Transcript

Mike Garvey (0:01)

Are you ready to kick back and get inspired? Grab your favorite drink, pop the top and join the side Hustle Squad with Mike Garvey. This podcast is the perfect resource for anyone who's already started their side hustle or is just considering taking the lead. With in depth interviews featuring guests from the green industry and beyond, you'll gain valuable insights and learn what it takes to succeed in running a business while juggling a full time career. From personal stories to practical tips, the soc side Hustle Squad podcast has everything you need to turn your passion into a thriving business. Now, here's your side Hustle Squad host, Mike Garvey.

Mike Garvey (0:53)

So let's jump into it. Garvey. What's up?

Nailer (0:55)

What's going on, dude?

Mike Garvey (0:56)

This is me and you with brainstorming. This is. We've been working on this for five, six months now, right?

Nailer (1:00)

Since end of October.

Mike Garvey (1:02)

Yeah, been every day.

Nailer (1:03)

It's been just about. Yeah, I've been bothering you at all hours. Just sending you random text messages and ideas and, you know, being up your ass.

Mike Garvey (1:16)

Well, you know, the cool thing is

Nailer (1:17)

you don't have enough going on already.

Mike Garvey (1:18)

Yeah, the cool thing is I think you and I have different takeaways and, and from us just like plotting and talking and you know, words just come out of your mouth and you're like, oh, like, oh, we, we need to do that, right? What would you call it? You call it a booth takeover, right?

Nailer (1:32)

Yeah, we need to do a booth takeover takeover. And I think that came from. I love what, I like watching what you do. Like, okay, you take everything in. And then on the first day was a lot going on at Conx. Like, it's overwhelming. We came back here strategized, came up with a plan, executed the plan, meeting with brand, meeting with Boots. But then more talking collaboration tomorrow. Oh, we can also offer this, these, this xyz when we go to that, go to this booth. And it won't just be a podcast because we did podcasts in the live booth. In the booth, live podcast. But no, we could also do shoot content and we can bring lighting and we can bring a sound guy and we can bring, you know, Larry the sound man. So like it just give me the ideas. Let's like and then let's execute on them and let's see what works and what doesn't.

Summary

Side Hustle Squad – Ep 318: PodHouse Debrief Las Vegas: What Really Happened Behind the Scenes at CONEXPO

Host: Mike Garvey
Guests: Nailer, Larry, John, others
Date: March 19, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Mike Garvey leads a roundtable debrief with fellow content creators and business owners about their experience at CONEXPO in Las Vegas, focusing on their groundbreaking “PodHouse” collaboration approach. They share behind-the-scenes stories, strategies for maximizing trade show exposure, the power of branding (and “obnoxious” swag), and memorable team-building chaos in their Airbnb studio base. For entrepreneurs in any industry, it’s a lively account of creative evolution, persistence, and executing ideas at large industry events while running a side business.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

The Genesis and Strategy Behind the PodHouse (Airbnb Studio Concept)

Why PodHouse?
- The idea stemmed from the need for a “neutral ground” where content creators could collaborate comfortably, brainstorm, and record podcasts away from the awkwardness of hotel rooms.
- A rented house with amenities and a studio setup enabled team energy and rapid content creation.
- Mike Garvey: “The whole, let's have an Airbnb that we can kick back and relax, have a studio, have someone cooking, and we can really brain dump. That was the beginning of the why this made sense…” ([02:44])
Purpose Expanded:
- Collaboration with brands, content synergy, and creating opportunities for more creators to participate was a key, “tertiary” aim.
- “How do we have this bigger, bigger collaboration…then we all pick from it.” ([03:33])

Booth Takeover: Organic Discovery and Execution at CONEXPO

What Is a Booth Takeover?
- The team would spontaneously visit vendor booths, set up podcast gear, and do live interviews directly in the exhibitor’s environment.
- This approach brought energy to booths, generated buzz, and made interviewees comfortable—contrasting with the formality of fixed podcast or media booths.
The Moment It Clicked:
- “We just need to show up at a booth and put some gear on people if they'll allow us…that's how it migrated.” –Mike Garvey ([07:10])
- The Helmet Booth Encounter:
  - “We showed up…‘Can we put the mic on you and do a podcast?’ He’s like, ‘Yeah, I love podcasts!’...All right, Larry, you handle this…I’ll take pictures…whoa, okay, let’s go.” –Nailer ([07:42])
  - “We created a buzz in that booth…people started coming in. What’s going on here?” –John ([08:20–08:33])
Benefits for Brands and Creators:
- Vendors who were otherwise overlooked suddenly had crowds, attention, and additional leads thanks to the content being created.
- “If you could cause a stir for them…nothing draws a crowd like a crowd.” –Larry ([14:04])
- In-the-moment exploration of products (like discovering a helmet accessory) captured insights that would have been missed remotely.

Gear, Preparation, and Lessons Learned

Managing the Logistics:
- The scale of CONEXPO was overwhelming (“2,000 vendors … 16,000 steps in a couple of hours” –Mike Garvey, [04:27]), and being underprepared with power and batteries proved to be a pain.
- “That’s one of my failures…should have just planned on—I’m gonna make shit happen.” ([13:02])
- Takeaway: This event was a trial run for streamlining gear, standardizing setups, and planning for even bigger events.
Leapfrogging and Scaling:
- The team brainstormed methods for future events—having multiple identical gear packs so two or more teams could parallelize content capture.
- “You have a grip to do stuff, … you leave two people behind, their break down the booth, they get to the other booth, it’s already up, rolling…” ([41:08])

The Power of Branding and Swag

Visibility and Impact:
- Wearing matching, boldly branded sweatshirts (with “chaos” and PodHouse logos) brought instant recognition; other attendees and vendors took notice.
- “The swag we were wearing…it was obnoxious…UFC level…It stopped traffic and people were crowded around the booth.” –Mike Garvey/Nailer ([16:41–17:34])
- “I want to be a nascar” –Nailer ([23:39])
Attention as a Magnet:
- Multiple times, passersby and booth reps approached the team, curious about “PodHouse.”
- “If one person says something, 10 people are thinking it…there was at least 10 people…eyes were turning and asking questions…” –Mike Garvey/John ([19:14])

The Creative Side: Chaos, Team Fun, and Content

After Hours Skit—Team Bonding:
- The team recreated the viral “hands through shirt” skit while making Old Fashioneds at the Airbnb.
- “There was two takes…10 minutes of hilarious laughter and then a couple hours of cleanup…it was a mess.” –Mike Garvey/Larry ([31:18])
- “It's very hard to shut up during that…you're choking yourself…” –Larry/John ([32:19])
Serendipity and Content:
- Important creative moments arose from spontaneous, unplanned fun—made possible only in the collaborative, house-based environment.
- “We wouldn’t be able to get that anywhere else…at a hotel room…most hotel rooms are not going to accommodate it.” –Nailer/Larry ([32:50–33:03])

Setting Culture and Professionalism

Clear Rules, NDAs & Avoiding Past Mistakes:
- Based on past negative experiences with “Hype House 2022,” this PodHouse required NDAs, clear rules, and leadership.
- “We are the boss…here’s the house rules, here’s the expectations…” –Mike Garvey ([35:22])
- “This is not a party house…not a vacation…” –Larry ([35:29])
Professionalism Wins:
- Everyone signed NDAs to set tone and reassure both participants and their families that this was a professional (not recreational) operation.

Timestamps for Notable Segments

| Time | Segment Topic | |----------|---------------------------------------------------------| | 02:44 | Purpose & Origin of PodHouse | | 07:10 | Booth Takeover—organic evolution | | 08:20 | The Helmet Booth Podcast—creating a crowd | | 13:02 | Lessons from poor preparation (batteries/gear) | | 14:04 | Value of small brands getting “buzz” from booth events | | 16:41 | Swag and immediate impact at trade shows | | 23:16 | Upgrading shirts, detailing branding strategy | | 26:49 | The “walking landing page” effect of branded apparel | | 29:08 | The after hours “hands” skit and bonding moments | | 35:22 | House rules, leadership, and avoiding Hype House issues | | 41:08 | Leapfrogging two teams and scaling up |

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

“We created a buzz in that booth…people started coming in. What’s going on here?”
– John ([08:20])
“If you could cause a stir for them…nothing draws a crowd like a crowd.”
– Larry ([14:04])
“The swag we were wearing…it was obnoxious. It stopped traffic and people were crowded around the booth.”
– Mike Garvey/Nailer ([16:41])
“It’s like a landing page in real life. You know what I’m saying? Yeah, it’s like a walking, talking landing page.”
– Larry ([26:49])
“We just need to show up at a booth and put some gear on people if they’ll allow us…that’s how it migrated.”
– Mike Garvey ([07:10])
“This is not a party house…not a vacation. Because honestly, that’s what kind of happened with Hype House 2022.”
– Larry ([35:29])

Final Takeaways

Boots-on-the-ground content creation works—moving quickly, bringing the energy, creating a temporary hub, and leveraging branding can yield powerful results far beyond what traditional static approaches offer.
Planning, professional standards, and learning from past missteps (NDAs, team rules) sets up everyone for continued, scalable success.
Creative chaos and camaraderie fuel productivity and fun, making the grind of side hustling at trade shows a channel for authentic, memorable content.
The “PodHouse” is an evolving concept—next stops include San Antonio, Pittsburgh, and beyond, with streamlined gear strategies and a vision for multiplying the impact across events and industries.

For anyone looking to build a side business or grow your brand through authentic, collaborative content—this episode delivers both the blueprint and the motivation to get started and scale up.

wavePod

Ep 318. PodHouse Debrief Las Vegas : What Really Happened Behind the Scenes at CONEXPO