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Trade shows are more than just industry events—they are opportunities to connect, learn and grow, both professionally and personally.
For the parking industry, they provide a vital space to exchange ideas, build relationships and tackle shared challenges.
Reflecting on their 2024 trade show experiences, Courtney Cooper, Events & Community Manager, and Shelley Bullock, Regional Sales Executive – East Coast, emphasized just how impactful these events are for their roles, our team and the industry.
Building Connections That Matter
For both Courtney and Shelley, trade shows have been an incredible way to build trust and rapport with customers and peers. Face-to-face conversations create a level of connection that emails, and phone calls simply can’t replicate. These moments—sometimes brief, but always meaningful—often spark relationships that grow into lasting partnerships.
Shelley shared, “Some of my strongest leads this year came directly from conversations on the trade show floor—proof that genuine, in-person interactions drive real results.”
Courtney also highlighted the welcoming nature of the parking community:
“It’s amazing to see how vast the industry is, while still feeling like a closely connected community.”
Even across the country, parking professionals face similar challenges, and trade shows provide a space for collaboration, idea-sharing and mutual support.
A Place for Learning and Growth
Trade shows are as much about learning as they are about connecting. Both Courtney and Shelley walked away from the 2024 trade shows with a clearer understanding of industry trends, innovative solutions and customer pain points.
“It’s easy to get siloed in your day-to-day tasks,” Courtney said. “But trade shows are an opportunity to step back and gain fresh perspectives by engaging with leaders who’ve navigated similar challenges.”
Shelley echoed this, emphasizing the broader learning opportunities trade shows bring:
“They’re a chance to better understand our market, identify industry trends and explore how we can continue to stay ahead.”
These events highlight how dynamic the parking industry truly is—where collaboration and innovation are helping solve shared challenges across regions.
A Bigger Picture
Courtney summed it up perfectly: “Trade shows are essential not only to my role, but to the parking industry as a whole.” Stepping away from the everyday routine to engage with customers, industry leaders and peers provides a reminder of the bigger picture. It’s these moments—whether in a conference hall or over a drink at a happy. hour—that moves the industry forward.
Courtney and Shelley’s 2024 trade show experiences highlight the impact of these events on relationship-building, learning and growth. The takeaways extend far beyond the event itself, driving meaningful results for customers, teams, and the industry.
Trade shows are about more than showcasing products or solutions—they’re about building connections, gaining valuable insights and collaborating to address shared challenges. Whether you’re new to the industry or a parking veteran, these events are a testament to the passion and progress that define this industry, inspiring everyone to keep learning, growing and moving forward.
Katelyn Perman
Content Marketing Manager
Katelyn Perman has 3+ years of experience in marketing, specializing in social media strategy, email campaigns, graphic design and copywriting. She holds a B.S. in Strategic Communication and Human Communication Studies from Indiana Wesleyan University.