Didn’t matter which booth I visited, or who I asked, the answer to my question, “How’s this year’s show going?” invariably came back with a variety of affirmatives, accolades and compliments about how ISC West is back to pre-COVID form! “Amazing” … “Fantastic” … “Just incredible” – The wave of attendees and compliments from exhibitors continued throughout the week, as the entire ISC and Security Industry Association (SIA) teams pulled off a magnificent event for all involved.
Everywhere I turned, orders were being taken and deals were being closed, as the buzzing trade show floor kept most booths busy the first two days non-stop. “We did more business in the first day than the entire show last year,” said one exhibitor … “Sold our entire first run of product on one order, an incredible new client,” said another vendor.
ISC had not shared official numbers prior to press, but Mary Beth Shaughnessy, event vice president at RX USA, did assure me on the final day of the show, Friday, at the SIA Women in Security Power 100 Breakfast (Shaughnessy was among the 100 honored by the way) that numbers are up and in line with pre-COVID attendance levels.
Speaking of Women in Security, the keynote for the event, Alison Levine, pointed out in her talk on the main stage, the Bridge, that “a step back doesn’t always mean failure,” but “an opportunity to reassess, recharge and come back stronger and better.” Her comments seemed to embody not only ISC West, the show itself, but also the security industry, which has had a lot to endure over the past few years, to say the least.
“Backing up doesn’t mean backing down,” she said. Strong and poignant words from a strong and poignant woman. Watching the video of her traverse a frozen crevasse on a narrow, frozen ladder that was created by climbers sent shivers up my spine, no pun intended. Her kind and sweet nature belies the incredibly bold, fierce and fearless women who we watched climb the tallest peaks in the world. But as she pointed out, “fear is a normal emotion … complacency is the killer.” Yes, it’s how we respond to that fear, the countless unforeseen challenges that life hands us, that defines us, ultimately.
ISC West, and the security industry, has adapted and come back stronger, indeed, as evidenced by the countless conversations I had with security professionals, manufacturers and end users over the course of the week, in addition to the different talks and sessions I was able to listen in on. COVID and the challenges presented by such a sudden change to our way of life, certainly increased the need for more security products, solutions and support (see some research/data on growth in my Touchless cover feature on page 10), and hastened the acceptance of new technologies along the way.
Judging by the attendance and success of ISC West, this is certainly a great time to be in the security industry.