When you sponsor a workshop or present at a CHA Conference you:
- Directly impact hundreds of companies with your message
- Build credibility within the creative industry
- Increase exposure for your business and services
For more information visit www.craftandhobby.org/CNC or contact Keli Bell-Cole, CMP, kbell-cole@craftandhobby.org
Dear CHA Members, Friends and Colleagues,
As I celebrate my one-year anniversary with CHA I am beyond words at how excited I am about the possibilities facing our industry. As I have listened to so many of you this year, your input and passion came through loud and clear, and is all being considered as we plan events that will help you make the connections you need to grow your business.
We are putting the final touches on the NEW Create-n-Connect Conference & Trade Show (formerly the CHA Summer Conference & Trade Show). This event will move around the country every year and makes its first stop – LAS VEGAS, NV on July 22-25. This Show will provide many opportunities for conversations and connections that matter while showcasing new, never seen before, products coming to market.
Here is what you can expect:
The Priority Point Deadline for exhibitors is March 1, 2013. Download the Exhibiting Contract here:
https://www.craftandhobby.org/eweb/docs/CreateConnect2013/CombinedCnCFillinforms.pdf
Attendee registration for Show floor badges and the Conference program opens on May 14, 2013. For more information visit:
https://www.craftandhobby.org/cnc
Answers to additional FAQ’s can be found here:
CHA’s job is to help you. Feel free to contact any staff member with questions. I can be reached directly at 201-835-1201 or at Andrej@craftandhobby.org
On behalf of the entire CHA staff, we look forward to seeing you in Vegas.
Cheers,
Andrej Suskavcevic
President & CEO
Craft & Hobby Association
Didn’t make it to the CHA 2013 Winter Show in Anaheim, CA this past January? Here’s your chance to go on an exclusive tour of the Show floor in less than 3 minutes!
Save the Dates for upcoming CHA Shows and Events:
By Jefferson Davis, Competitive Edge
Guess what percentage of marketing professionals with college degrees received exhibit marketing as part of their university curriculum? 2% | 7% | 13% | 24%?
If you guessed 2% you are right. As a nationally recognized tradeshow expert, I am often asked “What is the single most important key to making tradeshows deliver real results for our company?” People expect me to tell them things like “get a better booth location”, “build a bigger, flashier exhibit”, “do a better job promoting your exhibit”, “demonstrate your products better”, “capture better leads” and things like that.
All of these things can help. But, when I tell them the single most important key to making tradeshows deliver meaningful and measurable results is to update and expand their company’s exhibiting knowledge base, they look surprised. They tell me “we know how to exhibit, we’ve been doing it for years.” I then ask them to tell me about the results their exhibit program is delivering, and far too few exhibitors can speak of any specific results. They all seem to know what they are spending, but too few know what they are really getting.
The question of how to make tradeshows deliver results is a very poignant question because many companies’ exhibit programs fail to deliver measurable and meaningful results. I believe strongly that the lack of formal exhibiting knowledge is one of the main reasons.
Consider these shocking exhibiting industry statistics:
These statistics point to a major problem. Marketing departments spend almost 1/3 of their annual marketing budget on tradeshows. Sales department are asked to staff the exhibit, often against their will or desire. Both departments spend significant financial and human capital, and both with very little formal education or training on how to best do so. And it shows in their results.
Tradeshows have changed in complexity over the last several years. The body of knowledge on how to make tradeshows productive and profitable has exploded and yet far too few exhibitors are seeking out the latest thinking and best exhibiting practices. Many companies are operating on an exhibiting model that is 10 years outdated.
So where do you look for the latest and best exhibiting practices? While there are many good resources, CHA is a great place to start. All exhibitors, in the three months leading up to the trade show, will receive a bimonthly e-newsletter with timely, “how-to” articles, exhibiting tips, cost saving advice and deadline reminders. Exhibitors can also access the CHA Exhibitor Update e-newsletter and the Successful Exhibiting Article Series through the Exhibitor Success & ROI Center (ESRC).
Through the Exhibitor Success & ROI Center, CHA is providing free exhibitor webinars, tips & tools for successful exhibiting, research and statics on the value of trade shows, and an “Ask the Tradeshow Expert” email Q&A program. Please make sure you and the key people in your marketing and sales departments read the articles and review the information included in the Exhibitor Success & ROI Center. Most importantly, please use what makes sense for your situation. By doing so, we can assure that exhibiting knowledge will no longer be a gap in your company.
Jefferson Davis, president of Competitive Edge is known as the “Tradeshow Turnaround Artist”. Since 1991, his consulting and training services have helped clients improve their tradeshow performance and results to the tune of over $500M. Mr. Davis is co-creator of the CHA Exhibitor Success & ROI Center (ESRC) program. He can be reached at 704-814-7355 or Jefferson@tradeshowturnaround.com
Looking for additional ideas to achieve higher ROI for your trade show experience? The CHA Exhibitor Success & ROI Center (ESRC) is your free, on-demand, 24/7 resource to help you find answers to your most pressing exhibiting challenges, expand your exhibiting know-how and improve your company’s exhibiting performance.
Badge Registration for the CHA 2013 Winter Conference & Trade Show is now open. Click here to register. For information on exhibiting at the CHA Show, please click here.
While compiling the article, “Family Ties: Craft businesses pass their torch from generation to generation,” which appears in CHA’s magazine, Craft Industry Today (Fall 2012, Vol. 1, No.3) we were fascinated by the amount of family-owned companies, each with their own unique stories, within our industry. In the upcoming weeks we will be expanding on this article and sharing CHA member stories on our Blog.
By Mike Hartnett
CHA has been profiling multi-generational industry businesses (Click to read about Hobby Lobby, Momenta, and Mangelsen’s). In most cases, the next generation eventually takes over the business from the parents/founders. But some stay in the industry on their own terms and carve out their own niche.
Katie Hacker’s parents, Jerry and Dee Hacker, bought Dee’s Delights in 1982 after Jerry had worked at the company’s general manager for seven years. Miniatures was a very strong category at the time, and Dee’s Delights grew into the largest distributor of dollhouses and miniatures in the world. Jerry and Dee sold the business in 2006 and retired.
Jerry was an industry pioneer, helping launch the Mid-American Craft & Hobby Association (MACHA), later renamed The Association of Crafts & Creative Industries (ACCI).
Katie was hooked on the industry at an early age. “The first trade show (HIA) I remember attending was when I was in the fourth grade. We stayed at the Jolly Rodger Inn and my sister and I were thrilled to take such a big trip across the country [from Ohio]. I sneaked a peek at the show and remember that someone gave me a bundle of Friendly Plastic, which I couldn’t wait to use. Then my mom took us to Disneyland.”
That started a family tradition. “Our family vacations consisted of spending extra days at various craft and miniature trade show locations,” Dee said, “a great way to see the USA.”
“When I was in high school and college,” Katie remembers, “I did different jobs for Dee’s Delights, from pulling orders to making samples, to helping with the 800+ page catalog. I got to wear a lot of different hats, and it has helped me look at my own business from a variety of perspectives.”
After college, Katie was hired by Hot Off The Press owner, Paulette Jarvey, as an editor/designer. “Our families knew each other from the industry, and I always wanted to live out west,” Katie said.
That was the start of a remarkably busy career. Today she is the host of Beads, Baubles & Jewels on PBS, with a new series starting in early November. Her most recent book series is Earrings 101, Necklaces 101, and Wire-Wrapping 101, published by Hot Off The Press. She also created the Katiedids™ line of channel findings manufactured by Beadalon. Last month she launched her regular column for BeadStyle magazine. She’s also a regular guest on Jewelry Television’s Jewel School and a member of Beadalon’s and Halcraft’s design teams. She’s also a CREATE YOUR STYLE with SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS Ambassador and a CHA Designer Section council member. She conducts numerous workshops at trade and consumer shows, such as the Bead & Button Show. 
Her Beading Blog is at www.katiehacker.blogspot.com.
If all that didn’t keep Katie busy enough, she married Craig Brown in 2000 and they have two crafty kids, ages 6-1/2 and 3. Craig is an organic farmer turned fitness instructor and they live near his family farm in rural Indiana. This past summer, they trained for and ran a half-marathon together. Last weekend they cycled in the infamous “Hilly Hundred,” a two-day, 100-mile bike ride in Southern Indiana.
By Mike Hartnett
The Mangelsen family has probably contributed as much to the growth of the craft industry as anyone.
Harold and Bernice opened a Ben Franklin variety store in Omaha in 1961. They had four sons, Bill, Tom, David, and Harold (“Hal”), Jr. who lived with their parents behind the store. Bill, the oldest, began working with his father when he was 13 and officially joined the family’s business at 18.
A decade into its existence, the family wanted to convert the store into an all-craft operation, but the executives at the corporate Ben Franklin said no. So the family dropped the Ben Franklin affiliation and converted to a more crafty format, HD Mangelsen & Sons.
Another family named Dupey operated Ben Franklin stores in the Dallas area, and son Mike heard about the Mangelsens’ store conversion. He visited Omaha and returned home convinced they had the right idea. Mike converted his stores and that was the birth of what is now the Michaels chain and the craft superstore.
The Mangelsens affected far more than retailing, however.
Bill made his first buying trip to Hong Kong in 1971and in 1977 Bill attended the Canton Fair in China for the first time. It was here that Bill met a number of suppliers and expanded his Far Eastern business relationships. While visiting various factories in Shanghai, Fujian, and Guangdong provinces, Bill realized there were many products which could be made in China and sold in the U.S. and Europe.
In 1973 the family opened a wholesale operation and became one of the industry’s premier distributors and importers.
Bill moved to Hong Kong and set up a buying office for the family business in 1979. His wife Ramona and their children joined him in 1980. Bill’s family suffered a tragedy with the loss of their 13-year-old daughter, Mary, in September, 1980, due to a congenital heart disorder. Bill and his family returned to Omaha, and approximately six months later their 10-year-old son, Paul, was struck and killed by a car while riding his bicycle.
Bill closed his office in Hong Kong to allow him more time to spend with his family and to care for their six-year-old daughter, Annie. They later had two additional children, Jennifer in 1983 and Michael in 1989.
In 1992, Bill joined the Greensward Company, serving in various capacities over thirteen years including Director, responsible for strategic planning, legal matters, sales, creative directing, public relations, and new product development. He left in 2005 to launch his own company; Sino Harvest Limited, to produce Makin’s Clay®, a new type of polymer clay modeling medium. It was introduced to the craft market in 2003 as “The No Bake Polymer Clay®.” Bill soon expanded the Makin’s Brand® to include product tools and accessories.
In 2006, Bill and daughter Annie started Makin’s USA, Inc., an import business providing Makin’s Brand® products to distributors and retailers in the U.S. and Canada.
Bill died in Hong Kong at the age of 64 in 2008 due to complications from pneumonia. He was posthumously awarded CHA’s Industry Achievement award in 2009.
As an innovator, businessman and eventually an inventor and entrepreneur, Bill leaves a legacy that began at the family variety store when he was just 18. Bill is considered by many of his colleagues in the industry as a pioneer of the China import business.
And the Mangelsen influence continues. Bill’s daughter, Annie, is head of Makin’s Clay, which is now sold in more than 48 countries. Bill’s brother, David, still operates the store, David M. Mangelsen’s in Omaha, now assisted by his three children, Marla, David, and Matt. Hal has his own import company, Midwest Design Imports. The only son of Harold and Bernice not involved in the industry is Tom, who went on to become a world-renown nature photographer.
By Alicia DiRago, Guest Blogger
Hi! I’m Alicia DiRago, founder of Whimseybox, and we help people Stop Pinning + Start Making*! When I learned about the cre8time movement at the Summer CHA Show a few weeks ago I instantly realized that we were talking about the exact same thing. Here’s why I’m passionate about helping people discover the DIY and craft:
I grew up in a really crafty household- the kind with a designated craft table, a sewing room and parents who made everything themselves from the deck to the decor. Throughout childhood I remember constantly making things myself too, at least up until I left for college. Then I majored in chemical engineering and almost instantly saw my time and energy left for creative pursuits disappear. After graduation I worked as a chemical engineer for about 8 years, and had some great experiences. The best part of the job was traveling around the country and seeing first-hand how things are made. It was great because I learned how everything from light bulbs to pharmaceuticals to dog food to tires are created. It was like living inside the show How It’s Made, except louder and while wearing tons of safety equipment!
When you watch the process first-hand, it takes the mystery away. I know that if I want to make a light bulb I can do it. I’d need some equipment and a little time, but I’m confident that I can figure out how to make pretty much anything. It’s just one step at a time. That is incredibly empowering, but unfortunately not many people feel the same way. Does it matter- are they really missing out? I think so. I often say that exercising myself creatively is just as important as exercising myself physically, and when I don’t do it I suffer. (Visiting factories was the worst part of that job as well, because all the travel and the 24/7 nature of manufacturing left me with little time to do any making of my own. I suffered.)
Fortunately fate stepped in and relocated my husband’s work (and therefore us!) to another state. I left my engineering job with every intention of getting a similar position in our new city, but I just couldn’t bring myself to write the cover letter asking for a job I didn’t want. Instead I started to teach DIY craft classes in local bars and restaurants, and then I started to blog as well. (Mostly to support the resume leap from engineer to craft instructor!) I named the blog and business Dismount Creative, which is a really clunky name with good intentions. The idea was to create a place for people to step outside of their normal, busy lives (aka dismount, a word I liked because I was once a gymnast) and enjoy the experience of making something. In the last two years I’ve taught everything from small classes to large events with hundreds of people and watched time and again how the making things delights the human spirit. (Even, in fact especially, the self-declared ‘not creative’ ones.)
It’s the desire to reach even more people and share my love of DIY and craft that led me to start Whimseybox late last year. We ship a monthly box of craft products directly to your doorstep to make it as fun and easy as possible to embrace your creativity. We also create and share inspirational and educational content online and will soon be rolling out some exciting new features. The last few months have been a wild ride as we grow rapidly to try and meet the demand, add team members and even move to Chicago for the summer to learn from the great business mentors at Excelerate Labs. It’s a non-stop learning experience and we’ve only just begun, but what motivates us is knowing that every time we figure out a new way to do our job better we help more people experience the joy of making. That’s cre8time.
*PS- We don’t have anything against Pinterest. We love it, actually! It’s just that sometimes we love it too much.
- Alicia
Become an official CHA Blog Guest Blogger!
The CHA Blog is currently seeking guest bloggers and blog posts. Any CHA member can submit a post! Basically, a blog post consists of either a video or photo of an event or experience and a short blurb. We want you to tell your story: what current trends do we need to know about? What is the one thing you look forward to the most at CHA shows? What crafty community service project are you involved with? If you’re interested, please submit your post idea, blog post, name and contact information to jbaum@craftandhobby.org.
All guest blog posts are the sole responsibility of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA), its staff members, sponsors or exhibitors. The inclusion of a link or reference does not imply the endorsement of the linked site by the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA).
The CHA Design Members hold their section meeting at the CHA summer and winter shows. This summer was no exception.
However, before the start of our meeting, we were able to have some great products as door prizes for the CHA Design Members who attended our early morning meeting.
CHA Manufacturers are known for their generosity and the munificence gifts for the door prizes were breathtaking.
Beadalon® provided wonderful tools and supplies for jewelry making.
Impress Art® sent a great metal stamping kit which included their new hammer designed just for metal stamping.
ILoveToCreate.com® supplied a goodie basket filled with their fantastic products, which was wrapped beautifully. They also offered a Tulip® ScreenIt™ to every CHA design section member who attended the summer show. The designer had to register with ILoveToCreate.com® at the show in order to receive the machine.
Cousin® gave fantastic jewelry kits and their new Snap in Style® bracelets.
Die Cuts with a View gave a pretty container loaded with their magnificent products.
Sizzix® presented one lucky winner a Vagabond and some amazing dies. Design Section Member, Shannon Bielke, was the winner.
Velcro® sent a bag over filled with their superb fasteners for every need.
Westcott® loaded up lucky winners with excellent cutting tools that will make cutting a joy.
Beacon sent a bottle of Zip Dry for all the designers who attended the meeting, unfortunately, the box couldn’t be located during the section meeting. 
The Design Council and the Designer Members of CHA thank Beacon, Beadalon®, Impress Art®, ILoveToCreate.com®, Cousin®, Die Cuts with a View, Sizzix®, Velcro®, and Westcott® for all their support and generosity.
By Andrea Currie, Guest Blogger
I have to start by saying thank you to my friends at CHA for naming me the “Official CHA Craft Wars Ambassador.” In return of the generous title I have compiled a list of the most popular Craft Wars questions that I received while I fluttered around the Chicago trade show.
Wait who are you and when did you start crafting?
Although I’ve been hooked on glitter and hot glue my entire life, I didn’t seriously start pursuing my creative dreams until about 4 years ago when I joined the Craft & Hobby Association as a designer member. My goal at the time was simply to find like minded glitter obsessed crafters – and boy did I!
Eventually my dedication to the craft industry and hard work got me noticed by industry professionals but most importantly helped me groom invaluable relationships with talented designers and established companies. The most rewarding relationship created was with my Craft Wars assistant Lisa Fulmer!
Moving forward I hope to help companies enter into the craft market, license my library or designs and represent companies already established within the craft and hobby industry. Ohh and I want to write my very first craft book too!
How did you get onto Craft Wars?
I wish it was some fantasy story where a producer begged me to be on the show, but I had but one choice – audition tape! Once I found out I was on Craft Wars I was elated because I knew that win or lose the exposure would be a phenomenal thing for my blossoming creative career.
From that moment forward I vowed to keep my nerves in check by concentrating on having fun and following my creative instincts. A tactic that paid off in the end!
What did you make on Craft Wars?
In the pop craft challenge we were tasked with creating keepsake boxes using keys and locks. These odd materials inspired me to create a whimsical gnome home keepsake box which I constructed out of from foam core and covered in lot’s of felt!
The bling of the keys and locks were just the right touch to get me through to the master craft challenge where the remaining contestant and I were challenged to create something for a wedding in 5 hours using invitations, baby blankets, jeans and candle sticks! In the end I created a life sized modern whimsical wedding wishing tree which acted as a fun alternative to a cookie cutter guest book.
Did I mention we had to do this in 5 hours!?! Looking back (given the time) I would have done a few things differently but that didn’t stop the judges from naming me the Craft Wars winner!
What were the judges and Tori Spelling Like?
Even though we didn’t get any off camera time with the judges or Tori Spelling, I can assure you that they are just as fun as the crafters competing on the show. At first I was incredibly intimidated by all of their industry expertise but to my surprise they were very easy to talk to – which in turn softened the blow of their criticism. Judge Stephen Brown gives you a good idea of his approachable style in his CHA blog post here.
One of the most memorable moments was at the end of our episode when a teary-eyed Tori gave Lisa and I big hugs. I think she was touched by how emotional we were about our win.
What do you think Craft Wars means for the Craft Industry?
I’ve been taking an informal survey throughout the season and found that in my circle Craft Wars is being embraced by the younger generation of creative people who seem to be inspired and entertained by the faster paced unconventional approach to crafting. Hopefully, this concept, along with initiatives like Cre8time, will help strengthen the industry and ensure we have enough diversity to keep the future generations excited about crafting.
Other than winning what was the best part about participating on the show?
Crafting with my crafty sister Lisa is at the top of my list – followed quickly by the opportunity to show off my skills on a national TV show.
Also it was quite nice to be able to craft my brains out and not have to clean up afterwards!
What are you going to do with the prize money?
I’m giving half of the money to Lisa and using my half to kick-start my next line of fun designs. Shoot me an email to be put on the first access list! Or just drop me a line to say hi!
Don’t forget to watch Craft Wars every Tuesday night at 8pm (7pm Central).
-Andrea
Email: Andrea@handmakemyday.com
Blog: http://handmakemyday.com
Twitter: #handMAKEMyDay
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/handmakemyday/
Lisa’s blog: http://lisalizalou.blogspot.com/
Become an official CHA Blog Guest Blogger!
The CHA Blog is currently seeking guest bloggers and blog posts. Any CHA member can submit a post! Basically, a blog post consists of either a video or photo of an event or experience and a short blurb. We want you to tell your story: what current trends do we need to know about? What is the one thing you look forward to the most at CHA shows? What crafty community service project are you involved with? If you’re interested, please submit your post idea, blog post, name and contact information to jbaum@craftandhobby.org.
All guest blog posts are the sole responsibility of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA), its staff members, sponsors or exhibitors. The inclusion of a link or reference does not imply the endorsement of the linked site by the Craft & Hobby Association (CHA).
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Get Your Product in Front of Millions of Consumers and an Expanded Buyer Community
CHA’s New Products Preview Program is an exciting new opportunity for manufacturers to premiere their “latest and greatest” in front of hundreds of media, thousands of prospective buyers, and millions of consumers. President & CEO of the Craft & Hobby Association, Andrej Suskavcevic, took some time out from his knitting project to discuss this valuable new program:
Visit craftandhobby.org/newproducts to find out all you need to know about the New Products Preview Program, and gain exclusive media coverage for your business at this summer’s Create-n-Connect Conference & Trade Show.
Leave a comment | tags: #CHAShow, Andrej Suskavcevic, CHA, CHA Member, CHA Members, CHA Summer Show, consumers, Craft, Craft & Hobby Association, craft and hobby, Crafting, crafts, Create-n-Connect, Exhibitor, New Product Preview Program, New Products, Premiere Product Preview, Summer Show | posted in #CHAShow, Comments from CHA's CEO, Craft & Hobby Assocaition