OnStage at Home 2021 – Year 2 Online
While this year’s OnStage at Home was not in person, it was an AMAZING online experience!! Stampin’ UP! thought of everything when they planned this event.
Registration and options
Demonstrators registered months ago. New demonstrators and multimillion dollar sellers alike took part in the FUN. There was a basic registration fee for everyone and then optional add-ons. One such add on was a SWAG bag that included various OnStage branded items such as a tote bag and note pad AND a surprise stamp set that will be in the next annual catalog. The second option was to purchase a stamp/die bundle (Blessings of Home) to use in the Stamp and Share experience. Suggestions for alternate products to use during the Stamp and Share experience were made so that EVERYONE could craft together whether they invested in the bundle or not.
The event was set up so that everyone who registered had a great experience whether they opted in for the add-ons or not. I like that part a lot.
Thursday NIght
Thursday night opened with a wonderful performance from a choir. I was late logging on and did not catch the name of the group – but they were amazing. (Soon we will be able to replay various parts of the conference so I can look up the name of the group.)
Following the upbeat musical opening was a presentation honoring those who reached various milestones during the previous selling year. Recognition was given for milestone anniversaries with SU!, sales, team building, overall performance and more. It was pretty exciting to see the potential with SU!
Friday
It is worth noting that the conference was LIVE. That is a remarkable feat on its own but when you consider that they did this for several global markets, it was a feat of coordination, energy, and wonderful inclusivity. SU! staff were, in many cases, up. most of the night so they could do live presentations for Australian and European demonstrators as well as those in North America. That is true commitment to the company and the demonstrators!!
I won’t go down the complete agenda but will give highlights.
Business talk
There were talks by staff and demonstrators discussing various business aspects of being a demonstrator. Demonstrators are NOT pushed to turn their hobby into a business. It is entirely up to demonstrators whether they want to teach classes and sell products to others OR to be a demonstrator to enjoy a solid discount on their own purchases. But let’s be real, SU! is a business. So, this conference focused on business aspects of being a demonstrator, as it should.
In addition to the understandable promotion of SU! as a business, there was fun and information for everyone – whether they are business oriented or not. For example, new product demonstrations were sprinkled throughout the conference. Demonstrators, who were given products in advance and charged with getting crafty with those products, shared their creations. It was a great look at some future products and possibly overlooked product from the current catalog. Equally important is the sharing of ideas really spurs creativity!
It is always good to see and hear the processes other demonstrators go through as they create. Additionally, it is interesting to me to see demonstrations with products that don’t really jump off the page at me. After those demonstrations, I see those products in a new light and they usually end up on my wish list. haha
Highlight of the event
A major highlight of any Stampin’ UP! event is the presentation by the CEO of the company. Sarah gives the most amazing talks that are clearly genuine messages from her heart that inspire us all. Contrary to what you might think, her talks are barely about the business end of Stampin’ UP! This talk focuses on how we can “better our best,” but had nothing to do with trying to increase sales, etc. It was about all of us as individuals and the gifts we have to share. And how to move forward with intention and purpose in our lives.
Sarah’s messages are so positive which seems extra impactful given all that is going on in the world these days. I cannot say enough good stuff about the beautiful thoughts she puts together and shares with us.
Saturday
While Friday’s focus was primarily on business, Saturday was all about the FUN of paper crafting!!!
One feature that everyone looks forward to is the Stamp and Share experience I referenced earlier. I chose the product bundle, “Blessings of Home,” add-on. Ahead of the conference, demonstrators had access to directions for prepping materials ahead of time so that we could all craft TOGETHER!! We didn’t know what the final products would be, but we were able to cut card stock, designer series paper (DSP), and do some die cutting in advance of the experience.
Here are the cards that thousands of demonstrators made together. And for those who used product they already had on hand, they followed the general layout using different images. SU! showed samples using some of the suggested alternate products. AGAIN – inclusivity was a priority. I love that in a company!
Vote for your favorite in the comments!!
There was even a “Master Stamper” competition. Not only was it fun and humorous, funny, we all got some great ideas! As I mentioned before, it is fascinating to me to see what other people “see” when they look at a new stamp set! Clever clever clever!!!!
OnStage at Home Highlights
Prize Patrol
At my first SU! event, in person, I experienced prize patrol for the first time. We all got a pin with a number on it with our registration goodies. At various time during the presentations, they would announce prize patrol with a drum roll. A number would appear on the giant screen. When your number appeared, you stood up. From all over the room, people enter the seating area carrying handfuls of prizes. Think Oprah, “a stamp set for you…and a stamp set for you…and you and you!” (or a paper pack or some other awesome prize). What makes it even more fun is that these products are brand new ones that will be coming out in the next catalog release.
Prize Patrol online looked a little different. Everyone received the same gifts but they were announced one at a time throughout the day. So all participants will receive a new stamp set, ribbon and some embellishments!
Product preview
Product preview is another highlight of the event. Who am I kidding – most of the event is worthy of inclusion in the highlight reel. Anyway, product preview is the opportunity for participants at the conference to order from a select list of products from the upcoming catalog(s) to purchase. This gives demonstrators the opportunity to prepare samples and start classes with new products as soon as the catalogs go live. This is very helpful for demonstrators who teach classes.
We have restrictions on what we can share before the catalogs are distributed. But I can show you a card I made with the In the Moment stamp set coming out in the Jan-June catalog. (This stamp set was a surprise in the optional swag bag add-on at registration.)
Break Room
Every time I start to wind down the post, I think of something else to share. Stampin’ UP! had a tab where demonstrators could go to the online break room. It was available through out the conference. One could download coloring pages, take a mini meditation session, learn some simple yoga poses and more! I love that SU! added resources for everyone to take are of themselves during the conference. It was thoughtful and FUN!.
In Closing
I’m sure, after my enthusiastic review of the conference, that my excitement and love of what I do is evident. Teaching classes is a blast! I love when people sit back, look at their creations and tell me how happy are that they “made that!”
I am all in on Stampin’ UP! products. The color coordination between products is like none other! It’s a time saver and fail safe when it comes to paper crafting. If you got excited reading this post; if you thought, “I want to be a part of this;’ or, if you want a discount on your SU! products, we should talk!
For more information, click here.
Ready to join my team? Click here
Have questions? Email me at elisa@creatingwithelisa.com
Happy Crafting!!!
Elisa O’Neill