Small Business Solutions - Peter MacGillivray

[Music Playing] Alex Fees: I'm Alex Fees on Small Business Television, we're coming to you from SEMA 2008 that's Specialty Equipment Market Association at the Las Vegas Convention Center, joining me here now is Peter MacGillivray; Peter, appreciate to be in here. Peter MacGillivray: Hello! It's my pleasure! Alex Fees: Peter is the Vice President of Events for SEMA, and Peter what an event this has been, what day we are on here, day three, can you talk me about turnouts or --? Peter MacGillivray: This is day two it only feels like day three. Alex Fees: So we've been here for three days. Peter MacGillivray: The exciting part of -- I think the most exciting part of this year's show is that people showed up; people understand that, well, we may be experiencing some rough waters, in terms of the economy you have to be -- you still have to be a part of business, you have to be engaged with what's going on or once it kicks back in, once the consumer start to decide, to spend some money, you may not be there and we really appreciate and are really pleased with the turnout this year. Alex Fees: What the turnout is, it's over 100,000? Peter MacGillivray: I think, we set our sights on 100,000 and in light of the past two days that we've had, we'll easily exceed that. Alex Fees: Yeah, because if I see my member does not stay plugged into an organization like this what it is bad then becomes worse, you know what I mean? Peter MacGillivray: Well, if you unplug from your trade association you miss out on not just the great trade events in their trade shows and what not, but you miss out on their research, their education, you miss out on all of the tools that they've invested in to keep your business running through these rough times and that's - we are more important now than ever. And it seems like that the investment that this industry has made, the industry owns the trade show and the industry owns the trade association, they dictate what we spend the money on and where we invest the resources and it's time for them to recoup on that made investment, so we are there for them. Alex Fees: Well, Peter as Vice President of SEMA events, talk to me about what's new this year at this year's convention? Peter MacGillivray: Wow! Well, really a lot of people think that it's the same old show because it's at the same place, in a lot of way it's the same participants in terms of the exhibitors, although we do get a couple of hundred new faces every year in terms of booths that show up, but really what we're trying to do with the show is keep it fresh, keep it at a new experience year-after-year so when people go home they say, wow, I saw 2000 all new products, products that I've never seen before. I saw companies that I never knew existed and new exhibits and I met people and learned things that I didn't know before. Once you are able to provide and connect with attendees in that way that's what keeps the show valuable, that's what keeps people coming back frankly in good times and in bad. Alex Fees: How do you see the calendar of events or the schedule if you will, the agenda evolving as far as what may be on the agenda next year? Peter MacGillivray: It's interesting because we're an industry that can produce products and bring them to market very quickly and it's been that way forever. My hunch is that's only going to accelerate, we've gotten so good at embracing new technologies, technologies not only to research markets and tap into them but these entrepreneurs behind me they also have the ability to design products and then deliver them and bring them to market faster than ever before. And so it is that acceleration in product cycles, it's that strengthening with the pulse of the consumers and what they want to buy, that's we'll continue to evolve and strengthen. Alex Fees: Peter, I'm hearing more-and-more from SEMA members and vendors about green issues and alternative fuel, and SEMA is embracing that technology. Peter MacGillivray: Well, those technologies are certainly capturing the majority of the media spotlight and it's one thing to be the media's sweetheart, it's another thing to actually be a big part of the marketplace. Right now it's a little bit out of balance, but that isn't last that media spotlight and that popularity isn't last on our industry, what they are doing is they are keeping tabs on consumer spending and once consumer spending starts to fire up in hybrid technologies and in those alternative fuel areas, our industry is going to be able to move in very quickly and make good technologies even better. Alex Fees: I would think that is happening to a certain extent, consumer spending is focusing on these issues, green issues and alternative fuels. Peter MacGillivray: You're right, and we have included areas within the show to kind of cultivate those opportunities. There is a Making Green Cool Zone upstairs and that part of the show isn't candidly overly glamorous, it kind of grassroots, we want it to make it accessible because this is an emerging market, we want it to be able really let it carry its own weight and really be its own attraction. And I think it's being successful, and without a doubt, as we head down the road next year and the year after that will only expand. Alex Fees: Good deal again, he is Peter MacGillivray the SEMA Vice President of Events; Peter I thank you for being here, I know you've had a busy afternoon sir. You are watching Small Business Television; I'm Alex fees coming to you from SEMA 08 in Las Vegas. [Music Playing]