My CES Journey

If you’ve never heard of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), here’s your quick synopsis: taking place each January in Las Vegas, CES is the world's largest technology trade show, where companies unveil new products, showcase innovations, and connect with industry leaders. So, a pretty big deal in how we move towards the future.

This year I had my first opportunity to attend on behalf of John Deere. It was a rewarding experience — everything from Winter Storm Blair making travel much more interesting than I (or my colleagues) would have preferred … to fresh learnings and new connections.

Take a journey with me as I look back on how my four (err, five) days in Vegas went.

*Day One: Saturday

I was supposed to arrive into Las Vegas on Sunday. But Winter Storm Blair had other plans. So, only a couple days prior, I changed my flight to leave one day earlier. Because who doesn’t love a 6am flight on a Saturday morning for a work trip?

Still, I didn’t get trapped by the storm. And with colleagues struggling to get out on their later flights, and friends having to cancel their own respective business travel, it was a smart move on my part … even if I did have to walk around Aria aimlessly for three hours because my room wasn’t ready (guess that happens when you show up to registration at 8am).

But I was able to get the lay of the land at a hotel I’ve never stayed at, I picked up my CES badge with minimal effort - most attendees weren’t even in town yet - and I got to have an amazing lunch at Esther’s Kitchen. Not bad for an unexpected day in my schedule.

Day Two: Sunday

Hit the gym first thing in the morning. Was even there before it opened; a rarity for me. On a trip like this with long working hours, business dinners, and still having to deal with the day-to-day work on other projects, it can be hard to fit in time to exercise. Fortunately, I was able to squeeze it in this day.

Rest of the day was filled with cleaning out my inbox, rehearsing our John Deere booth narrative to prep for the upcoming days of media visits, and enjoying a team dinner at Carbone inside the Aria. Last day before game time. I can start to feel the buzz happening.

Day Three: Monday

A little meditation sesh before I hop into the shower, and then it’s off to our conference room at the Mandalay Bay for our press conference to reveal five new autonomous solutions across three different industries: agriculture, construction, and professional landscaping.

Talk about a packed house. Standing room only with nearly 300 media credentials attending. It was amazing to see so much interest for the brand. And yours truly even had the privilege of welcoming them to our event with a pretty cool sign. As a people person, I love stuff like this!

After the press conference, it was time for a quick lunch, a little email checking, and then off to the conference center for a pre-show meeting with our team at the John Deere booth. And while I’d prefer a team dinner at a better restaurant, I must admit you can’t beat the view. First time I’ve enjoyed a meal overlooking the strip.

Day Four: Tuesday

First day of the actual show - the first day of visits to the John Deere booth - was beautifully chaotic. Tons of people swarmed the floor, from media to suppliers, and from brand enthusiasts to competitors, it was a maddening scene. But it certainly made for a fun day.

I got a chance to engage with many of our visitors. I even had a young lady from a media company in South Korea ask me if I watch Manga and anime. Why, yes. Yes, I do. I shared with her my favorite film from the genre, Ninja Scroll. I must say that’s definitely not the kind of question I would’ve expected to have asked of me. But it made the experience that much more memorable. Long live anime.

Day Five: Wednesday

My last day in Vegas before heading back the next morning. And if you’ve ever been to Vegas, you know five days is too much. Suffice it to say I’d been here long enough and was ready to go home. But the positive is it was another great day of showcasing our products and solutions to the masses, including my own interview with a colleague and editor of Farm Progress.

Another highlight this day was having Sketchers CEO, Robert Greenberg, and famed Sketchers celebrity pitchman, Howie Mandel, swing by our booth to check out the covered display we had of the John Deere-branded Sketchers … which they did not know we were showcasing at our booth — so, that was a pretty cool moment.

And, lastly, the entire John Deere crew that was onsite supporting the show came together later in the evening for a full team dinner, including all of the company leaders that were in town. It was a good opportunity to connect with senior leadership and colleagues whom I don’t always have a chance to chat with. Cheers to a great CES. And with that it’s back to my room to pack, relax, and get ready to head home. Until next time.