Troy Burrus, (Vivian's husband) ventured into the world of entrepreneurship, trading his daily grind for the pursuit of his passion in Landscape Photography. He shares the genuine ups and downs of his recent venture putting together a booth and manning it for 11 days at the Iowa State Fair.  In this episode, Troy candidly recounts the challenges he navigated, from last-minute booth creation to figuring out how much product to have on hand and personal hurdles. His journey is full of tips for adapting to the unpredictable and embracing risk.

We talk about the art of being a vendor, and Troy shares practical insights (and mistakes he made) to help you attract customers, forge connections, and build a business from live events and trade festivals. 

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Reach out! Send your feedback and comments. What would you like to hear about on this podcast? Email me at ridingtandem@thetandemworks.com 

00:03:42 - Quitting His Job 

00:05:33 - The Iowa State Fair Opportunity 

00:10:00 - Taking a Risk 

00:12:46 - The Gifted Camper

00:15:21 - Tips for Booth Events 

00:18:07 - Different Pacing for Different Events 

00:21:38 - Building Connections 

00:23:47 - Gratitude and Taking Chances 

00:28:46 - Ordering and Selling at the State Fair 

00:29:39 - Lesson Learned about Small Items and Stickers 

00:30:46 - Importance of Small Items for Art Fair Sales 

00:31:14 - Setting Goals for the Iowa State State Fair 

00:34:28 - Using Sales Tactics 

00:42:13 - Balancing Conversations and Sales 

00:48:02 - The Reality of Profit 

00:49:50 - Setting Goals for Future Bookings 

00:53:55 - The Fortune is in the Follow-Up 

00:56:49 - Listening to Customer Feedback 

01:00:00 - Advice on Listening to Customers 

01:01:31 - Dreams and Inspiration 

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Riding Tandem with Vivian Kvam

A podcast from Tandem Works

Email the team: RidingTandem@thetandemworks.com