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A Shed Wife’s Third Shed Builder Expo

My journey began early on a Sunday morning with my husband, two other shed wives, and a seven-hour drive ahead of us to Grand Rapids, Michigan. The drive was mostly rural landscapes and farmlands.

As we approached Grand Rapids, there was a shift from rural tranquility to urban life.

Downtown Grand Rapids is a charming and vibrant area with a perfect blend of historic charm and modern amenities. The DeVos Place Convention Center, where the NSRA conference and the Shed Builder Expo were held, sits alongside the flowing Grand River offering beautiful scenic views.

Monday and Tuesday revolved around the NSRA. First was the set up with preparation for all the guests and guest speakers attending on Tuesday, and then the actual event with hundreds of people hustling and bustling through the convention doors with their coffees in hand, eager to catch up with friends, meet new people in the industry, and hopeful to learn new information to expand on their leadership skills.

I personally was able to listen to two of the speakers, who both did a wonderful job.

Harris III told “magical” stories from his own life to help us find our way back to wonder, permitting us to change the untrue stories we tell ourselves and begin to believe in magic again.

The second speaker, Col. Mark W. Tillman served as pilot and commander of Air Force One from 2001-2009 and spoke about his experience throughout his career including his role protecting the president on Sept. 11, 2001.

Hopefully you were in attendance to hear these inspiring speakers for yourself, but if you weren’t, maybe the NSRA is something you want to look into next year.

On Wednesday and Thursday, my time was filled with the fun and crowded JMAG booth at the Shed Builder Expo.

The JMAG booth was filled with smiles, laughter, and a sense of wonder all day, each day. JMAG did not have a booth set up to gain leads this year; they were set up solely to enjoy the guests of the Shed Builder Expo and put families first.

The JMAG booth’s theme this year was Over the Top with a circus vibe. There was a juggler, who dazzled theaudience, deftly tossing pins, balls, and even knives into the air with seemingly effortless skill, building suspense with each flawless catch. He even did a couple of sessions to teach others how to juggle.

Then there was a comedic magician who had a delightful mix of laughter and astonishment, where humor and illusion blended seamlessly. He brought mystery and wonder, making objects disappear and reappear with a flourish leaving each of us wide-eyed and questioning reality.

Meanwhile, the caricature artist brought laughter, capturing exaggerated versions of the spectators’ faces in quick, clever strokes, turning the mundane into whimsical portraits. The smiles I saw across children, teens, adults, and even the elderly alike were heartwarming and encouraging.

I have to say, while we didn’t manage to make everyone happy during those two days, the atmosphere at our booth was electric and filled with excitement. There were a few concerns here and there about crowd sizes or the noise level, but these were just small hiccups in what was otherwise an overwhelmingly positive experience.

Seeing the sheer joy on hundreds of faces was truly something special. Whether people were engrossed in games, watching the magician with wide-eyed wonder, laughing at their caricatures, or being mesmerized by the juggler, the energy was contagious.

In the end, I believe that the happiness and fun we brought to so many far outweighed the minor negativity. It’s those moments of laughter, wonder, and amazement that create lasting memories, and I hope everyone who visited our booth will carry those joyful memories from the 2024 Shed Builder Expo with them for years to come.

To me, it was absolutely worth it to create an experience that left so many smiling and entertained.

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February/March 2025