I’ve said it before but a pop-up, especially in a place that is not intended for you, is extremely vulnerable. This space is not yours. Someone came in to buy a coffee or a sweet treat and suddenly here I am with flowers casually trying to pretend like I don’t desperately need you to buy something, anything, because my ego and livelihood are suddenly in your hands. Enjoy your coffee! I think I would also avert my eyes and stare at the espresso maker.

(Pop-Up Sightglass Coffee in West Hollywood)

The unpredictability of pop-ups cannot be understated. Even for curated markets you’d think would be tailor made to fit your style and have your exact clientele, you’re at the mercy of foot traffic, or the event coordinators marketing skills. Maybe it started raining or people have upcoming taxes looming in the back of their minds reminding them they probably owe more than they think and no, a Spring bouquet is not going to help.
One thing I’ve realized over the past few markets and pop-ups is that you just have to roll with it. Whatever happens, happens kind of mentality that I am TERRIBLE at. I take every averted eye personally, I bemoan every single bouquet I have to haul back home and cry as I hang it upside down to dry for hopefully a future appearance. I’m terrible at being casual about failure. Pop-ups in almost every single way are antithetical to my personality.

(Emo Prom Set Up. My most fun market to date.)

Why do I do this to myself?!
There is an excitement, the feeling of success after a long day of prep and selling a planter I really loved or an arrangement I was proud of. It’s just a grind. A chain quest, a constant never ending string of trial and error until you perfect the rhythm. I couldn’t even predict the little things that have gone wrong and I instantly had to learn from, I forgot something like my Venmo QR sheet, or ribbon, the EZ Up I bought off Amazon is too low making people crane their necks down to duck in and look, a tight 6x6 space where everything needs to be Tetris’d in. Trial and error.

I have some more markets this month, and I’m trying my best to get these to go more smoothly each time despite my anxietys best effort to sabotage it every step of the way. It’s just the grind, the leveling up one boss battle at a time.

Pop-Ups and Vulnerability

First Event. Ever.

Blog Post Title Three