In February I participated in a PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) expo in Chicago. Though I've participated in many trade shows when I worked at GE, I'd never participated in a trade show as part of my own company. I thought I'd give it a shot to see how it would go. The Chicago event is one of the largest PTO expos. Organizers mentioned that 600 or 700 people had registered. I was tucked in amidst a sea of traditional fundraising concepts: candy ... bags ... gift wrap ... etc. No surprise ... Read On >
Sherry's Life
How Daymond John’s sales team talked me out of buying his program
Heads up: This isn't a benefit auction post. You can jump to another section of the blog for that. I was just so disappointed in a presentation I attended today that I typed up this post to clear my head and to remind myself of what not to do when I'm next giving a speak-to-sell presentation. A couple of months ago, I had lunch with my friend Suzanne. She had recently launched her own business and was commenting that she'd invested in a program from Daymond John Academy. She thought I'd get ... Read On >
Thanks, Dad
A couple of days ago -- at 8:17 PM on 01-04-14, to be exact -- my Dad died. He was surrounded by people he loved and who loved him. My brother, Mom, and I tried to make his transition to spirit peaceful. As he took his final breath, we shared with him our personal sentiments against the backdrop of Johnny Cash singing "Danny Boy" (one of Dad's favorite songs) from my iPhone1. Though I personally believe we are eternal, it's still a heavy loss. "And grieving will take longer than you think," ... Read On >
Sherry takes 1st runner up in Virginia State Champion Auctioneer contest
It's been three years since I last competed in the Virginia Auctioneers Association (VAA) State Champion Auctioneer contest. In 2009 I took 3rd place (2nd runner-up, as they say). You can see photos from that event here. Since then, I'd not entered the contest. In part, I've been busy growing my business. But another reason was that I hated the heat. The facility -- though very nice and the owner always arranged for this awesome BBQ -- wasn't air conditioned. There I'd be, in a light wool ... Read On >
Getting started with a family reunion auction
This (somewhat) lighthearted post was written in 2009 for readers of my e-zine, Benefit Auction Ideas. Subscribe here. Every two years, I am under contract to conduct an auction in a tiny rural Kansas town. It's terribly unorganized - by far, the worst I conduct. The items have values ranging from $3 to ~$55, no items are marketed in advance, and the displays are plain. Most guests bring their donations directly to the event, throwing them on a table for others to see. Frankly, many of the ... Read On >