I am four days from boarding a plane for Las Vegas for the most exhilarating and exhausting week of the year. Yes, Surfaces is so much the enigma. We pick up new business, reinforce existing relationships, socialize (way too much and way too late) and learn. By the time the curtain closes, there is nothing left in the gas tank. That’s OK. You always want to leave it all on the field. Play as hard as you can until the whistle blows.
As I head to Surfaces for the 30th consecutive year (I must have started when I was 12), you may be wondering what’s on my mind. Or maybe you are not. Either way, here is what is circulating through my brain as we embark on what I believe will be a better year than many think.
The Surfaces show floor is sold out for the first time since COVID-19. Now, will attendance return to pre-pandemic levels?… I hope Bob Shaw makes the trip to Vegas, but I am not holding my breath… It’s an election year. Hopefully consumers don’t become paralyzed come September with all the distracting TV ads blanketing the airwaves… Kudos to Shaw Floors on the latest Anderson Tuftex introductions. They are the closest to what those brands stood for when they were independent companies… Mohawk’s PureTech is all the rage, and others are showcasing their versions of PVC-free LVT/P. Is this indeed the start of the next “resilient revolution?”… I know global warming is bad, but I sure prefer New York winters with no snow.
I’m thinking the FCIF Gala on Oct. 5 in New York is going to be the event of the year. Be there or be square. Look for information on attending in the coming months in FCNews… Last year our Surfaces videos generated 20x more views than anyone else’s. So I have to laugh when a company chooses some other program. Remember: You get what you pay for in this world… I think Raj Shah is one of the smartest people in this industry… You know I still haven’t gotten that eye lift… I’m a big fan of Urbanfloor. Stop by their booth at Surfaces; they get it… I just read Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos continue to lead the privatization of space as a survival alternative in the event of a global disaster. That’s comforting.
There are few industry events that have a better-quality speaker lineup than FloorCon. Have to give props to Broadlume where props are due… What election result will be best for the flooring industry?… I’m happy Chris Dillon landed at Kährs and has an opportunity to make a name for himself… Is COVID-19 really still a thing?… I’m rooting for the Dossches. Just good, solid people… Is it better to fly direct to Vegas and sit in row 28 for six hours or fly through Seattle and sit up front for 10 hours? Asking for a friend.
I feel like the answer to saving Social Security in the short term is to raise the retirement age one year. Every day in the U.S., 10,000 people turn 65, and that demographic will represent more than 20% of the population by 2050… It may be time to update my picture… Prediction: Southwind thrives under the leadership of Drew Hash… Pet Peeve #1: People who ask for help when searching for a job, then ignore you once they land somewhere… I really think this will be a decent year for this industry, particularly the second half. Interest rates are going to come down, and housing is going to start rebounding… I’m still not a fan of working from home.
I can’t stand the polarization of society, but when fights erupt on social media over scooped bagels vs. regular bagels, things have really gone too far… This is the year Boen and Somerset reap the benefits of hiring Dan Natkin… Who really shot JFK?… I’d like to tour Engineered Floors’ new SPC facility… Pet Peeve #2: People who don’t have the you know what to return phone calls because they are afraid to tell you they can’t advertise for whatever reason… I am always blown away at how the Stanton booth at Surfaces is packed from start to finish… I laugh when I see electric cars stranded in the snow because they ran out of juice in the cold.
I remember when the people at Republic told me Lions Floor was all smoke and mirrors and wouldn’t make it. This just in: Lions’ growth has been fast and furious… So many people are doing mushrooms these days, but Ozempic and Prednisone remain my two favorite drugs… I’m hoping Dixie is making strides in recovering from the Invista debacle… I wonder if Eye Candy will be a little thinner this year with people checking out a different type of “eye candy” at the other end of the strip at Resorts World (keyword: strip)… Pet Peeve #3: Liars.
See you all in Vegas.
