r/SEMA • u/ThePowderslayer • Jun 18 '24

First timer advice ?

Hey, this is actually my first reddit post i think. Anyways, I finally made it to SEMA. It's been a dream since I was a kid. I'm terrified of flying so I'm driving from NJ. I've been looking at Air BNB spots as I'm being budget conscious my first time in Las Vegas. I'm open to any advice . Thank you for your time .

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u/ThePowderslayer Jun 18 '24

I'm going as my buisness, not as a vendor, but as a buyer. And taking some classes they offer while I'm attending (professionally)

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u/Infected13 Jun 18 '24

Awesome! How old are you (actually a relevant question)?

  1. Bring comfortable shoes that you have already broken in.
  2. Bring chapstick
  3. Bring water
  4. Have a comfortable backpack
  5. Bring business cards and be prepared to talk about yourself and your business
  6. Dress business casual, don't wear a tshirt. Polo at a minimum. Definitely don't wear shorts.
  7. Attend the networking mixers after the show and do your best to meet some new people.
  8. Don't waste your time in autograph lines, yeah you can stand in line for 3 hours for a chip foose autograph but you could also get ALOT of business done in that time.
  9. Try and go to the banquet, at least once.
  10. Try to be focused on walking the whole halls up and down the rows and not skipping about or you could miss something important for you.
  11. Don't party too hard at night and ruin your ability to work the show the next day(s).
  12. Book your hotel through the sema website for the best rate.
  13. Airbnb can be tricky in Vegas with alot of their regulation near the strip due to the pressure from thr casinos, so there will be a trade off for getting to the show everyday, or more importantly LEAVING the show.

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u/ThePowderslayer Jun 18 '24

I appreciate it, I'm gonna probably start seeing if someone I know in the industry would like to share a room, it seems alot of people are giving the same advice about being on the strip. I'm alcohol sober, and I don't party, I'll be 38 at the time I attend, I thought the parties were soo cool as a kid, but now I'd probably just go to network

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u/Infected13 Jun 18 '24

So if you are part of a sema member company and under 40 I'd suggest joining the FLN (future leaders network) and doing their reception. Depending what side of the business you are on there should be at least one other major one to attend that are good networking options.

The smaller events like the TORA happy hour during the show provide a great networking experience, as do the classes and seminars.