Woo hoo! The Singapore Tattoo Show is here! It's been a long, but fulfilling 2 days so far. The inspiration from this blog came about from Chris Garver. I thought, " I've learnt something from this guy and I think it's worth remembering, worth sharing." And what better way to share than via a blog related to the work we do at ActVentures? So here I am, setting up the agency's blog and endeavouring to keep it updated with the lessons we learn in the all-so-exciting world of marketing.

So far, media coverage has far superceded our expectations and media were even streaming in at 9pm today, an hour before the show closed! The exhibition has also sold about 8,000 tickets to date. 3,000 on day one and another 5,000 today. Think we'll hit out 15,000 target?

Response has been encouraging and it's endearing being a small part of the small team that made this happen. Working with Kirby and Debra and their partners (and of course our very overworked team at ActVentures) to make all this happen has been one enlightening moment after the other.

Enlightenment number one: great team + great concept = great show + great memories for all.

Enlightenment number two: no matter how harried or stressed, or tired one is, it always pays to be generous ... I mentioned Chris Garver (that celebrity tattoo guy from Miami Ink, uh huh) as the push to start this blog. You see, Chris had been signing autographs for over an hour at his booth in the expo for about an hour and a half. He'd not eaten and it was past lunch time. I passed him a donut which he gladly took a bite from (chocolate coated, no less!) and there and then, a fan asked him to take a photo with her. I was a little upset with her inconsideration and said "Chris is eating, could he finish his donut first?" (I mean, it was like a small donut and he'd be done in a few bites right? Why couldn't this lady wait for 10 seconds or so? ... mindless or star-struck she was, I dunno). Before the lady could turn away, Chris interjected with "It's all right, let's take the photo."...and he put his donut down, gave me a toothy-chocolatey smile and took the photo with the lady. I felt a little amazed at his generosity, and his "niceness" and at the same time, his humility. Perhaps, he remembers waiting in line for his hero to sign an autograph, or is conscious of how others would feel being turned away. Chris reminds us of how things should remain the way they are before you're famous!