I recently attended the Outdoor Retailer Show (OR) in Salt Lake City in support of Susan McLaughlin and Align Integration and Movement. Susan had been asked by Gaiam to teach a few exercise classes that would demonstrate a number of inventive means by which to use their products. Thusly we showed up at the Yoga Zone, which had been laid-out in a classroom format for this purpose.
What tumbled into my mind when I came into that space were these words: Abundance is not about providing everyone on this planet with a life of luxury – rather it’s about providing all with a life of possibility. – Diamandis and Kotler from their book Abundance
“Possibility” was what I witnessed during Susan’s classes for Gaiam and what I discovered while talking to other vendors who produced yoga classes, fashion shows and demonstrations in the Yoga Zone. You see, Yoga is a new arrival at OR and a cluster of related retailers had been invited to “show off”, not just tell about their offerings. The creators of the OR 2013 literally opened up valuable space to allow these “new kids on the block” a chance at snagging big chunks of business at the show.
The OR organizers had gone so far as to invite the good folks of Yoga Journal to act as the host of the classroom. Hayley Brockmier and team from the journal were there to make sure everyone had a chance to present their products and feel invited.
Consequently I witnessed vendors handing over free clothing to passer-bys so they could join a class. I even tossed in a few dollars to help pay for a pair of yoga pants from Cozy Orange so a young attendee could participate in Susan’s class.
To me, the entire Yoga section was filled with abundant thinking. First the OR deserves a hat tip for inviting future vendors to join in the possibility of making of new accounts and spreading awareness around the part they play in the Yoga world. Second a high-five to Hayley and the Yoga Journal who helped inspire all the vendors in supporting and assisting each other in making a good showing at their first OR event.
So what about you? Where can you open up a possibility for someone in your network? Go make it happen and leave your comments below. I’m interested in learning about it.
Authors Note:
If you’d like to hear more about this event from the lips of Hayley Brockmier of Yoga Journal she offered me a chance to interview her here:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NwzeBCvOS0&feature=share&list=UUz5cmwGtsK5VuCkNaytpQjA[/youtube]
If you are curious about how Susan integrated several Gaiam props into her dynamic exercise class take a peek here:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ7BQEGbPaQ[/youtube]