talents it will not be long before there is a resounding answer to that question. So join us on April 10 and let’s start making this the time that makes us great.
To our future!
Saundra
