Event Planning Trade Show: My 80s & 90s Business Story
By MagicBrad – The Event Marketing Magician
Before hashtags and hashtags were a thing, before social media made everyone an influencer, there was a whole different kind of networking… it was called trade shows — and in the 1980s and 1990s, I was all in.
This is the story of how I blended event planning, entertainment, and entrepreneurship into a career that helped shape the Twin Cities’ vibrant live events scene — all starting from a simple idea and a whole lot of hustle.
🎩 The Magic Begins: From Backyard Shows to Ballrooms
Like many dreamers, my journey began as a kid with a magic kit and a folding card table. I was producing shows in my backyard and raising money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association by hosting carnival fundraisers. But by the time the 80s hit, my passion for magic had evolved into something bigger: a passion for creating experiences.
I wasn’t just performing — I was producing.
That’s when the lightbulb went off:
“What if I brought together event planners and entertainers under one roof?”
🎪 Enter the Event Planners and Suppliers Expo
In the early 90s, I launched the Event Planners and Suppliers Expo in Minneapolis. Back then, this kind of niche gathering wasn’t the norm — but I saw the need. Event planners were always asking, “Do you know a DJ?” or “Who can help with décor, catering, staging?”
So I built a platform where:
âś… Event planners could meet trusted vendors
âś… Suppliers could showcase their services
âś… And entertainers (like myself) could perform, pitch, and book gigs on the spot
It was synergy before “synergy” was a buzzword.
🧠Lessons from the Show Floor
Trade shows weren’t easy. There were no email lists or Facebook Ads. Promotion was done via postcards, phone calls, flyers, and faxes (remember those?). We had to physically hustle, door-to-door, handshaking and cold-calling. But there was something magical about it all.
I learned:
- Relationships were currency
- Follow-up was everything
- Entertainment + business = connection
We weren’t just selling services — we were building a community of creators, producers, and professionals who wanted to make events unforgettable.
📸 Polaroids and Rolodexes: The Vintage Grind
In the 80s and 90s, your success wasn’t determined by your follower count — it was measured by the weight of your Rolodex and the number of business cards in your briefcase. We’d snap Polaroid pics of our booth setups. Our media kits were printed, stapled, and mailed. And every lead was precious.
You knew the value of a conversation. You knew how to show up — in person, on time, and ready to wow.
🕹️ Trade Shows, Tech, and Transformation
As the new millennium approached, things began shifting. Email became a thing. Websites popped up. Online marketing started to replace the printed postcard campaigns we’d perfected. But those early days taught me something timeless:
Event success doesn’t come from tools. It comes from relationships, relevance, and real effort.
To this day, I use the same principles — only now with the added power of automation, livestreams, and smart tech like my MagicMarketingTool.
🧙‍♂️ Full Circle: Trade Shows Meet Synergy
Today, I’m helping other creatives and professionals grow through the Synergy Collaborative, the Synergy Showcase, and our updated version of the trade show experience. It’s part expo, part networking, part live show — just like the old days, but with modern magic.
🚀 Final Thoughts
If you’re an event planner, performer, or supplier, the trade show model may look different in today’s digital world — but the core is the same:
People need people. Events need energy. And your story matters.
I’m grateful for the 80s and 90s. That era of grit and innovation laid the foundation for everything I do today.
And the magic?
It never left. 🪄
Interested in exhibiting, performing, or partnering?
Let’s talk. Join the Synergy Collaborative and get plugged into a community that blends old-school values with new-school tools.
Because magic isn’t just for the stage — it’s for your business, too.
SEE: https://SynergyCollaborative.com
#EventPlanning #TradeShowThrowback #MagicBrad #80sBusinessStory #SynergyCollaborative #EventMarketing