Side Hustle School Ep. 3352 - Failure Friday: “Our first trade show was canceled with no refund…”
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Mar 6, 2026 Chris Cavallari, founder and lead craftsman at The Acadian who makes handmade luxury pens and leather goods. He recounts preparing for his first wholesale trade show and then losing booth fees when COVID-19 canceled it. He talks about writing an emergency continuity plan, building local support through a Facebook peer group and Zooms, and diversifying income to survive the shutdown.
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Trade Show Canceled One Day Before Load In
- Chris Cavallari prepared for his first wholesale trade show in March 2020 and spent over $2,000 on booth fees and materials.
- The show was canceled one day before load-in due to COVID-19 and he learned booth fees were nonrefundable, collapsing his wholesale plan.
Sales Dropped As Shops Shut Down
- After the cancellation, The Acadian's retail sales dropped immediately as shops closed and customers pulled back during lockdown.
- Chris had no income to support his family and realized his year depended on wholesale accounts that never materialized.
Preparedness Needs Practical Plans
- The pandemic exposed the gap between preparedness as a value and having concrete plans; being 'prepared' meant little without specific protocols.
- Chris, an Eagle Scout, realized his business lacked real contingency planning despite the scout motto.