Most tradeshow organizers always have a “point of no return” day in mind at which point, the show is going to happen - profitably or not. That day was yesterday for Podcast & Portable Media Expo. Usually for me the day has been the day that the lease for the convention center space is signed and a deposit is mailed. That was also the case this time. That’s why I usually wait as long as possible to sign on the dotted line and instead keep the space on a verbal hold as long as possible.

As I signed and dated all three copies of the convention center space contract and the check that went with it, it was exciting and a little unnerving at the same time. Surprisingly, (and thankfully) the convention center did not make me guarantee the contract personally, which is usually the case with startups. Perhaps because it is a smaller venue and because I’ve used the facility for other successful shows in the past, they allowed me to enter into the contract with the name and tax ID of my corporation.

Of course, my attorney had made several changes to the contract early on and this was the 4th draft of the contract and he wanted one more small change. It is their job, of course, to protect me as much as possible, but there comes a point where you just have to say “enough” and sign the thing so I said, “I’m OK with that part” and signed away.