And onto Milan for the Mido show.  Erm.... I probably shouldn’t say this but the show was rubbish.  You can read all you like about visitors numbers and business done, but stick you in a corner of the show and well, thats the end of that! 

We did lots of hand shaking and served lots of coffee but frankly it felt like a waste of money.   No, compared to NEEEWWWW YOOORRRK a few weeks later, it was not even like a starter... more like the warm bread role served as you sit down for dinner.

So lets not waste any time getting to ...........the best show TD has EVER done. 

We had but a humble stand (compared to our European glory box) and our location was very good.  But there is something about the US market and our product which just clicks.  We weren’t just busy, we were blown away.  With just 3 tables to show from, Opticians were writing messages on their name cards "call me when I can get a place" "call me if a table comes free" and putting them in our hands. 

Here you can see us spilling out in to the show and off our stand.  Our sales team are brandishing trays and frames to Opticians  who simply can't get a full appointment, trying to set up visits at a later date.   As more customers signed up on each day, other customers (their friends) were coming by the following days (we were the talk of the show for sure) and we were the last brand to leave each night, kicked out is a better term. 

By day three I had to start putting the breaks on account opening, spreading them in to future months while we checked exclusivity arrangements and the profiles of the accounts were opening.

Frankly it was the most fun I've had all year... and most of last!

This is one of my best existing TD accounts.  Kevin here looks like a dapper English gent with a perfectly tailored suit (and eyewear!)  It is the greatest compliment in the world to see so many Opticians walking round the show in Bespoke spectacles.

I just featured this frame as it was a one off and although I loved it, she seemed to love it even more... I had to say bye bye! sniff.

Last thing.... I got this lovely email off another person I met at the show.  I asked her if I could put it on my blog.... she said yes:

Greetings Tom!

Thank you for spending time with me last Saturday morning.  Talking with you refuels my passion for frames- you may remember- I’m the woman that grabbed a frame in my hands and manically proclaimed “I LOVE FRAMES”! Learning from you was a sheer delight!  The information that you shared with me was invaluable and since I cannot get enough I will be tailoring more frames, moving up to level 5,000, and pursuing attending your design school in London.  I truly admire what you have achieved and what you are doing with your company, and am proud to support Tom Davies.

Art of Optiks will work with Nathan to customize some videos and promote this service as per your suggestion. 

Nathan McKinley is extremely professional and has provided us with outstanding service. 

On all levels I am extremely pleased to work with you, and your company.

Fond Regards,

Margaret Holl

Optical Goddess

Art of Optiks

 Even the BA strike couldn't take the shine off my trip home... especially as they upgraded me to first class.  What a trip! Happy days!

It has been a LONG time since I updated my blog.  I am going back over 4 weeks to update this today and I can say that a lot has happened.  Too much my wife might say.

The view you can see out the window is one I have seen far too much of since the start of Feb.  After the munich show, I headed back to the workshop, over the Milan and then off to New York.  I've been back a week and just about caught up enough to start blogging again. 

My trip to the Workshop was brilliant as usual.  It was especially nice as this was Chinese New Year and we all got to have a big party on the roof.  Usually it is down stairs but since this is now being renovated for our expansion, and it was nice and sunny... we had a barby on the roof.

There were millions of photos but I just picked the ones I look good in!  I have made a short film of my trip and will blog the You Tube address as soon as I've edited it and put it up.  It will be a great little movie, well worth a watch if you are interested in what goes on day to day on one of these trips.