My name is Dennis Kaczor and I represent one half of Magden Associates. Maria Griffin is the owner and other half of our business.
I wanted to write this article on being an Exhibitor at the NACBA Convention and representing not only the members of NSVBA, but also the NSVBA organization. I had a chance to speak to Vikki one-on-one and I came to understand why I am still a member of NSVBA. Her commitment and her devotion to the organization is to be admired. The work she puts into NSVBA is one thousand percent.
I had never been an Exhibitor and I thought, “I can do this standing on my head”. After all, what is the big deal? What is there to standing and talking to attorneys?
Well, this guy was in for a big surprise. So, any members who, in the future want to be an Exhibitor should read the following and take heed.
We arrived on Wednesday afternoon and settled in. Vikki had made the offer to meet with any NSVBA members on the East Coast. Later that evening, we had dinner with Barbara Lee http://www.713support.com/ and her daughter, Amanda. Barbara was the only member who accepted the offer. Maria and I were very pleased to be able to meet her and her daughter. I would highly recommend that in the future, any VBAs located near a Convention make an effort to meet with Vikki. It is a good experience to do this. It gives any VBA a golden opportunity to talk directly with Vikki and clear up any matters or issues that they have.
On Thursday we proceeded to the Exhibit Hall to set-up the display table. No problem since that same day, Best Case was hosting their cocktail party and I was looking forward to that. Even then; I’m thinking, “This is great; it is Washington D.C. for crying out loud”. Well, as I stated earlier, I got the lesson of my life.
First, you have to be there on Thursday before the actual convention and set up the table. This in itself is hard work. Since we all were not staying at the Convention hotel (not at $255.00 a night!), we had to dress for the convention from the get-go even though we still had to set up the display. Then Vikki instructs us how things should be arranged to make it visible to the attorneys. Trust me; Vikki knows her stuff on how best to set up convention materials. Every item that is sent or that she may still have from the members is sorted out for distribution to the attorneys.
After 4 hours of continuous work, we took a “break” and walked to the cocktail party. But the day is not yet done. After about an hour at the cocktail party, we returned to the Exhibit Hall and talked with various attorneys. Here is where reality sets in. Remember, we’ve been going at this since earlier that afternoon. By the time the Exhibit Hall opens on Thursday night (5:00 P.M. – 9:00 P.M.) you are tired. But; back to the “fun” of being part of the NSVBA Exhibit table.
On Friday you work from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Of course, that means that you have to get up at 5:30 a.m. in order to be at the NSVBA table and ready when the Exhibit Hall opens. The attorneys have a continental breakfast served in the Exhibit Hall so you definitely want to be at your table when they arrive. You are constantly on your feet most of the day. Yes, there are times that you can sit down; but when an attorney passes by, you are up and ready to bring them in. Also, as the helper, when an attorney does approach, your job is to introduce Vikki as the President of the organization. Trust me; attorneys want to speak with the person in charge. At times, there was more than one attorney present; so of course, I would speak to them regarding the virtues of utilizing the services of a VBA. But, in my opinion, the voice they need to hear is Vikki’s.
The schedule is the same thing on Saturday. Up at 5:30 A.M., work from 7:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. A relatively shorter day, if you can call it that. But, just as busy. So now we’ve worked 26 or 28 hours not counting the set up time which included preparing NSVBA envelopes.
Sunday is a half day and it is time to take down all banners and such until the next conference or convention and it starts all over again. By the end of the weekend you are so tired you do not know if you are coming or going.
Another thing I found out is that conventions are very expensive. After talking to Vikki there may be times that we; the members of NSVBA, may have to help pay for the conventions or the conferences. If NSVBA does not attend these functions how are attorneys going to find out about VBA’s and what we do. I spoke to attorneys that said that they follow Vikki on Twitter and LinkedIn and have come by the NSVBA table just to meet her.
In addition to the high cost to NSVBA for having a table at the convention ($2500.00 this year), there is the individual cost, to you, as an Attendee of the Convention. Unless you plan to sleep on the street, there is the cost for the hotel, the air fare, the food, the car rental, and the parking. Yes, you can write some of this cost off on your taxes, but you still have the initial out lay of funds.
Even though we are Independent Contractors and have our own business under NSVBA, when you are at the Exhibit table, you are the organization and thus, working for NSVBA and its members. Only if an attorney specifically asks about your business do you speak about your business. I can attest Vikki is constantly promoting the VBA’s and the organization. This is your job as well. As the organization grows, and more and more attorneys hear about us, I am sure we all will be working. I have always said that none of us is as strong as all of us.
One thing is for sure, Vikki is very serious about representing NSVBA. Vikki arrives on time and stays until the convention is over. It would not be fair for Vikki to have a helper that shows up late or leaves early. Working the Exhibitors table is a tremendous commitment to the organization, yourself, and to the other VBAs in the organization and lastly, to Vikki Watanabe. Vikki was invited by fellow Exhibitors to “step out” on Friday night. She passed up on the invitations. She is fully committed and is in what I affectionately called, “convention mode”. Focused; no nonsense. Don’t get me wrong, we had a great time and a few laughs, but she is a dedicated professional. Vikki is there to work and represent the members of NSVBA.
I have to say thank you to Wayne, Vikki’s husband and Maria Griffin my partner in Magden Associates. They were behind the scenes helping Vikki and myself. The two of them made sure that Vikki and I had all the materials ready to give to the attorneys. Maria would stand in when Vikki or I needed to step away from the table. Our work would have been harder if it was not for their help. Look guys, conventions are exhausting and everybody has to do their part. This includes sponsoring NSVBA through the Sponsorship opportunity NSVBA offers. So, if you have read and digested this account of being an Exhibitor, consider all the hours Vikki puts in to plan for this every year; before, and after the Convention. Vikki is always thinking of ways to get NSVBA “on the map”. As members, we can certainly help her by sharing our ideas and advice. Vikki wants to hear from the members. She recognizes NSVBA exists only because of its members and she is very proud of the membership.
So, the final question is; would I do this again? Oh, hell yes. The feeling of being a part of the organization and helping to get the word out regarding NSVBA far outweighs the hard work, the long hours, the lack of sleep, what I considered to be minor inconveniences.
Dennis Kaczor
Magden Associates, Inc.
35125 Slater Ave.
Winchester, CA 92596
1-951-454-7241 – Mobile
1-888-522-5188 – Office
1-951-926-0986 – Fax
Thank you Dennis for your contribution.
Vikki Watanabe
President, National Society of Virtual Bankruptcy Assistants, LLC
866-678-8411
http://www.nsvba.com/
info@nsvba.com
