Dear AV Industry,

Mid-June is one of my favorite times of year. And every time someone asks, “What does InfoComm mean to you?” I stumble — because honestly, it means so much that I never quite know where to start. So, before I begin my ninth InfoComm, I wanted to reflect on a few of the things I love about it.

On one hand, InfoComm is where I’ve learned the most about this industry. I’ve gotten hands-on experience with countless products and asked questions in real time. That’s how I learn best. And I love that most exhibitors never make me feel like a question is stupid.

InfoComm is also where I’ve built professional confidence. I’m a huge extrovert, sure — but that doesn’t always mean I’m great at walking up to people I don’t know. Every year, I get a little better. The more people who come up and talk to me, the more comfortable I feel doing the same. Through this newfound confidence, I’ve made so many industry friendships already — ones I hope will last a lifetime.

It’s also where I learned it’s OK to fail. I didn’t pass the CTS exam on my first try at InfoComm 2021. I studied for six months, so it felt like a gut punch. But that experience taught me something important: I don’t need a CTS to belong here. I still want to retake it and pass — maybe next year? (Gary, if you’re reading this, make me do it.) But now, I know that goal isn’t tied to my worth. And that’s a big thing to learn.

InfoComm is where I took my first-ever trip on a plane. In 2016, I got the chance to be a rAVe intern and serve as THE GAME emcee during that year’s show. (That year, THE GAME was giant Jenga, and I still hear the blocks crashing down in my nightmares. Never again.) The important part here is: I’d never traveled before. InfoComm unlocked that for me — and sparked a love of travel I didn’t know I had.

This show has given me so much — directly and indirectly — and I can’t wait to see what it gives me this year. I also can’t wait to give some of that love back. Amid the chaos, the packed calendar, and the sleep deprivation, I still have so much love for this week. I hope you do too.

See you on the show floor.

Steph