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)

Send us a text 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 stickThe 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 productsRelationship ROI you can’t quantify: neighbours, buyers, and in-person feedbackLogistics on a budget: flying with stock, painting the stand, marketplace furniture backup planWhat’s next: considering Sydney (Feb) where Life & Style and Reed combine—and how different buyers = fresh opportunitiesCollabs & customs: ~200 unit MOQs with options to split across brands Mentions & resources:Book: Building a StoryBrand by Donald MillerFind Andrew: Instagram @menniebrand | Stockist & custom enquiriesWant 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. Support the show I"m Mel Robbins! from @thelotco Want a Roadmap to Building a Profitable Product Business head here for directions! Looking for ongoing support to grow your brand and sell more of your product? Join the Product Business Growth Club here. Find more details at https://www.thelotco.com.au/ 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). Grab my 8 step checklist on building a profitable product business.