There is no event grander than Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, California! Five days on a natural high with amazing founders and visionaries at the dawn of a food revolution. Disneyland is next door but Natural Products Expo is my happiest place on earth! It left me speechless. Literally. On day 3 I lost my voice talking to people from all over the world in nutrition, food, & beverage. Hearing that our brand was one of the most innovative/ disruptive amongst 3,000 exhibitors was incredibly encouraging tho! We got the green light from some of our favorite national retailers and distributor. Yayyyy!!!
Afterwards I packed up my hybrid and drove to Foodbytes San Francisco to exhibit & present to investors and leaders in food, Ag, and tech. It was an honor to be chosen as one of the 20 Foodbytes! speakers but unfortunately my voice did not come with me. The MC had to read my presentation while I stood on stage, listening. It was a little embarrassing but she did a perfect job and the response to Creation Nation was amazeballs!! So were the sponsors & judges from Rabobank, Whole Foods, and many others.
It's a blessing to watch our company grow with support of the natural product's community. Thanks to Natural Products Expo & New Hope I've built relationships with hundreds of fellow CEOs and advisors I can call on for shared experiences. I am grateful to be a part of this industry which is unlike any other!
One last thought while I'm still on that natural high... how does one come down? I liken it to running a race or when an actor completes a film (really any event you put your heart & soul into to prepare for). The adrenaline high you've been running on crashes, you're exhausted, you've connected with and then said goodbye to people you may never see again while others you'll do business with soon, you're reflecting on what went right and what went wrong, but everything you've learned is exhilirating... Hopefully you made the most of it. Now what?
What works for you post event? A few things I find helpful...
- sleep!
- massage
- back to regular healthy meals & exercise
- following up with calls and emails
- staying connected on social media
- the next upcoming event
- writing in gratitude
