Up until yesterday if you had asked me, I would have been quick to tell you that Sami Cone and the Southern Women’s show did not mix.
But when the “Balancing Act”(from Lifetime TV) asked me to come discover more about their 2012 Road Trip in conjunction with the show, I was eager to learn. I wanted to hear more about how they connect with their audience and who they partner with (after all, aren’t we all living our own “Balancing Act”?!)
My first surprise, however, was to discover that before you even enter the exhibition hall, you can experience the legacy of Princess Diana through a museum-quality exhibit that includes photos, videos and a collection of some of her iconic gowns, including the infamous “Travolta Dress” worn at the White House:
In fact, you can even take your own picture with Princess Di through the miracle of modern technology!
Once inside the expo, it wasn’t hard to find the pink pavilion and the “Balance Your Life” stage. I got right down to learning about the partners, such as Big Fish games & Moda by Sofia (activewear designed to fit a women’s curves – love!). I also had the chance to hear about the importance of Vitamin C through Altrient & meet Cheryl, one of the fittest women in the country:
One of the highlights of the pavilion was talking with Lynette of Demand Cures, one of the only charities that puts 99 cents of every dollar donated to the cause! A cancer survivor herself, you’ll be hearing more her and her story in an upcoming “Real Women” story:
To be honest, I was surprised to find what a big health component there was to the Southern Women’s Show! St. Thomas Health is even on site giving mobile mammograms that could be free based on your income (they also accept insurance).
But when I met Claire Ratliff of Laughing Penguin Publicity, publicist for Southern Women’s Show, I challenged her to tell me why the show is really worth my (and my readers!) time and money. After all, why would I want to pay to get in to an event that’s just trying to sell me something? (Or at least that was my perception).
Claire assured me the show was “more than just shopping, though many of the retailers offer very special discounts on their products during the show”. It’s more about coming to one place to encourage women to put themselves first, “we talk about doing it, but rarely put it into practice. The program features exhibitors who have something educational to offer to round out our lives”.
As soon as I heard ‘educational’, I perked up. As a perpetual learner, I’m always looking for people who help educate and challenge others to think about why they do what they do. She immediately took me to talk to Deidre Hall (you know, “Marlena” from “Days of our Lives” who was there to educate women and share her food & beauty books that she co-wrote with friend Lynne Bowman). What transpired over the next hour totally blew me away, but I’ll have to share that story a little later.
Both Deidre & Lynne are at the show all weekend, so be sure to stop by and tell them “hi” from me! You’ll also have to stop by to see my friends Greg & Twila at “Twila’s Boutique” and Stacey at “Miche Bags”.
I found out the show does cost $10 to get in, but you can get discount coupons at your local Kroger, plus I have another way for you to get your money back:
If you test drive a Chevy at the show, you’ll receive a $10 Starbucks gift card – so it’s almost like going to the show for free!
Have you ever been to a show such as this? What’s your take on it?
