From The President

As a small business, the Mobile Electronics Association (MEA) derives revenue from membership, media and trade events. The latter has recently been a challenge for all industries. The new word of the day is “pivot”—using your expertise to move in a new direction to provide value to your customers.

We needed to make a change that would allow us to continue to provide benefits in a new way to those who rely upon us for great education, in-person networking and the all-important manufacturer exhibits. The exhibits were one of the most significant challenges when it came to building an online trade event platform, since attendees visit these booths to speak with existing and potential suppliers, review their offerings, and ultimately place orders. As a business, we (MEA) had to create a compelling experience that provides all the elements of an in-person event, but in a virtual setting.

When faced with the challenge of shifting one or more revenue streams, a business owner must inventory skillsets and decide how best to proceed.

While speaking with many of you during the beginning of the pandemic, I witnessed great trepidation regarding the ability to survive this challenge. Many roadblocks were out of your control. This required a pivot in terms of how you approached marketing and what you presented as value for your existing and potential customers. Let’s look at some good examples of “pivots” that took place early on, and the results.

Initially, many stores were told they had to close, as they were not listed as essential. At MEA, we worked with many of you to help you reopen and provide support. One of the first pivots involved offering support to emergency

providers in the form of maintaining their infrastructure—adding or maintaining emergency lighting, radios and other electronics was a desperately needed service for those on the front lines. In addition, many specialty retailers advertised their ability to read and diagnose those pesky “check engine” lights for consumers left without the usual options from automotive repair shops that may have closed. Other simple repairs such as changing bulbs, wipers, and electronics had a positive effect on both customers and the business.

Another impressive pivot involved retailers designing and producing personal protection equipment (PPE) in the form of face shields and protective intubation boxes. This pivot left me feeling proud to be in this industry, and proud of those who provided for others when in many cases they had little to no idea how they or their business would manage. This was a selfless act of kindness to help others in need, and the results where astounding. Many of these stories made it into local and national media, and went a long way to reveal our industry to those who may not have been aware it existed.

These examples, including how we made the pivot at MEA, are all models of both innovative and necessary solutions to maintain and diversify business. I am so impressed by you! Yes, you—the leaders and innovators who stepped up, rather than stepped aside, to deliver what people needed and when they needed it most.

I have learned so much from your examples. Our industry, as a whole, is an impressive one. We should all be proud of what we have collectively accomplished. I look forward to 2021 as a breakout year with only the best yet to come.