Andy Candy marked a milestone last weekend and the vision board isn’t even complete yet! It was so liberating. So rewarding. So sensational to vend our first event and it was a curly hair event at that! We sold out of our oils and butters with just a few samples left over. I really hope you all love your products as much as we do and find the benefit and purpose for Andy Candy in your hair and skin care regimen.
This opportunity came quickly after a month or so of opening our shop on Etsy and could not have come at a more perfect time. I started following this local photographer, Abby from the Tampa area. One day she posted a video about natural hair and of course I wanted to show love. She inboxed me about a curly hair event she was having and the rest was history. (Real genuine networking at work huh???) I was anxious at first when Abby asked me to participate but I knew that if I didn’t seize that moment, I would really regret it and be so disappointed in myself. Check out this podcast (scroll to 5:51) by Lavendaire that I listened to pretty recently to help me face those kinds of moments.
We arrived to Masks & Mimosas at 10am Saturday for the vendor setup. Thankfully my best friend came with me to help because I really could not have done it without her. The event started at 11am and we started selling at 11am. Andy Candy was flying off the fixtures despite that I left one of my fixtures at home that morning. Surprisingly the two scents I was planning on discontinuing made a huge comeback and were our top sellers so we’re going to revamp those a little and keep them around a little while longer. Stay tuned for that!
I was asked to be a vendor and guest panelist where I’d give my 5-10 introduction about Andy Candy. At first I wasn’t too comfortable with doing that but I knew that if I just gave myself the chance and spoke my truth as if I were having a conversation with the people, it’d be much easier. So I practiced my words the entire week leading up to the event and sure enough when the time came, the words flowed. There was so much love and good energy in the place that the next day I received a message from a young woman who was so inspired by my story that she big chopped! The event was so dope and well ran by the GroWithYourFro Group. There was a beautifully decorated table with whole foods and fresh fruits for our DIY hair and face masks and endless bubbles poured all day topping off our mimosas. It was a laid back networking atmosphere with a bunch of rising artists and small businesses in the Tampa Bay area and we all gathered there at Due Amici’s for 2 common goals: healthy hair and to show genuine support for one another.
Mission accomplished.
Here are some Tips to Success I learned from preparing for my first event
- Tablecloth measurements (with full drop) WxLxH Total Width= Width of surface of table + the height on either side, Total Length= Length of surface of table + the height on either side Standard 6ft banquet table= 90x132x30″
- Use your resources and contacts to delegate tasks to those willing to help
- If you have to publically speak, freestyle it, then write it, then practice saying it in different places the way you wold perform it live. Practicing in front of people is also helpful.
- Believe In Yourself but don’t take yourself too seriously.
