Here’s What You Need to Succeed
The exhibit industry might not be for everyone. After all, every year, the industry ranks high on the list of stressful jobs. Sometimes, people outside the industry looking in decide we’re having fun, only to find that what looks like—and is—fun is really hard work. When Dolly Parton sang “9 to 5,” she wasn’t singing about our industry.
Ask anyone working in the exhibit industry how they happened to find their place, and you will hear many stories. And when these people become part of the industry, they stay—many for a long time. There are only a handful of college courses that even begin to address the idea of exhibitions, which indicates that there is a pull beyond traditional education. As a graduate of Bemidji State, I was one of the lucky ones who knew what I wanted to do, but not everyone had the head start that I did.
What does it take to be successful in this crazy industry?
Work Ethic: You might disagree with me, but usually, when I see “work ethic,” I see “Midwest” inserted before those two words. I’m not sure why, but the idea of a strong work ethic arising from the heartland rings a bell with many people. Okay, I’m from the Midwest, but I know that a strong work ethic exists all over the globe, like in my adopted country of Japan. What does it mean? It means that we don’t slack off, we strive to do an excellent job, we take pride in our work—and we don’t quit until we get it right.
Team Spirit: The exhibit industry is no place for lone rangers or prima donnas. You’re part of a team, even if you’re the team leader. You share, you negotiate, you pull together to get all parts of the job done. You share your snacks, you share your successes, you share your stories. The exhibit industry does not tolerate blame—everyone takes responsibility for every aspect of the project. Instead of finger-pointing, we do high-fives.
Partnerships: Different companies specialize in different ways: shipping, electrical, flooring, lighting, rigging—you know, that whole list. Getting along with each group is critical to success. Sometimes, frustration gets the better of you. Think your thoughts, but don’t vocalize them. Getting angry at another supplier won’t solve the problem–only make it worse. Assume the best about the other suppliers, and if you see something they might have overlooked, point it out without getting snarky.
Be the Old Dog Who Learns New Tricks: There have been a lot of changes since events recovered from COVID-19. And we’re not just talking about health and safety. New technologies, new products, and new ways of doing things pop up every day. We can’t afford to dig in our heels and refuse to embrace innovation. Learning is critical if you are going to succeed in the exhibit industry. And that includes acknowledging perhaps that people we relied on and worked with for many years have retired or moved to other industries—meaning that there are a lot of new people coming in. We teach them—and we learn from them.
Realize that Details Count. Oh, do they ever! Your clients might not know exactly what they want, but they know what they don’t want—and it’s up to you to deliver. One of my favorite memories was when a client didn’t like the flowers in the exhibit but wasn’t quite sure what she wanted. We figured out what she wanted, but not without an all-night search. Read about it here. Are we mind readers? Sometimes. Are we problem solvers? Always. Usually, the details that are so important to deliver are not items that we could anticipate in advance. Or maybe we’re back to the work ethic: we get it done!
Keep a Sense of Humor. Our work is fun—and funny. We laugh a lot. We especially laugh at ourselves. Keeping everything in perspective means we don’t let unpleasant situations get us down. I’m sure every one of us can remember a time when we thought the sky—or the tower–was falling—and it didn’t. Looking back, we can laugh. Plus, in our business, we can share the funny stuff. It’s hard to talk to outsiders about flooring going down before electrical or waiting for riggers. Keeping a sense of humor binds us to the people we work with—and anyone in the industry can tell you that we make lifelong friends among our coworkers and partners. And that may be one of the strongest reasons we’re happy to be succeeding in the exhibit industry.
Comments are closed.