2012 Weekend of Fire: Blogger’s Round Table
This is a long video as I chose to run it as 1 video instead of chopping it into multiple videos. Our Round Table was led by Scott Roberts of www.ScottRobertsweb.com, Joe & Linda Levinson of www.TheHotZoneOnline.com, and Marilyn Meagher of www.HotSauceDaily.com. We discuss many issues including the ever-increasing pepper eating challenge videos, the cooking with super hot chile videos, best new products at the Weekend of Fire this year, and a few other topics that bring out real emotion from our bloggers. Whether you agree or disagree with us we should cover a topic you might be passionate about. At least we hope you do. I also spare you from my ugly mug as I am mostly off camera for this video.
Wow, this is long…I’ll have to block some time out on my calandar to hear what you fine pillars of the spicy community have to say….
Buddah, your snide remark about ‘thinking’ we did the ICS gig just for the money was WAY off base. When you are contacted by the President of the ICS (a rather large organization) to setup a booth at one of the largest chili contests that exists in the country, and do a Deathmatch in front of not only the public, but in front of hundreds of the best chili cooks in the nation, it’s kinda hard to say no. Oh yeah, and incentives help the bottom line (hint). Doing the ICS gig was a f*cking awesome way to get massive exposure, and we did. Did we make a million dollars? No, but neither do we at WOF, as people prefer to but our products within JJ’s. The ICS gig next year is in Palm Springs, an area I would love to have a major influence in product-wise. I’m not saying we’ll be a no-show at WOF next year, I’m just opening your eyes to the reality of what is ‘actually’ going on.
Buddah, we can’t see you. You look great!
Who’s taking all the pictures? How many photos of this group do you need? Marilyn and Linda, great job…you made the guys look good.
Thanks Firehead 🙂
Jungle Jim Bonnaminio’s (sp?) son Jimmy, who is a photographer, shot all the pictures of us.
For of you out there who want to listen to only the audio (to play in the car, while you’re working out, etc.), you can download the podcast version here:
http://www.scottrobertsweb.com/Weekly-Firecast-Podcast-Episode-8-Bloggers-Round-Table-From-Weekend-of-Fire-2012
Thanks for the shout out regarding the pepper cooking videos. I completely understand what is being said about increasing the production value and having more focus on the food. Sometimes it can be difficult to get the best angle especially if you only have one camera. It takes a lot to make one video from thinking through what you want to talk about, how you are going to frame the shot, and that’s BEFORE you get down to editing the filmed clips. Most cooking shows on television are the compilation of the same recipe being done 3-4 times so the best shots can be picked. Speaking only for myself, trying to film like this would be a highly cost prohibitive prospect, both in money and more importantly TIME. Hopefully I can take some of the suggestions you all have provided and get another recipe out soon.
It sounds like there were some great new products at this year’s show. While I appreciate the comments that Linda and Buddah made regarding the presence/absence of vendors I will confess the absence of Wicked Cactus Sauce was 100% profit motivated. We had the opportunity to do a local show and reach a substantially larger crowd. Sure, most attendees were not there to purchase hot sauce or spicy products, but we were not competing with 40 other hot sauce vendors AND a retail outlet a dozen yards away. I couldn’t count how many prospective consumers were at the WoF last year who walked away without purchasing our product after they heard they could buy it downstairs. I think that having more options for presenting to the public our passion for spicy foods benefits everyone in the industry.
Having 3-4 “main events” a year is still of value, but for smaller companies like Wicked Cactus Sauce we need to be profit minded with every event we attend. I admit I too see these events as working vacations. Most of the value I receive is meeting and making friends with others in the industry. The entry cost of some of these events, however, makes it very difficult to justify attending as a vendor, or at least at this point!
I didn’t think the remarks were “snide” in nature, but I do not remember, nor do I want to go back and look for it, so I will just apologize and move on. 😀 I am happy you thought your event was worth it, and I do hope you bring the Deathmatch Championship back where it belongs next year.
Mike, thanks for the huge input. Very honest and needed. What shows have been worth it to WCS to attend if you care to divulge?
?
– Oh yeah, and incentives help the bottom line
– awesome way to get massive exposure
– I would love to have a major influence in product-wise
Bottom line your is to make Money, your own words…. Sure there are joys along the way but call a spade a spade.
Thanks, FT. That was sweet. You know we have to be representin’ the fairer sex in this industry!!!
I can’t speak from extensive experience as we’ve only been to a few of the bigger shows. NOLA was a complete bust. Weekend of Fire last year was a break-even, but only because we had a wholesale order from Jungle Jim’s. Peppers was another break-even, but we expected that. Bowers was a good money maker, partly due to the low cost of entry but mostly due to the really great crowd. And despite the higher entrance cost than the Weekend of Fire the Best of Missouri show was the best so far.
I understand that you have to spend money to make money, but having a 10×10 booth starting at upwards of $800 (I’m looking at you Zestfest & Fiery Foods) plus the additional costs associated with traveling halfway across the country takes a serious commitment. We can put the same amount of money into one show that may or may not even break even or invest it in a pallet of bottles that allows us to drop our per unit cost by 60%.
Thanks for the input Mike. What is the plan for next year? Any thoughts?
Mike- Save your $$ when it comes to Zestfest. Talk about losing your ass… Did it once, drove from NC to texas, hotel was free(tied wife’s work into it as bank has offices in Plano) but still did next to nothing compared to other closer events. two weeks after zest fest, we did a small 2 day show in Ohio and make 4 times as much. Anyone who says they make bank at that show must have some serious glaucoma weed that they need to be sharing. They only other show like that was the first Pepper’s show, or as I like to call it, “The Bloggers Beach Party & Wing Fest.” COMPLETE waste of time. had fun, but fun does not grow a business…
Stay with what you know makes you money, plain and simple. We only do 4-5 shows a year and they all come out well ahead of cost
Lol…bloggers beach party….
Wattup mike long time no talk if you hate money than stay away from the new Mexico show. Seriously