Behind the Scenes of the Do it Best Spring Market - A Conversation with Vince Slack

Vince Slack, CMP | https://www.linkedin.com/in/vince-slack-cmp-89a1b560/ 

Meeting professionals know that large-scale events rarely happen without an incredible amount of planning behind the scenes. Recently, the MPI Indiana Chapter communications team sat down with Vince Slack, Meeting & Market Planning Manager for Do it Best, to recap the company’s Spring Market and share insights from the planning process.

With around 8,000 attendees at the most recent market in Denver, this event is a powerful example of how conventions can evolve while staying true to their purpose.

A Convention Designed for Business

One of the defining characteristics of Do it Best—and a key reason the market exists—is its co-op business structure. Unlike traditional corporations, Do it Best is owned by its members: independent hardware retailers across the country.

Within the Do it Best organization, the term “market” refers to what many would consider a large-scale convention or trade show. These markets bring together members, vendors, and corporate teams to connect, build relationships, and ultimately drive business.

“The goal of any market is to sell product,” Slack explained. “We’re a business, and these events exist to create an environment where our vendors and members can build relationships and drive sales.”

The most recent Spring Market hosted around 1,100 vendors and utilized more than half a million square feet of exhibit space. But beyond the scale, the market is carefully designed to mirror the experience of walking through a hardware store.

Rather than a random trade show layout, the exhibit floor is organized by departments—plumbing, electrical, lawn and garden, and more—allowing attendees to “shop” the market in the same way they would navigate a store.

“Everything about the layout is intentional,” Slack said. “We want it to feel familiar to our members, because they’re hardware retailers. Even something like leaving the aisles uncarpeted is deliberate—it helps replicate the feel of a real hardware store.”

A Growing and Evolving Event

The Do it Best Market has been held for more than 81 years, originally starting in the company’s warehouse in Fort Wayne, Indiana. For decades, both the Spring and Fall Markets took place in Indianapolis with the Fall Market being much larger.

Over time, however, the Spring Market has grown to match the scale of the fall event. Today, the two markets share nearly identical footprints and vendor participation.

Several factors contributed to this shift. The company began moving the Spring Market to destination cities such as Denver and Orlando, giving members another incentive to attend. The organization also combined its markets following the acquisition of True Value, bringing together vendors and members from both networks.

“Indianapolis will always feel like home for us,” Slack said. “But moving the spring market to different cities helps create a change of pace and gives our members another reason to attend.”

Education, Inspiration, and Industry Insight

While the exhibit floor is central to the Market experience, education also plays a key role. The event kicks off with Knowledge Central, featuring roughly 30 sessions focused on helping members grow their businesses.

Topics range from industry trends and operational strategies to succession planning for store owners preparing to transition their businesses to the next generation.

The event also includes general sessions led by company leadership, providing updates on the state of the business and the future of the industry.

When Things Don’t Go According to Plan

Of course, even the most carefully planned events encounter unexpected challenges.

During registration for the Spring Market, the power suddenly went out at the registration desks, leaving a long line of attendees waiting for badges.

Slack’s response highlights a lesson that many meeting professionals know well: leadership during a crisis sets the tone for everyone else.

“The first thing is to stay calm,” he said. “As the leader, your tone sets the tone for your entire team.”

While the team worked with the venue to diagnose the issue, they discovered the electrical setup did not match the specifications originally requested. With most stations offline, the team quickly rerouted attendees to the two stations that still had power and communicated openly with those waiting in line.

By keeping attendees informed and relying on trusted partners to resolve the technical issue, the team was able to keep registration moving until the problem was fixed.

The Power of Relationships

For Slack, moments like these reinforce the importance of one core element of event planning: relationships.

“I can’t fix an electrical issue myself,” he said. “But I know the person who can. That’s why building strong relationships with your partners is so important.”

From internal teams to venue staff, vendors, and suppliers, successful events rely on a network of professionals working together toward a common goal.

Bringing It All Together

When asked what he enjoys most about his role, Slack didn’t hesitate.

“The people,” he said. “That’s the best part.”

Whether collaborating with hundreds of staff members behind the scenes or connecting with thousands of members and vendors on the show floor, the Do it Best Market demonstrates the power of in-person events to foster relationships, drive business, and build community.

For meeting professionals, it’s a reminder that while technology and logistics play a huge role in events, the real impact always comes back to the people who bring them to life.