Christina and I are just back from the 2013 HSCG Conference in Raleigh, NC where we spent four days mixing + mingling, cocktailing + learning, meeting + empire building. This was my third conference (but the first as a sponsor!) and it proved to be an exceptionally well-run event. Lucky Break Consulting set up shop and- per our usual- we played for keeps on the booth design, including: custom-printed table cloths, mondo-sized balloons embossed with our logo, tiny red takeout boxes brimming with logo tattoos and fortune cookie soaps, plus some really fun handouts for our visitors.

I had the pleasure of meeting lots of new soap sisters and visiting with a handful of Lucky Break students.  Starla, Kim and Debbie are all recent graduates of my LBU program, Marilyn participated in my “Kicking Ass + Taking Names” January class. The lovely  LaShonda Tyree of Handmade Soap Coach stopped by to chat about our upcoming SoapMasters event in NYC (you’re going to kick yourself if you miss it!). It was a reunion of sorts, too: my Indie Cruise sisters (Cheryl, Stephanie and Robin) and I enjoyed catching up over cocktails.

We offered up a seat in the summer semester of LBU and I was thrilled to learn that Matt and Megan of Shorganics won the drawing. We had talked earlier in the conference about their desire to expand their wholesale business, so the LBU seat couldn’t have found a better home. I’m excited to kick things off with Matt and Megan on July 15th! We also invited conference attendees to pop their name in our oversized red takeout box for a chance to win our Price-O-Matic software. Christina drew a name at the close of the event and Nicole Sullivan was our lucky girls.  Congrats to all of our winners!

Many thanks to each of you who came by to say “hello.” It was a pleasure to meet each of you! Were you at the conference? If so, leave a comment- I’d love to hear what you loved best. 🙂