For someone attending their first trade show, the experience can be a bit different from what you might expect. There’s the booth, the handshakes, and the conversations.
But there’s also the opportunity to step outside the day-to-day routine and see our work from a unique perspective.
That’s what Design Technician Molly Brechtel and Interior Architectural Designer Peyton Pruehs found when they attended their first trade show as TSP representatives at the Associated School Board and School Administrators Joint Convention.
The event was held Aug. 6 and 7 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center.
Molly Brechtel
For Brechtel, one of the biggest takeaways was simply seeing what happens beyond the office.
Working at the booth gave her a chance to watch Ron Mielke connect with attendees while also meeting people whose work might intersect with ours.
The firm at the booth next to TSP’s specializes in outdoor furnishings such as park equipment, benches, and playground surfacing.
“I found it interesting to meet others in the industry and to keep them in mind in case we ever have a need for those products or services,” Brechtel said.
She also enjoyed talking with board members and superintendents and hearing firsthand about their experiences and priorities.
For Pruehs, meeting clients and hearing about their experiences was a highlight.
Peyton Pruehs
“I think the coolest part for me was getting to talk with people we’ve already worked with and hear how they’re growing into their spaces and actually experiencing the benefits of our designs,” she said.
“Hearing that from school district clients in Vermillion and Yankton made it really rewarding to see the impact of the work we’ve done beyond just the design process. It was a great reminder of how much our work can positively affect the people who use these spaces every day.”
That may be the biggest lesson from a first trade show: our work is about much more than what happens at our desks.
It’s about the relationships we build and the people who use the spaces we design.
