Trade Show Business Pack up your business and hit the road--it's trade show time.

Sue Sullivan and Carol Bosworth never dreamed their Sweet Heat Chipotle sauce would someday be distributed in stores nationwide. But now, the sauce they created for a catering gig can be found in specialty stores across the country and in Canada.

Hot Squeeze founders Sullivan, 46, and Bosworth, 60, found that getting the word out at trade shows was a key part of their Atlanta-based business' success. When they attended the New York Fancy Food Show, they met a variety of retailers and amassed a list of contacts that helped them land their first regional distribution deal with Whole Foods. They also learned the differences between buyers and brokers and discovered the benefits of being a woman-owned business--including waived slotting fees at Kroger.