Workshops & community for creative businesses!

Founded in the Spring of 2011 by Katie Hunt, Tradeshow Bootcamp has helped hundreds of small businesses prepare for the wholesale market and large scale tradeshows.  We strongly believe that the more we share with one another in our community, the stronger our individual businesses and our industry will become.  As such, we strive to bring you the best and brightest in the stationery industry -- retailers, manufacturers, sales reps and media -- who are open to sharing their stories and experiences in an effort to help you avoid pitfalls in growing your business.

TSBC in-person and webinar workshops go beyond the basics, saving you hours of research time and giving you access to people who know what you can expect.  Our speakers have experience exhibiting at the National Stationery Show, New York International Gift Fair, Atlanta Gift Show, CA Gift Show and others.   

• Tradeshow Planning - timelines & budgets
• Booth Design + Logistics
• Product Strategies for Wholesale Market
• Sales Tools for Wholesale + Tradeshows
• Marketing Strategies
• Working with the Media
• Industry Ettiquette + Vendor Recommendations
• Alumni Roundtable
• Retailer Roundtable

• Industry standards pertaining to the wholesale stationery market
• What retailers expect of manufacturers they work with
• What goes into designing and building a tradeshow booth
• How to display product, take orders at the show, and process payments
• Free (and paid-for) marketing opportunities surrounding the shows
• What to do before, during and after a tradeshow to maximize your time and financial investment
• That you're not alone and you have a support group via TSBC ;)

• Interactive workshops focused on preparing and planning for Tradeshow exhibiting.
• Q&A time with industry colleagues from a variety of backgrounds.
• Recordings of webinar playbacks, for webinar attendees
• Networking opportunities, for Paper Camp attendees
• TSBC resources, including budget worksheets, vendor recommendations and suggested timelines.
• Access to the private Tradeshow Bootcamp Facebook Group where TSBC alumni and speakers keep the conversation going and provide support for one another.

Small businesses who are considering exhibiting for the first time and/or folks who have exhibited in the past, but would like a refresher.

Tradeshow Bootcamp is designed to give you an open, honest look at what goes into exhibiting at a tradeshow, and will connect you with others who were once in your shoes – considering exhibiting or exhibiting for the first time – and the many things they learned from exhibiting at the National Stationery Show, New York International Gift Fair, Atlanta Gift Show, CA Gift Show and others.   

Please note, our speakers have experience with US based tradeshows, therefore much of the content is geared towards the shows named above.

Tradeshow Bootcamp was founded in the Spring of 2011 by Katie Hunt of Kelp Designs, LLC, but made possible by many supportive folks in the stationery industry!  View our speaker roster here.

Tradeshow Bootcamp evolved from the fact that we are members of a very collaborative industry and the belief that the more we can share with one another, the stronger our stationery community will become.   Our alumni network has grown to more than 260 successful stationery businesses.   We're so proud of the TSBC community.

Paper Camp - Washington DC:
   Early Bird Rate: $1200 (before July 1)
   Standard Rate: $1500 (after July 1)

Payment plans are available.  Please email katie@kelpdesigns.com for more info.

Visit our Workshops page for more details about our available programs and our Registration page to complete your registration.  Please note, we limit each class size to ensure an intimate setting where everyone’s questions can be asked and answered.

Yes!  We believe in giving back and what better way than scholarship opportunities!  We have offered full and partial scholarships to our workshops in the past.  Click here to complete your application for Paper Camp - Washington DC.  Applications are due by June 3rd!