Nikki Kennamer’s Post

Transcript

Hello, Ed. Hey. Oh my God, it's been forever. It's been way too long. We're so lazy. Crazy busy is more like it. I mean, Can you believe it? Like it's it's the middle of September. It's it's past the middle of September. End of September. It's the last week of September, which means it's Toy Fair week. Oh my God, it can't be so I mean like a week. That's all we got left is a week. I'm. I'm like, I'm nervous. I'm excited. I'm scared. I don't know if I'm going to get it all done. You you seem really, like, concerned for someone who's been going to Toy Fair for God to say at least 10 years, right? More. And I have also been going to try therapy for boy than 10 years. Thing is stressed out about it as you are. I don't know if I'm stressed. I'm so anxiously excited. Like, you know, you get to see. You get to see people, you get to see stuff. Yeah, it's like a big reunion. It's the toy industry, high school reunion, 100%. And there's things that, like I always do in preparation and there's things I always do when I'm there. And like, I have a routine, but I'm just, I don't. Maybe it's because it hasn't been. It's been a couple years. Yeah. Yeah, it could be. It could be true. I'm excited to go to you. It's been a couple of years for me too. And so I wore my my Toy fair attire for the occasion. Toy fair. If you haven't been before, like, you might not know. It's probably one of like the last fashion for people actually dressed professionally. So you might actually see somebody who wears AT shirt and jeans every day of the year in a full suit. It's really crazy. So you can't go around with like basic market or blacks. That's what I have on today. Yeah, I'm. I'm buttoned down. Sport coat, Blue jeans. Yeah, yeah, exactly. Which, So I thought since both of us have been doing this so long, we should give everybody our top five tips for Toy Fair today. I'm ready. You ready? I'm not. But I will be. I think you'll be ready. I think. I think you know that that's like, right off the top of your head. So I'll tell you, I'll get you started since you got to think about it for a second. And I think actually if I could only tell somebody one thing about Toy Fair, I would tell them. Be comfortable. Travel light because it is huge and it is tiring and it is overwhelming and it is so easy to be like, well, I want to look nice and I want to have my laptop with me. But if I need my laptop and Oh my gosh, this person has the catalog, I want to pick up the catalog. No, no, no, no, no, I promise you don't do any of those things. The most comfortable shoes you own that don't look like they came from the ditch. And as little as you can possibly carry, if you can just carry your phone, just carry your phone and whatever else, like obviously, But no matter how little you think it is, it's going to be so heavy by the end of the day. Yeah, and and you're so tired and it's so heavy. It's so crazy my. Mine would be. Don't skip the bottom floor. That's a really good one. I mean there's such an allure. You're like, Oh my God, I want to see all the big companies and all the cool stuff and whatever, you know, like it's the wow. But I tell you the wow is also hiding downstairs. You can see all sorts of cool toys. You can see all sorts of cool trends. You can meet up and coming companies and people and and like really connect with the company when it's new and fresh, follow their journey. Because at some point the top floor guys were on the bottom floor and now it's like, Oh my God. And I really do think the bottom floor, as much as anybody, has their pulse on trends and what's happening. And they're like so excited about this, this niche that you may not even know about. It's so true. I completely agree with you. I find that to be the most interesting and informative and like connected time that I spend at the show. Which Speaking of I would say my next tip is do reach out to people ahead of time. So, like, maybe it's, you know, friends that you're hoping to see, don't leave that to chance. Make sure you try to catch them, you know, in the hallways. And also it's like a really good time if you've been like maybe stalking somebody. Coming to you that you think it's a really cool and impressive, like this is a great time to reach out and be like, hey, can I just swing by or you know, want to introduce myself? Because even though it's crazy, hectic, chaotic, people are really receptive to like meeting new people at Toy Fair. It's a great place to network. And so it's this opportunity to meet somebody in person that you might not have any other time of the year. For sure and and my just little addendum to that is the first day is crazy. So you know, like if you're only going one day, don't go the first day. I agree that's a good you're going to get some quality time with somebody. Day 2, day three. But on the first day, everyone is like packed up. Meetings are crazy. Yeah, I think that's a good call. Alright, so this is a little bit of like like this is very like me. But don't underestimate how long it could take to eat. Right. I don't know. I'm going to call the cafeteria where people are meeting, people are. And the lines are long at lunchtime. But the lines aren't even close to how long they are for that one Starbucks that's there. You know, I mean, sometimes there's another Starbucks at the far end, yes, but just try and get a coffee in 5 minutes. Forget about it. The lines are crazy. People are having meetings in the line because absolutely afterwards. It bring your coffee with you. The biggest cup you can manage a thermos? I don't know. But that line, forget about it. It's a 1520 minute wait minimum and it doesn't get any shorter anytime of the day. If you're like me, you think somebody would have to that by now. But I don't. I don't know. I'm gonna. I'm gonna rent a booth and just serve Starbucks. Or, like, we could do a service, right? We're like, we'll go get your coffee for you. Oh my gosh. You know, like the the fast pass at, like, Disney World. We give you the Starbucks for the toy fair. That would be popular. You just stand in line for people in there. Yeah, somebody from Uber. Each should literally just walk in show all day long. You'll be like coffee for you, coffee for you. That's a great idea. Well, OK. That was 1234. OK. So five. So the last one I have is sort of inspired by you because you are so. Positive and energetic and inspiring. And so, you know, one thing I think I've done a lot but haven't really verbalized is I set a goal for myself. So do set a goal for your time at Toy Fair. And it could be like, I'm going to meet that person that I've been talking to on LinkedIn, or it could be I'm going to have, you know, at least five conversations with companies I don't know. Or it could be I'm going to try that new place in New York for pizza that I've never had before. And I really want to have it because I'm a foodie, whatever it is. Like, give yourself something personal. We're really kind of like look forward to in your Toy Fair experience. Oh my God, yes, and. And if you can't think of anything, go to Times Square, check out the stores, and then walk 5th Ave. and check out the windows. Yeah, even though it's not Christmas, they do some great displays. But Oh yeah, go for yourself is amazing. That's a that's a hot tip. I mean, should we, That's five should have or should have like bonus tips, anything that you just like have to get out there? Alright, so here's my bonus tip. I love people. I love talking to people. If you don't know anyone at the show, you're like, alright, I wanna make a connection or I want to do whatever. I'm at the show, I'm walking it all four or five, whatever number of days it is. Just reach out, hit us up on LinkedIn or whatever and we'll tell you what day we're going to be where and just find us there and we'll we'll chat. You don't know anybody at Toy Fair. You do. You know both of us. So please, like, say hello. We would love to, you know, connect with you. That's awesome. Oh, my God. That's a good tips. Thank you. Awesome. I can't wait to see you at the show.