GLOBAL PET EXPO is this month (March 21-23), and I’m excited, and not for the reason you might suspect. Yes, escaping the Ohio winter for glimpses of Florida sunshine is a bonus. Sure, there are all the new cool product releases and all those cute booth puppies and kittens who never seem to pester me or look at me longingly the way my own pets do when I’m working.
But what excites me most about attending a major trade event is not what’s on display; it’s who’s attending. And I don’t mean the pet industry superstars, pulled from their TV production studios to promote their new lines of branded products.
I mean you, the folks who read our magazine. You, who contribute thoughts through Brain Squad surveys. You, who email and call to tell me where we screwed up something or where we got something right.
As great as it is to meet you via electronic means, real, genuine facetime beats Facetime any day.
So, please, if you’re attending Global, make it a point to drop by our booth, 3811, and say hello. Feel free to bring your ideas, suggestions as well as your rants and criticisms.
Throughout the show, senior editor Pamela Mitchell, PETS+ columnist Candace D’Agnolo of Pet Boss Nation and I will be in and out of our booth — as will our publisher Craig Rexford and national sales manager Ariyana Edmond. We look forward to seeing you and putting a face to your name.
If you can’t make it, be sure to follow our PETS+ Facebook page to keep up with what’s going on at the show. And always feel free to reach out electronically, even if we don’t get the chance to meet in Orlando.
On a final note, a reminder: March 15 is our deadline to enter this year’s America’s Coolest Stores contest. Don’t miss the opportunity to get your business featured in an upcoming issue of PETS+. Wrap up that entry before you leave for Global here: petsplusmag.com/ACS.
Wishing you the best in business,
Five Great Tips From This Issue You Can Try Today
- Celebrate Proofreading Day on March 8 by going over your website with a fine-tooth comb (and a sharp eye). (Calendar, Page 10)
- Create a suggestion box with a twist: Staff members have just 30 days to offer input. The deadline encourages them to actually make suggestions. (To-Do List, Page 11)
- Start staff off right tomorrow morning with a pep talk at the end of today. (The Big Story, Page 34)
- Tonight, begin the daily ritual of writing down three things that happened that made you happy. (The Big Story, Page 34)
- Look for smaller recurring bills (say, for Spotify or Pandora) and pre-pay six months’ or a year’s worth. (Steal Time, Page 40)