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Eric Bello
Partner at Hall of Flowers
Professional Background
Eric Bello is a highly accomplished sales executive with an impressive career trajectory spanning over three decades. Currently, Eric is the driving force behind the sales strategy for Hall of Flowers, a premier trade show that celebrates the intersection of culture and cannabis. As a partner at Hall of Flowers, he plays an instrumental role in shaping the event's success and ensuring that it remains a must-attend destination for industry professionals. In addition to his role at Hall of Flowers, Eric is also actively involved in strategic investments through his company, Leichester Welthorn, which focuses on enhancing opportunities in various sectors. His venture portfolio includes successful engagements with Vitanourish Vitamin Water and CNS Equity, formerly known as Green Heart Oregon.
Before his current endeavors, Eric spent an impressive 26 years with The Interface Group, a company renowned for its wide array of trade shows, including the influential COMDEX (Computer Dealer Expo). His journey began in a company directed by the late Sheldon Adelson, where he found his footing in diverse trade shows ranging from analytical laboratories to square dance conventions. Eric's pioneering spirit led him to spearhead the COMDEX Canada show in Toronto, showcasing his adaptability and foresight in an evolving market. Eventually, his efforts earned him the position of Director of Sales for the esteemed COMDEX Fall event in Las Vegas—at that time recognized as the largest tradeshow in the United States.
Following the sale of The Interface Group, Eric continued to thrive in the events sector as he teamed up with Mr. Adelson again as Director of Sales for the tradeshow group associated with the Venetian Hotel. His contributions were quickly recognized, leading to his promotion to Vice President of Sales, where he played an essential role in expanding the business and solidifying its presence in Las Vegas. Eric’s vision extended beyond local borders, as he took charge of launching the company’s operations in international markets such as Macau, Singapore, and Pennsylvania. His efforts in enhancing the group and convention segment—often referred to as MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions)—have made significant contributions to the destinations he represented, establishing them as world-class venues for meetings and events.
Education and Achievements
Eric Bello's academic credentials are equally impressive, having earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business/Corporate Communications from the prestigious University of Southern California, where he achieved a commendable GPA of 3.4. He further pursued his passion for business at Boston University, earning a Master’s Degree in Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services with a solid GPA of 3.2. This educational foundation not only equipped Eric with essential business acumen but also laid the groundwork for his exceptional ability to navigate the complexities of sales and event management.
Achievements
Throughout his illustrious career, Eric has consistently demonstrated a commitment to excellence and innovation. Leading the sales efforts for industry-recognized trade shows, he has contributed to shaping the landscape of numerous exhibitions. His tenure at the Venetian Hotel and The Sands Expo and Convention Center as Vice President of Sales signifies a pivotal moment in his career, allowing him to impact the hospitality and event planning industry significantly. His strategic vision and understanding of market dynamics have been instrumental in elevating destinations to international acclaim.
Eric's current initiatives with Hall of Flowers and his investments through Leichester Welthorn showcase his dedication to fostering growth and innovation within emerging industries. His extensive experience in sales and leadership is complemented by his ability to connect with clients and stakeholders, ensuring mutually beneficial partnerships that drive success. With a keen eye for opportunity and a passion for the events industry, Eric continues to leave an indelible mark on every project he undertakes.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
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Clay is designed for anyone who values maintaining meaningful relationships. The app is popular among a wide range of industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. It’s even used by half the Fortune 500! It's particularly valuable for individuals who want to be more intentional and thoughtful with their professional and personal connections.
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Clay offers tiered pricing options to suit different needs. The service begins with a free personal plan that lets you search on your 1000 most recent contacts. Clay offers a Pro Plan ($10 when billed annually) with unlimited contacts. Clay for Teams starts at $49/month/seat. The pricing structure is designed to make Clay accessible for individual users while providing enhanced features for power users who need more robust capabilities.
Yes, Clay offers extensive integration capabilities. Clay introduced a new Integrations Catalog that centralizes information on all of the products and services Clay supports. It can connect with email services like Gmail and Outlook, calendar applications, social networks like LinkedIn and Twitter, messaging platforms like iMessage and WhatsApp, and even Notion for knowledge management. Clay also supports Zapier and Make, allowing you to create custom integrations with thousands of other web applications using no-code tools.
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Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
Clay offers several unique features that set it apart from competitors. Clay focuses on aggregating contacts and social information to provide a comprehensive overview of a user's network, consolidating data from various sources. Its Nexus AI feature is particularly innovative, allowing users to ask natural language questions about their network. Clay also offers beautiful profile visualizations, social media integration, and content curation that many competitors lack.
Yes. Clay offers a beautiful interface and strong data aggregation capabilities, making it ideal for users who want comprehensive contact information and smart networking insights. Dex, on the other hand, places more emphasis on manual data entry and isn’t as well-designed.
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