One on One with Laura Conwell-O’Brien, Executive Director of The Atlanta Shoe Market

Laura Conwell-O’Brien is the Executive Director of The Atlanta Shoe Market (TASM), a leading footwear trade show held twice a year at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, Georgia. She joined the trade show more than 40 years ago and hasn’t looked back since. As she put it, “it was a match made in heaven.” The trade show executive spoke to Two Ten about her career journey, the evolution of the industry, how “The Shoe Prom” came to be, and more. 

How has TASM and the industry in general changed over the years? 

Atlanta Shoe Market was a small regional show when I joined the team. Over the years, it has grown to become one of the major trade shows in the country. There were also very few women in the industry when I started. It was a lot of men smoking in their booths at the trade shows. It’s a wonderful thing to see how many women are in the industry today — and in major roles. 

Why do you think so many women are in positions of leadership in footwear trade shows, specifically? 

To do this job, you have to be extremely organized, and you have to multitask. I think that women are superior in that regard, without question. That's always been my take. We can handle a lot on our plate. 

How did "The Shoe Prom" get its name? 

On the opening evening of the show, we have a cocktail party and a casino night. It’s a must attend event. My attendees started naming it “The Shoe Prom” because you’d go there and see everybody in the shoe industry — the retailers, exhibitors — all having such a good time. There's been good years and bad years in the industry, but when you walk in that door, hear the band and see the casino tables, everybody forgets their problems. 

Youve been a staunch supporter of Two Ten and WIFI for years. Why has this been something that is important to you? 

Seeing so many women come up in the industry has been so exciting and has made my heart full. I also love to mentor people, especially young people, so I will do anything I can to support women in this industry, via WIFI and other initiatives. 

Did you have any mentors or resources that helped you grow when you were rising in the industry? 

My mentor in the industry was Ann Aiken, the executive director of Western Shoe Associates. I admired her tremendously and she was a great mentor and teacher. I also tried to get my hands on every manual I could to learn about planning trade shows. At night, when I came home from work, the kids would go to bed, and I would just sit with these manuals and learn how to make the show better. 

I learned that success doesn't just happen. It takes a long time to cultivate. You need to be patient and expect to take two steps forward and three steps back. But just keep on climbing that ladder to get to where you'd like to be.