A Wee Chat With Jordan Gorman, Event Organiser

At the SEC, we're always looking to champion the future of event management and love supporting ambitious individuals. In this case, we wanted to take the time to speak with Jordan Gorman, who turned his passion for trading cards into a Scottish-focused event, using the SEC to host his annual exhibition.

Recanting the success of his event, our chat with Jordan highlighted how important it is for those with a passion to take full advantage of regional nuances, as this can have a big impact on the success of an event. Once again, congratulations Jordan; we look forward to working together on future events!

To delve into the success story that is Jordan's first time bringing his annual exhibition to the SEC, we ran a few questions past him to understand his challenges, successes, and takeaway learnings.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into organising events, particularly trading card exhibitions?

I have been an avid collector since I was a kid and as my hobby grew, more community events started to pop up after lockdown lifted. However, while I loved attending these shows, they were predominantly down in England, and I couldn’t keep travelling.

At the time, there was nothing for the Scottish card-collecting community, and I wanted to change this. I had never run any kind of event; I don’t have any events qualifications, and I was prepared to take a loss to do something for my hobby and community. Luckily, my risk was worth it, and I have learned so much along the way.

Can you share some details about the exhibition itself? What kind of activities and attractions were available for attendees?

The Scotland Card Show is a family-friendly event that focuses on Trading Card Games (TCG) and sports cards. We have vendors that buy and sell the likes of Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh!, and Magic: The Gathering cards. We also run tournaments and learn-to-play sessions at the events, so any skill level can play if they wish.

In terms of sports cards, we are fortunate enough to be sponsored by Topps, who have a large interactive area. This year, it featured the SPFL trophy, a competition to win a signed Scotland jersey, giveaways, and a take-a-card-leave-a-card stall, among many other amazing vendors. We also had special guests doing signings, such as Disney artists and Pokémon voice actors.

How did you go about planning and preparing for this event?

I am so lucky to have great vendors and sponsors who have been with me from the start when the Scotland Card Show was only 300 attendees in a small hall, so I knew I would have an amazing community behind me excited to go bigger. Once the sponsorship and vendors were in place for this year’s big event, I set about developing floor plans and advertising it to the wider community.

From this experience, what were the three most important things you learned about running a big event?

1. Crowd management: This year, we had to learn fast how to cope with a large queue and crowds. The SEC stewards were amazing at helping the team do things in the most efficient way possible.
    
2. Take time to engage: As the event organiser, there is the risk of spending most of the event checking that the front team, vendors, and sponsors are all okay and have everything they need. I do love chatting to the guests to see how they are enjoying themselves and, as an organiser, I think it is so important to take a minute, take a step back, and appreciate the happy faces in the room.
    
3. Have a Plan B for everything: Throughout the planning stages and even right up to the month of the event, we had sponsors and vendors change or drop out. I learned quickly that it was important to have a plan B, C, and D up my sleeve to ensure there weren’t empty tables or areas of the hall.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in organising this exhibition, and how did you overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges was moving from a smaller show of 500-600 attendees to a show of 3000. With this came the long-term challenges of managing timescales and finances of a larger show. Like any business, there are highs and lows, and there will be periods when things slow down, but it’s important not to worry and ensure that you have prepared for the slower months so that everything will be in place and secure for the event.

Were there any unexpected surprises (positive or negative) during the event, and how did you handle them?

This year, we were blown away by the turnout. We were so surprised by the number of people who were queuing up for doors opening. This definitely caught us off guard in a positive way, so next year we are going to be doubly prepared for this.

What was the most memorable part of organising the event and of the event itself?

I love to attend card shows all over the country, and at another show, I got chatting to a family whose son was really into Pokémon but didn’t know where to start. We explained a little more about the hobby, gave away some sleeves to keep his cards nice, and explained that we run a family-friendly show and the times that would be best to bring younger kids. They left with a flyer, and we were so happy to see them in the queue at our show and to see the kids in their element having a good time.

We love to see the same faces and families that have been with us from the start and to witness all the kids running through our doors with the biggest smiles. This year, we had a hilarious group of young boys who sprinted with excitement to get their tickets scanned and chanted “VIP” as they got their goody bags. It’s so great to see families leave with their arms full of goody bags and smiles on their faces.

Why did you choose the SEC as the venue for this event?

For us, the SEC has everything we would need for such a show. It is purpose-built for exhibitions, and every request was met with ease.

How did the SEC contribute to the success of the exhibition?

Everything was professionally managed. Customers commented on the premium quality of the venue. Vendors in particular were really happy with the ease of setup, as they could drive directly to the doors of the venue.

Not only this, but Luke, my Events Manager, went above and beyond, ensuring that everything ran smoothly. The SEC providing an events manager who knows the place like the back of their hand is an amazing service and a big reason why we are returning in 2025.

Were there any specific features or services provided by the SEC that made a significant difference?

In addition to Luke, the branding and digital signage throughout the events campus helped to bring the event together and generate the right buzz as people walked through the door. It was a surreal feeling to see our logo on the big screen.

How do you feel about the overall success of the event now that it’s over?

So far, the feedback has been overwhelming, and we thank everyone who took the time to respond to our requests. We are building on the comments we got from everyone to ensure we have an event next year that tops this years.

Do you have any advice for other young or first-time event organisers?

Take that leap and do it! I had no formal events qualifications when I started, and I learned from my mistakes and successes along the way. Start small, build your community, and do it out of love.