Walk through any successful trade show booth and you can feel it immediately, the space is inviting, the conversation is genuine, and the people behind the table are listening more than they are selling. At North American Coating Laboratories (NACL), that approach isn’t accidental. It’s rooted in experience that started far outside the optics industry.
Many members of the NACL team come from backgrounds in retail, sales, food service and other customer-facing roles. Those early lessons about connection, service, and problem-solving continue to influence how the company shows up for customers, industry partners, and vendors today. Nowhere is that more evident than at trade shows like Photonics West, where preparation meets human interaction, and culture meets opportunity.
Retail Teaches You to See People First
Retail management is an education in people. It teaches how to engage with anyone, how to read a room, and how to create moments that customers remember long after the transaction is complete. One concept that carries directly into NACL’s approach is the idea of “hero moments”, those opportunities to go above and beyond, not just to satisfy a customer, but to leave a lasting impression.
In retail, hero moments might mean finding the perfect outfit for a milestone event or driving a pair of shoes to the airport before a customer’s trip to the Bahamas. In optics, those moments look different, but the intent is the same: understanding the challenge in front of the customer and connecting them with the right solution, resource, or expertise.
At NACL, trade shows aren’t about pushing products. They’re about identifying where someone needs to go and helping them get there.
Relationship-Building as a Business Strategy
Retail also teaches that sustainable success is built on relationships, not transactions. As a selling manager, maintaining momentum meant understanding customers’ goals, earning trust, and staying connected over time. That mindset translates seamlessly into the optics industry.
NACL approaches trade shows with the same philosophy. Conversations start with connection, not a pitch. Visitors are greeted as partners, not prospects. The goal is to listen first because the best solutions come from understanding the real problem behind the question.
This relationship-first approach aligns directly with NACL’s culture, which can be summed up in three words: Here to Help.
“Here to Help” Isn’t Just a Value, It’s a Practice
NACL’s official values, Here to Help, Driven, and Positive Attitude, aren’t just posters on a wall. They show up in how the team prepares for events like Photonics West.
Trade show preparation at NACL is thoughtful and intentional. Meetings are planned in advance. Booth layouts are designed to be open and welcoming. Sample merchandising is carefully considered. Every detail is reviewed to ensure the team has what it needs to be successful.
For those with retail backgrounds, this process feels familiar. It mirrors the seasonal merchandising plans once submitted to regional management where layout, flow, and presentation directly impacted customer engagement. The difference is the product, not the principle.
An inviting booth is the optics equivalent of a well-merchandised store: it signals professionalism, approachability, and readiness to help.
Storytelling That Solves Problems
Retail experience also shapes how NACL tells its story. Instead of leading with technical specifications, conversations are framed around challenges and outcomes. What problem is the visitor trying to solve? What constraints are they working within? What does success look like for them?
This approach makes complex optical coating conversations more human and more effective. It’s not about selling for the sake of selling. It’s about solving problems.
The materials may be different, but the core idea remains: coatings enhance performance, protection, and appearance whether they’re applied to lenses or fabrics.
Listening as a Driver of Continuous Improvement
Retail teaches another critical lesson: follow-up matters. Asking customers how something worked out is just as important as the initial interaction. At NACL, that same listening mindset influences continuous improvement.
Feedback gathered at trade shows doesn’t end when the booth comes down. Conversations with attendees often spark new projects, process improvements, or refinements to how NACL supports its partners. What the team hears on the show floor helps shape what comes next in the lab.
This feedback loop of listen, learn, and improve is a direct extension of retail thinking, and it’s a key reason experience continues to drive innovation at NACL.
Experience as a Competitive Advantage
At Photonics West and beyond, NACL’s strength isn’t just technical expertise it’s the collective experience of its people. By leveraging lessons learned in retail, sales, food sales and customer service, NACL creates meaningful connections, builds trust, and positions itself as a reliable partner in the optics industry.
That blend of human experience and technical excellence defines NACL’s culture and employer brand. It’s why the company continues to evolve, improve, and show up with purpose.
Because in the end, whether you’re helping someone build a wardrobe or solve an optical challenge, the goal is the same: understand the need, create the connection, and deliver something that truly works. And that kind of competitive advantage never goes out of style.