Maui or Honolulu?

At the Anti-Aging Conference in Chicago, I attended the Exhibit hall, where all the various vendors come and show their stuff. Everything from the Botox people to the Chinese homeopathic people and everything (and boy, do I mean everything) in between. One display catches my eye simply because it's bright. I like to think of it as the "Hooters" of this conference because all the "salesmen" are young skinny girls with bleached hair, teeny weeny shorts and equally teeny weeny tops. And their skin is as bronzy orange as the snow is white. For kicks I talk to them, let them put some of their roll-on bronzer on me, tell me about the organic makeup, and fill out a little form to win a trip. I absorb approximately 0% of this, but do remember them as the most outlandish booth at the conference.

Flash forward to Tuesday and I'm in a cab on the way to meet our client. I get a phone call from an Unknown caller. This is usually my dad. I pick up and quickly realize it's not my dad. A man asks me if I remember the suntan bronzer people exhibit from the conference. Yes. And if I remember signing up for a free trip to Hawaii. Yes. Well, he informs me, "I just drew your name out of a hat. You're going to Hawaii."

The first thing I say? "Shut UP!"
Then I scream. In a cab with one of my coworkers mind you.

I get the bare bones details and the dude's number, telling him I would LOVE to talk to him more but I have to go. I call back the next day and get the scoop.

7 days, 6 nights, they pay for airfare and hotel (Hilton). 2 people. Redeemable anytime in the next 2 years. I can choose Maui or Honolulu.
What's the catch? (There's always a catch)
I have to buy their product. I almost laugh when he tells me this but quickly ask how much of their produce I have to buy. $299 worth. Again I almost laugh because, to these people, they think I'm a spa owner or doctor who would have a place to sell this stuff. So of course it's a great deal for me, said spa owner, to get $900 worth of product for a mere $300, plus a trip to Hawaii.

Now, let's talk about opportunity cost here, business woman that I am (becoming). Even if I don't sell any of the stuff they're making me buy, I have a trip for 2 to Hawaii for $300. BUT, because this is sweet stuff (makeup, bronzers, self tanner, lotions), and a whole LOT of it, I can sell it for cheap, enabling my friends to have cool stuff, aaaand break even. Or even better, make a profit (I promise friends, I won't do that, it's just a hypothetical). Or have lots of Christmas gifts already taken care of. Sell it on eBay? The options are endless.

This deal just got even sweeter.

Sign me up Richard.

And now, the only thing left to decide is... Maui or Honolulu?