Written by Prof. Jack Rose

Miramar, Florida – Students in Professor Jack Rose’s Business Expo class were invited to attend the recent Miami International Trade Mart Show on March 8th held in Miami Gardens. This B2B trade show included vendors showcasing their products in various categories, including luggage, household, health and beauty, party supplies, disposable goods, picture frames, calendars and other paper products, area rugs, electronics and more.

The students interacted with many of the vendors who shared their experiences with the business majors. Jodi Meserve of IG Design Group Americas Inc. encouraged students to take advantage of any and all opportunities that come their way. Jodi is an expert on global sourcing and the students learned about the importance of using Excel spreadsheets. Traveling all over the world, Jodi shared that she does not speak any other language, but preparation and research of potential clients were very important. “You establish a relationship, ask about their customer want and styles, colors they like, and then you build a presentation geared specifically to their business.” Professor Rose added, “Just like music is the universal language, spreadsheets and numbers speak volumes without uttering a word.”

These budding entrepreneurs were attending the trade show since their final project is to execute their own business expo. Attending the trade show were students, Elona Dushku, Renata Diniz, Valentina Perez, and Quynh Truong. All of the students said the trade show was a great experience and they enjoyed seeing a live trade show since most of the trade shows have been virtual the past yar. “Speaking with these vendors was very special,” Valentina added.