Phoenix Lessons: Why Relationships Matter More Than Gear - March 11, 2025

Live from Phoenix: MATRA Spring Training Takeaways

I spent the day in Phoenix at a MATRA Spring Training session, and there were some solid insights worth sharing.

Revisiting the West Coast Frame Tent

I jumped into a session where we assembled a 30x40 West Coast frame tent. Initially, I had considered marketing this as a budget-friendly option for clients who just need basic coverage. But after today, I’m reminded why I hate this tent. It’s a pain to put together, flimsy, and tough to keep clean. Honestly, the industry should just move on from it.

The Real Value of These Events? Conversations.

Networking was the highlight. I picked the brains of other operators about their business structures and what’s trending. One key takeaway: Time in is more important than timing. Relationships with repeat customers drive long-term success, but only if you price yourself sustainably. The big players win because they aren’t underpricing just to break even five years later—they’ve built solid, profitable relationships over time.

A Look Inside Pro EM

Pro EM, the national event rental company that hosted us, gave us a tour of their massive 200,000-square-foot HQ. Despite their apologies for the "mess," it was impressively organized. A big takeaway? They keep inventory for specific clients that might only get used once a year—again, proving the power of long-term relationships. Their website doesn’t even showcase everything they own, which tells me they focus heavily on sales relationships rather than just catalog browsing.

Wrapping Up

Between meetings, I squeezed in a few calls and sent out some quotes, but that was the day. Plenty of food for thought on how to structure my business for the long haul.