In recent months, I’ve shared my thoughts on how to go from bad to good or good to great, and about passion. The underlying energy that allows us to change for the better, or to feel passionate about our work, is a foundation for creating and maintaining strong bonds within our family, our faith, and most certainly, our careers.

What does "passion" mean to you? There are obvious meanings – strong affection or desire, an outbreak of anger, or an intense feeling or conviction. The Christian religions refer to "The Passion" as the suffering of Christ between The Last Supper and his crucifixion. When I think about my passion, I think about ardent affection and intense conviction. This definition is how I embrace passion and how I've used passion throughout my career.

How do you measure a good year? What are your indicators of success? Have you ever written these down at the start of each New Year and reviewed at the end to see if you achieved those things, or if you changed course at some point due to factors driving the need for change. We all “feel” what we perceive as successes or failures, a good year or a bad one. But even in a bad year we all have the ability to make things better.

What a week in Kansas City at the NASGW Expo. I hope you all are catching up on sleep and feeling refreshed after a great week of meetings. Every year the Expo provides us an opportunity to see familiar faces, talk about our businesses, discuss industry topics, get some business done, and have a little fun. I came away from Kansas City very optimistic. There seemed to be a buzz of energy, on the show floor, in our meetings, and at the Annual Appreciation Dinner on Tuesday. Yes, there are some looming uncertainties, but that didn't seem to impact the general optimism. Yes, our sales are down compared to 2020 and 2021, but most everyone I spoke with is still in a better place than they were in 2019, pre-covid. In general, the industry is still growing. We are experiencing a new normal stronger than before the pandemic surge. I'm confident the industry is in a good place.

Yes folks, it is Expo time. I'm sure you are all putting the final touches on your plans for Kansas City, crossing all your Ts and dotting all your Is. We will kick off the Expo with our annual Appreciation Dinner in a few short weeks, and I'm incredibly excited. The Expo has always been the most efficient week of the year for me. I get to meet with all my vendors and get down to business. I'm not fighting big crowds or navigating a massive show floor. I get to see all the key contacts in a short amount of time, all in one place. It's truly the most productive week.

They say change is inevitable, and it’s very easy to see in our industry. It seems like we are constantly dealing with changing legislation, changes in consumer trends, changes in regulation, changes in public perception, changes in supporters of our industry, and changes in our staff. Most changes hurt the way we do business. We’ve grown accustomed to making adjustments and overcoming challenges. Lately, these changes have felt like an ever-tightening noose designed to strangle our businesses into submission or to squeeze us out altogether. One thing that hasn’t changed much in the last 30 years is NASGW.

The dog days of summer are setting in around South Carolina. That means smoldering temperatures will be with us another month or two. Our city planners in Columbia weren’t the most creative when they coined the phrase, “Famously Hot.” Visitors to our fine city were greeted with this slogan (or warning) as they arrived via our airport. Billboards around the city reminded residents and travelers alike that there was little we could do outside unless we were at the lake or in an air-conditioned building.

As the summer daylight wanes, I’ll look forward to more activities and the fall festivals that ramp up as temps get more bearable. In the mean time, as you read this, I’ll probably be in North Carolina hosting our first dealer show since pre-covid times. It certainly is nice to be able to gather for business or fun without dealing with mask mandates or restrictions!

Summer usually means slowing down and enjoying time with family and friends. It is a time to travel and see the wonders of this county (or Grandma’s backyard)! But this year, we are certainly seeing some changes that will influence our normal summer routines.

Each month, as I reflect on pressing topics to include in column, I look forward to highlighting positives, such as growing diversification in the demographics of our industry, or on the great initiatives that NASGW is bringing to help all channels in our industry unite to strengthen our independency on outside forces that serve nothing but the politicians who seek to shut us down. Sadly though, sometimes I need to address topics that we hate to hear about, like the tragic attack in Uvalde, TX. The polarizing debate on gun control is already happening in the news, while families who lost a child are struggling in ways I can’t imagine. Surviving classmates will undoubtedly carry this vision in their minds for the rest of their lives. No one should have to endure such atrocities in this country.

“Change” is a word we hear frequently these days. Change is inevitable. Change is necessary to remain relevant. Our economy changes with a word from the right person. Change can be good or bad, but regardless of the outcome, we need to be ready to roll with whatever it brings and be at the forefront of the changing world.