I am always impressed how these larger trade shows are executed so flawlessly. TISE West 2015 was such a wonderful experience for us: we learned, we mingled, we presented classes and spoke on panels.
The show floor at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center is a wonderland for floor and surface professionals. Everything from the new trends in tiles to gorgeous natural stones are on display. As restoration experts, we of course focus on machinery and stone products- always looking for the latest and greatest developments in natural stone care.
At TISE West, there were a few parties going on (it is Las Vegas of course), but I have to say my favorites were the Marble Institute of America (MIA) Happy Hour and the Emerging Professionals Event at the Border Grill. The MIA party was packed! This organization knows how to put on an event. I loved socializing with my fellow stone industry friends and there was a raffle, which yours truly helped by handing out the prizes.
The Emerging Professionals Event was another occasion not to be missed by younger members of the surface industry. This get-together is part mentorship program with industry veterans, part cocktail hour where the younger generation can swap stories and share advice. It was a great opportunity for me to get to know and re-connect with other stone and surface professionals.
Now onto our sessions, which we helped present: my father, Rawi Tabbah and I organized the class, “Is Dad Always Right? A Father/Daughter Team Share their Insights on Successfully Managing a Family Business.” I absolutely loved this class because it was so interactive. Our audience was an integral part of the conversation and together we problem solved many scenarios that may come up in a family business. I spoke and gave my advice, but I also learned a lot from our audience as well.
I was also fortunate enough to be on the panel, “Three Men and A Lady Discuss Stone Restoration.” My fellow panelists were of course charming and extremely knowledgeable. I think that including a woman on the panel is a step in the right direction; I believe it is important to show diversity in this male dominated industry. Not to mention, I had a wonderful time presenting and hope that I have the opportunity to do so again.
Lastly, I moderated the MIA Women In Stone Panel Discussion and let me say our panelists were incredibly qualified, knowledgeable and well spoken. They certainly made my job as the moderator pretty easy. I believe our panelists truly empowered the women (and men!) in our audience.
All in all, TISE West was a fruitful and educational experience for us and we will certainly be in attendance next year.
