How I got here

It is exciting for me to step into my uncomfortable place with the launch of my blog: They call me VC.

I wish I had a nickel for every time I introduced myself and said …” Hi, I’m Victoria Conti, but they call me VC. Who the hell are they?? (haha) Well, “they” are pretty much everyone I work with in the trade show industry. 

Just some background: 

Tracy Bermeo – AKA Tmac – gave me that name in April 1995 in the staircase of 920 Broadway. The offices of Skyline Displays Manhattan- The New York distributor for Skyline at the time (later to become Skyline Genesis). I was new to the industry and had no idea what I had gotten myself into. I knew nothing about trade shows. I mean nothing! 

Eager to succeed, I would often follow Tracy into the staircase where the team would go to smoke (cigarettes, that is). “I just have a quick question,” I would say! One day she politely said ‘VC stop following me into the stairs” I never did again, and the nickname stuck. We became best buds, and I learned a ton from her. I spent 18 years with that office and then moved on to Skyline TradeTec (the Chicago distributor) for another 8 years. The best 8! Going to retire here; best 8! 

Fast forward…

January 2020: TradeTec Skyline is bought by the PE company purchasing Skyline Corporate. Okay, I may not be retiring with TradeTec. 

I represented the Skyline brand and served our clients exceptionally well for 25 years but working under the corporate umbrella was not for me. It just took me 2 1/2 years to figure that out. 

On Sept 20, we parted ways. A higher power was looking out for me for sure.

So here I am on a new leg of my journey…

As I often say, “everything can be solved in the community,” so this is an excellent way to put that to the test. By sharing thoughts, insights, personal stories – good and bad, lessons learned, and anything else that comes to mind.

I can start with a couple of my own ah-ha moments I have had since… 

Taking a mini-retirement before retirement is okay and should be done often. Make it part of the plan. 

Turning 60 does not mean you are facing down retirement. 

Most important: You choose the company you work for. Don’t let anyone decide for you, get uncomfortable, be brave, and always ask for help. Your solution is in your community somewhere, I promise.  

Here we go: let’s learn, grow and get really uncomfortable because that is where the magic happens. I look forward to the conversation. 

VC