From First Trade Show Nerves to 6 New Stockists: Inside Mennie Brand’s Melbourne Life & Style Debut (Costs, Leads, Follow-Up Wins + What We’d Do Differently)

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Andrew from Mennie Brand is back for part two, and we’re cracking open the real trade show debrief from his first time exhibiting at Melbourne Life Instyle. We talk expectations vs reality, what actually moved the needle (hello, SMS follow-ups), and why visuals + storytelling at your stand matter more than you think. Andrew shares hard numbers, how he organised setup on a budget (including the furniture plot twist), and what he’s changing next time to turn browsers into buyers faster.

In this episode:

• The honest verdict: pride, perspective, and the big-brand imposter syndrome that didn’t stick
• The rollercoaster after the show (and why day-10 texts lit everything up)
• Why your pitch + story need reps (and how to avoid sounding “salesy”)
• Stand strategy: show the brand world (lookbook, lifestyle shots, POS) not just products
• Relationship ROI you can’t quantify: neighbours, buyers, and in-person feedback
• Logistics on a budget: flying with stock, painting the stand, marketplace furniture backup plan
• What’s next: considering Sydney (Feb) where Life & Style and Reed combine—and how different buyers = fresh opportunities
• Collabs & customs: ~200 unit MOQs with options to split across brands

Mentions & resources:

• Book: Building a StoryBrand by Donald Miller
• Find Andrew: Instagram @menniebrand | Stockist & custom enquiries
• Want help planning your own show? Check out my Trade Show Bootcamp and Wholesale program.
• Retailers: want the comfiest socks your customers will rave about? Reach out to @menniebrand for stockist info or custom collabs.

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I'm Mel Robbins! from @thelotco
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Business Coach for product-based businesses. Teaching creative business women how to build a scalable and profitable million-dollar product business whether a physical Retail store or Brand.
Over 25 years as a Retail and Wholesale Strategist (Sales and Marketing for Brands).
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