The FAM Podcast with Mark Kinsley

"Everything you do, you'll do better with a goodnight's sleep. " - Author Unknown Today's episode is long awaited. For the better part of a decade, Quinn and Kinslsey have dreamed about the concept of a sleep summit. A place where the world changers, the action takers and the best and brightest minds in the furniture, mattress and appliance industry would gather together to share ideas, brainstorm...

Do you want to offer sustainable solutions to your customers, but don't know where to start?  On today's episode, Kinsley and Quinn sit down with Kate Caddy, Manager in Sustainability for the International Sleep Products Association and the Mattress Recycling Council, to discuss sustainability as it relates to the upcycle and recyling of old mattresses. She touches on the current legislation that...

Don't be the guy who doesn't know, what he doesn't know. In partnership with Snap Finance, The FAM conducted research into the buying habits, expectations and mind of the intended buyer. What is an "intended buyer?" It is customer in the market place who wants to buy a product or service, but isn't fully ready to commit until thorough research has been completed. What is the "intender" looking for...

10,000 people per day are turning 65. This makes the baby boomer generation the largest demographic with disposable income...to the tune of 8 billion dollars.  On today's episode, Quinn and Kinsley host, Mary Van Orman, Director of Project Strategy for Dawn House, the wellness division of Ergomotion. In this episode, Orman discusses the habits and expectations of this aging generation. Gone are th...

Quit leaving sales on the table.  On today's episode, Ed Haluska, Chief Commercial Officer for Genesis Credit joins Mark Kinsley and Mark Quinn to discuss the forgotten consumer. In the world of financing, people are segmented into different camps based on their credit scores and often times, consumers with middle tier credit scores are being denied financing options just because life happened. Th...

Brooklyn Bedding went viral before "going viral" was thing.   A one time Amazon ad turned into a 9 month phenomenon that made Brooklyn Bedding the household item to own.    On today's episode, Mark Quinn and Mark Kinsley sit down with Brooklyn Bedding CEO John Merwin and discuss the early days of his entry into the mattress industry. From his brother purchasing a Wonder Bread truck and selling ite...

Who are you putting in front of your customers?  Do you really know the person who represents your company?  On today's episode, Quinn and Kinsley discuss the person of the key account representatives. The one person who could earn you (or cost you) millions.  They address what a business may need in their rep and how that need may differ from what buyers want from the rep, and ultimately, how the...

Picture this: a customer walks into your store needing a specific product. You don't have it, but the store down the road does.  What do you do? If you're Nordstrom, you tell your customer to go shop for a few minutes and when they return the product awaits them on the counter. Seems like a maneuver only a major retailer could pull off, right?  Wrong. In today's episode, Quinn and special co-host,...

Have you seen Top Gun Maverick? It's the much anticipated, long awaited sequel to the 1980's Top Gun; only this go round, the movie has grossed over 1 billion (with a "B") dollars to date! As Quinn and Kinsley settled in to enjoy their popcorn, they took notes on how many of the lessons from the movie apply to independent retailers.  On today's episode, they discuss: Your enemy knows your playbook...

What do celebrities William Hung and Miko Hughes have in common?  They both played in the 2022 Vegas Market Celebrity Poker Tournament hosted by Ante4Autism .  The annual fundraiser, founded by Doug Krinsky in 2009, has raised over 1 million dollars to date. This year, celebrities and industry veterans alike played alongside one another to help raise almost $140,000. The winner, American Idol cele...

What do you do when your best friend, your business partner and podcast co-host gets a grown-up job at the largest mattress retailer? Celebrate him with a huge toast & roast in Vegas, baby! This week, Quinn and Kinsley recap Vegas market: who is winning, what is coming down the pipeline, and what can you expect for Fall 2022 and beyond. They also discuss key topics about how to help manufactur...

It's not easy being on the forefront of cunning innovation and change, but Leggett and Platt are doing it with confidence and skill. On today's episode, David Eidson, Vice President of GSG North America Sales and Paul Block, President of Sales GSG, of Leggett and Platt join Quinn and Kinsley to discuss the new XT9 machine and how L&P is navigating a glue-less world. They also touch on automati...

What happens when an upscale cookware and kitchen accessories company acquires a visual transformation and technology company? If you're Outward Inc., you become one of the premier visual storytelling companies for retailers across the globe . Outward Inc., started in the typical Silicon Valley-esque fashion before being acquired by Williams-Sonoma and added into their portfolio of brands. On toda...

Trent Ranburger is no longer the President and CEO of Trent Bedding. The rumors are true. Trent Ranburger, the founder of Trent Bedding, located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, is stepping down from the business he built. And in doing so, he's showing the industry that you can still be a part  of  your business without working  in  your business. In today's episode, Trent discusses the factors that le...

Do you prefer boxed wine or boxed beds? No, it's not a trick question because we hear both are making a comeback.  On today's episode, Quinn and Kinsley are chatting industry disruptor: Bed in a Box, or more informally, mattresses in a box. King size behemoths compressed to postage size boxes and shipped to eager consumers. They discuss: - the benefits,  - the economics,  - how other major players...

Would you rather be laid off with severance or receive a reduced work schedule and a reduction in pay? Most would likely choose the reduced work and pay, but is that always the smartest decision? On today's episode, Kinsley and Quinn dissect the recent restructure (aka: headcount reduction) of Nectar and compare it to the Sequoia Capital strategy: in the face of downward trends, react hard and fas...

Are Mark and Mark breaking up? No, but Mark Kinsley is co-hosting a new show and Mark Quinn isn't his trusty sidekick. In this episode, the guys chat the launch of the new FAM Marketing Show. It's a snackable, 15-minute-or-less podcast designed to give retailers and brands marketing tips and tricks they can enact right away. They discuss the concept of the show, introduce a few co-hosts that have...

Today on the Dos Marcos Show, we chat with Justin Trombo, President of BedTech Midwest, about his journey from being an RSA to becoming the founder of a premier adjustable base company. We chat about the struggles of entrepreneurship, how Justin and his consulting company are helping others build strategies and visions for their business, and how BedTech works with their partners to help retailers...

Picture this scenario: you're a successful furniture and mattress retailer with a thriving staff and you're well known in your community. Life is good. Then you get the infamous diagnosis you weren't expecting. Cancer. Maybe it's you, your spouse, or your child. What do you do when real life interrupts your business? Today, we sat down with Trent Ranburger, owner of Trent Bedding in Bowling Green,...

Inflation. It's now a household word. Whereas, pre-2020, few people knew or understood the ramifications of "supply chains." Now, it is a common response to every backlog in every industry worldwide. Add in increased gas prices, energy prices, grocery bills and now, formula shortages, and people are understanding just how much quickly rising inflation can impact their day to day lives as well.  In...

Are you dying a slow death by being caught in the muddy middle? The middle. It's the space between no one walking in and foot traffic so fast, your door never has time to lock. On today's episode, we're chatting being consistent (with a special shoutout to Nick Quinn for giving us the best example of how hard work and consistency pays off), measuring your value add and how to communicate effective...

Are you prepared for the summer slump? You know the one we are talking about. The one where summer sales slow to a glacial pace because everyone is spending money on vacations, summer activities, and not on their home or their sleep. In this episode, we are tackling the slump head on, and challenging you to do things you have never done before. We're pulling ideas out of the Amazon bestseller Come...

Do you know how to tap into the buying power of the bride? If you don't, this is the season to learn. It has been said that 2022 will see more weddings than have been held in a single year since 1984! Why? Covid19. Weddings have been on hold for the past two years and bank accounts have been stacking up. Now with an endemic in site, people are making good on their long-overdue weddings and the mat...

Does the interior of your home affect your health? For better or for worse? Today on the Dos Marcos show, we are joined by Mike Peterson, President of Visionary Design Marketing and Linda Kafka, Co-Founder of Livable Environment, who are the founders behind the Science in Design summit happening in ten locations across the United States starting on April 21st, 2022.  In this episode we're discussi...

Today's episode of the Dos Marcos Podcast is a special one highlighting the service of Mark Quinn in the mattress industry. The now-former Vice President of Sherwood Bedding has been hired as the new Vice President of Merchandising for Mattress Firm. In this episode, we discuss Quinn's history in the industry, pay homage to his achievements, and talk about the transition from private brands to a n...