We’re thrilled to hit you with yet another exciting episode of “True Tales of the Trade Show.” This no holds barred series sets out to capture the dynamic world of trade shows through the eyes of seasoned veterans who have witnessed it firsthand… and lived to tell the tale.
Our fifth installment continues with Paul Fowler, Echelon’s Senior Project Manager, Guitar Hero, and 40-year trade show industry vet. He’s a got wealth of experience, a down-to-Earth attitude, and a rock and roll style. Get ready to rock…
(Image above: Paul is an avid guitarist and is always ready to rock!)
Interviewer: How long have you been in the trade show industry?
Paul Fowler: Oh gosh… I got into the trade show industry when I was 15 years old, so that would’ve been 1984.
Interviewer: 40 years! Congrats!! What was it like when you started?
Paul Fowler: Ooh, it was quick, just like it is now. It was very similar, but I think things were a lot more systemized. Everything was pretty boxy back then in comparison. We also got into a lot more elaborate setups, and a lot of it was modular stuff with straight box frame panels, boxy cabinets, and big old giant can lights. Technology has improved quite a bit compared to what it was back in the eighties.
Interviewer: In the 40 years you’ve been in this industry, what’s the craziest thing you’ve ever had to do for a client?
“I had to set up a freaking exhibit in a parking lot in Canada in the middle of winter!”
Paul Fowler: I had to set up a freaking exhibit in a parking lot in Canada in the middle of winter!
Interviewer: Wow. What was that like?
Paul Fowler: That was very interesting. We had a big truss structure that the client wanted to preview, so we went up to Canada with the outfit that was fabricating all the truss and structure. Unfortunately, their facility couldn’t handle the structure’s height. It was like 20 feet tall and they said, well, we could set it up in the parking lot. And somewhere along the line, somebody said, yeah, let’s do that. And it was very comical. They had a front loader that they had to lift things up on, and a guy in a basket on a front loader to bolt everything up in the air. It was a funny thing to witness.
Interviewer: Hah. It seems like even with the best of planning things often go awry. What are some of the biggest plans that you’ve seen implode during your trade show tenure.
Paul Fowler: Well, thankfully, I really haven’t seen too many plans implode. But one of the biggest things that went awry was a vinyl flooring install years ago. Basically, instead of using the vinyl pad, the I&D crew installed carpet pad beneath the vinyl. So when all the weight got put on the vinyl with the carpet pad, the vinyl was wrinkled and unrepairable. We couldn’t do anything with it. The vinyl was just trashed because it had sunk into the carpet pad and rippled everything. It was like a wavy ocean of vinyl in the booth instead of the nice smooth application. But because we used Visqueen, nobody noticed it until the 11th hour of install after we removed the Visqueen. These are the kind of details that you absolutely have to pay attention to.
Interviewer: Everybody, put your socks on, it’s going to be a fun booth!
Paul Fowler: Yeah, pretty much. Obviously, the client wasn’t too happy, and we just couldn’t leave it. So, we wound up outsourcing a carpet vendor to come in and cut the vinyl out. Fortunately, it was just in one section—not the whole entire booth—and we managed to find a quick fix that the client was happy with.
(Image above: Paul checks in with the shop on a custom build.)
Interviewer: On that note, what are some trade show tips or tricks that you could offer to a first-time event planner or marketing manager?
Paul Fowler: A lot of times I&D crews are in rush; time is short and there’s a lot to do. But building an exhibit is like building a house. You’ve got to start with the foundation. I always tell clients and crew alike: it’s important to take your time during the initial set-up. Make sure the foundation is correct. Make sure your electrical is in a correct spot. Make sure the carpet’s laid down right. It’s so important to make sure that the foundation is 100% sound… because if not… like with my vinyl flooring example, you can get yourself into a lot of trouble down the line. So, take extra time, make sure your foundation’s right. You don’t rush a foundation on a house, otherwise the house is going to fall down, right? I’d rather fall behind a little bit on that first day making sure the carpet and the electrical is right, instead of spending hours and hours later on fixing something that was wrong with the foundation.
Interviewer: Very wise. Four years after the pandemic, the trade show attendance in general seems to be so much higher than ever. What kind of challenges exist in this market?
Paul Fowler: Budget is biggest. On the fabrication side, we’re just seeing clients attend more shows with more traffic leading to tighter budgets. Event budgets have definitely taken a hit after the pandemic.
Interviewer: Is it harder getting materials, or getting people?
Paul Fowler: A bit of both. It’s definitely harder getting quality people. There are a lot of people who have retired on the build side. During the pandemic, I think a lot of tenured, quality carpenters were close to retirement age, and the pandemic pushed them into early retirement. So, coming out of the pandemic, we were having a harder time finding quality carpenters, and quality people in general. Initially after the pandemic it was also really, really hard to get materials. Fortunately, that seems to have let up a bit. I think it’s gotten more back to pre-pandemic levels on that front now.
Interviewer: On the fabrication and design side, what are some of the latest trends you’re seeing?
Paul Fowler: A big trend I’m seeing is that rental exhibits are playing a much bigger role. Clients are definitely less willing to own their exhibits. A lot of our clients prefer to rent, so we’re seeing a bigger trend towards the modular matrix systems and stuff like that.
Interviewer: Gotcha. Given the large number of trade show and exhibit design companies in operation today, what are some of the things that Echelon is doing to stand out against the competition?
“We are more of a boutique agency with a more intimate and hands-on approach.”
Paul Fowler: We are more of a boutique agency with a more intimate and hands-on approach. Especially compared to the larger exhibit companies. We take pride in what we do because of that. It’s not just a numbers scenario. If you’re working with a lot of the bigger companies, they’re working through so many booths and it’s just this repetitive motion day in and day out. We’re a lot more hands-on with more team orientated with the clients than some of the other bigger outfits.
Interviewer: That’s so critical. Okay, where’s the most interesting place this job has taken you?
Paul Fowler: I would have never gone to Canada to view an exhibit in a frozen parking lot without this career!
Interviewer: Hah! If you had one word or one phrase to describe the trade show industry, what would it be?
Paul Fowler: Adventurous.
Interviewer: Adventurous. I like that.
(Image above: Paul gets in the holiday spirit with the Echelon crew.)
Paul Fowler: I’m sure a lot of people would have say, “hectic.” But, that’s pretty negative. I strive off challenge. So adventurous fits for me.
Interviewer: Love it. How do you deal with the stress of the industry?
Paul Fowler: Sometimes it can be a challenge. I always just tell myself that it always gets done in the end.
Interviewer: This too shall pass?
“You’re always going to have the hectic days, but it will pass and it will get done.”
Paul Fowler: Yeah. I mean, the challenges will always be there. You’re always going to have the hectic days, but it will pass and it will get done.
Interviewer: There seems to be a trade show for everything. What’s the weirdest trade show you’ve ever attended?
Paul Fowler: I guess the one that I struck me as the most bizarre was my very first trade show. Even though I was very young, this struck me as odd. We did a one-day trade show for client in a hotel room. We set it up in two or three hours, and the show only lasted two hours. Then during dismantle I’m trying to remove the wall graphics very gently. They were foam core, and I’m going slow and I’m watching everybody else rip the graphics off the wall and throw ’em away. And I was like, we’re throwing this stuff away? And they were like, yeah, just take and rip it down, throw it away. All this money and we’re just going to throw it away? And they were life, yep! So that struck me odd. The other one that comes to mind was my first NAMM (the National Association of Music Merchants) show. It just seemed like a great big giant party. It was loud as can be with rock stars walking around everywhere.
Interviewer: NAMM is always a good time! Looking at the future of this industry, what are you the most excited about?
Paul Fowler: I think I’m most excited to see where it’s going to turn—what new trends are going to pop up, with technology especially. I mean, there’s something new that always comes up and I’m just waiting for the next new trend. I just really love that there’s always something new and exciting right around the corner.
