Angie Lane | Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market

.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
So what does one Hit Mom,two Tequila Sisters, and Royal Standard have
in common? Well, you'll haveto go to the Nutcracker Market to find
out. And we want to thankMattress Mack for always sponsoring my Data Picon
podcast. Angie, you know it'sthe biggest. I mean, first of
all, retail therapy. Don't underestimatethe power of retail therapy, right,

(00:20):
exactly right, get ready for theholidays and unique amazing gifts for a good
cause. That's what the Nutcracker Marketis all about. Right, we are
so excited. We are seventeen daysuntil this year's Nutcracker Market. It starts
on November night to the twelfth thisyear, and like you said, it
is the biggest and best festival shoppingfestival in Texas. Great place one stop

(00:45):
to get all of your Christmas gifts, and not only that gifts for you,
gifts that mean something for I'll neverforget. And I did an Instagram
post on this amazing cutting board withthese big metal handles that I got at
the Nutcracker I've had that thing foryears. It's like it's part of who
I am. You find so manyone of a kind items and then when

(01:07):
you know it's going to the HoustonBallet, and I was a ballerina until
I was in fifth or sixth grade. It just means so much, you
know, to be able to helpthese incredible dancers and all that they do
to bring us joy with the NutcrackerBallet. Well, you're so sweet to
mention that last year's market attracted eightyeight thousand people shoppers. They spent twenty

(01:29):
million dollars on largely women owned businesses, which I hope we'll come back to.
That netted a donation to the HoustonBallet of five point five million dollars,
and that really is astounding. It'spart of our financial stability at Houston
Ballet. It allows us to providescholarships to young dancers. Last year we
provided a half million dollars to overtwo hundred and fifty students. So the

(01:52):
ability for young dancers to be ableto pursue their dance education without regard to
financial ability is huge and make sucha difference and their lives and really in
our cities lives. Most of oursixty five percent of our company dancers actually
come from our academy and so thosescholarships are a direct pipeline to what serves

(02:13):
our community on our stage. Alot of people don't realize that it's kind
of like the rodeo and the scholarships. The rodeo is so fun, but
yet its focus is to help thekids. Same with the Nutcracker Market,
and your focus is to help thosekids. We also, besides our academy,
we have extensive community and education educationprograms throughout the city and so last

(02:36):
year alone, eighty three thousand Houstonarea students were exposed to ballet either through
our performances largely free for area students, or through high quality dance instruction where
our teachers and dancers go right intoschools to help spread the joy of movement
of dance and really tie that towhat they're learning. We know that people

(02:57):
learn better when they move, andNutcracker Market supports a lot of those activities
that we're able to offer free.And I do want to say the work
that goes into setting up this NutcrackerMarket because it is first class, beautiful
display at NRG Park, and let'stalk about how do you get your product
there and some of the minority businessesthat are a part of this at no

(03:23):
charge Because you're trying to encourage thisso they can get their products out there.
What's the process like, that's exactlyexactly right. So each year we
feature about two hundred and seventy merchants, some returning beloved merchants that come here
after year. The Royal Standard comesto mind, one hit Mom comes to
mind. Yes, many that comehere after year, but we also strive

(03:43):
to bring in new merchants so there'salways something new for our shoppers to explore.
This year, we have a veryspecial partnership with Wells Fargo. They
actually increase their support with a sharedgoal. We really want the market to
reflect the diversity of Houston. Sowe've been talking with Wells Fargo and some
of our other partners about how wecan remove barriers for particularly diverse merchants to

(04:09):
be able to access the market.And so this year, with Wells Fargo's
help, we're offering the opportunity forthree new merchants to join us where their
merchant fees have been waved, thecommission have been waved. It's really an
opportunity for emerging business to really beable to tap in to the power of

(04:30):
the nutcracker market. I know oneof them is sin free treats and it
just sounds fantastic. Yes, aperfect place to get our sisanal chocolates for
gifting. Another is Africa on MyBack, which what brought to us from
the University of Houston Bauer College ofBusiness and they sell everyday bags and vibrant,
colorful textiles. Another is Cubanito MexicanFashions and they were helped identified by

(04:57):
the Houston Community College Open Business Programand they make Mexican handmade shoes, clothings,
and accessories. And these are really, you know, incubated businesses where
we think that they're really going tojust fly with some of the opportunities provided
by the market. I love that. Now, is there a place where
we can go to find I knowyou mentioned women owned businesses are one of

(05:21):
your your goals to provide that opportunityfor them, these minority owned businesses.
Is there a place we can goto find out the different businesses that will
be there, what they sell,and where they'll be located. Because it's
it's a bit overwhelming, it isa lot. So at netcrackermarket dot com
you can go online and we havea list of all of our marchants as

(05:42):
well as a map, and soone of our season shoppers. What they'll
do is they'll plan, They'll printout that map and they'll highlight where they
want to go and chart their courseto make sure they don't you know,
they don't miss their favorites and beable to check out new ones. That
is amazing. So I have toadd you being a part of this,
what is the Do you have afavorite thing that you got in years past

(06:04):
at the nutcracker market? I loveso much. Royal Standard is one of
my favorite merchants. They have oversixteen hundred unique products this year. I
love their comfy holiday pajamas. Iget them for our whole family. This
year they have a new line withdancing pink Nutcrackers, which is ryan with

(06:27):
the neutcracker market and of course seeingthe affiliated with the ballet. Another real
favorite of mine is Two Tequila's Sisters. I don't know if you've shot them
before. They have one of akind denim jackets and vess. They were
telling me. I was talking toher the other day and they were telling
me what a supportive environment it isto be out a netcracker market as a

(06:48):
women owned business. Is that theycame in. You know, they got
in the first time they applied tomarket, which is not always the case.
We can talk about that process,but that got in the first time
and said they learn so much frombeing able to have this network of women
owned businesses. Over ninety percent ofthe merchants out at market are small,

(07:09):
women owned small businesses, and sobeing able to tap into that network,
they share ideas, they learn marketing, They talk about products. Having exposure
to one hundred thousand shoppers in fourdays is something that's very unique, and
so you learn right away, whatlearn right away, what shoppers like,

(07:30):
what they don't care for. Allthose are really important lessons and ways that
new businesses can grow by getting intothe market. So I think one of
the things I'm really proud of aboutour market is that it is really supportive
to women owned businesses, and Idon't think I think we should highlight the
impact that we can have on smalllocal businesses. Merchants tell us that when

(07:50):
they get into the show to beable to network and learn from more seasoned
merchants, they learn about other showsthey can participate in. They learn tips
for product placement and marketing. Theysort of brainstorre and share ideas. The
visibility that our businesses get with onehundred shop one hundred thousand shoppers in four

(08:13):
days, that's a really unique experience. And so being able to many of
our merchants don't have brick and mortarshort stores, and so knowing that every
year that they can build a shoppingbase base of shoppers that know where they're
going to be each and every year. And then sometimes those shoppers follow them
to their online presence. And wedo have shoppers that have traditional retail stores

(08:35):
and so they're able the market helpsthem build a loyal customer following and I
think that's really special in something uniquethat again we're really proud to be able
to have a small part in that. How did you get this job?
In? Does it sounds like ajob? I'm so lucky. I have
been at the Ballet for ten years. I oversee all of our development efforts.

(09:00):
Until last year, we had aCEO of Netcracker Market who did a
phenomenal job of growing the market,Patsy Chapman. She has retired and the
last year and so I was verylucky to be able to fold the market
into my responsibilities. I have anexceptional team including Alexandria Yates and Jenstrata,
and together we are making it happenand very excited. At the end of

(09:24):
the day though, it's our merchantsand our shoppers and our supporters that really
make this such an astounding success.It is amazing and we're so looking forward
to the best way to kick offthe holidays. Tell us again how we
can get in touch learn all aboutit and also if we are maybe we
have a product that we would loveto see if you guys would allow us

(09:46):
in what do we have to doso your one stop sources netcrackermarket dot com.
I encourage everyone to follow us onour social media on Facebook and Instagram
for the latest updates. Our merchantpackets our applications are posted at the beginning
of each year, so in earlyJanuary of February of twenty twenty four,

(10:07):
there'll be an application process for nextyear's market. Twenty twenty four market,
we have what we call a juryshow, and so we have a merchant
select Selection committee that reviews applications veryclosely. We look at what products we
already have, where there are uniqueitems, where there is past sales one

(10:28):
hundred to be able to have enoughmerchandise for this kind of volume shopper is
also something we look at, andso that process happens in the spring.
Usually our merchants are confirmed by earlyMay, if not earlier, and then
we're often running. It's so exciting. I want to thank you. I
didn't know all that was involved.I just knew that it was the most

(10:52):
amazing shopping destination and you just getsuch unique items and all those that it
helps is just is just the iceon the cake. So thank you for
sharing. And I'm glad that youare a big part of it because we
learned a lot and it's just sucha great way to get some amazing Christmas
gifts and give back to the community. Well, thank you, Dana.

(11:13):
It's such an honor and we're sograteful for your years of support of the
market as well. Thank you.It's our favorite, one of the best
prizes that we can give out.When we promote We've got your Nutcracker Market
tickets, people are like, ohmy gosh. So it's just a huge,
huge event for Houston, and thanksfor all the hard work you guys
put into it. Thank you