The Trend Report - Insights on Office Furniture, Contract Interiors & Workplace Design

Send us Fan Mail We explore how design moves beyond aesthetics into systems, platforms, and policies, and how iF Design advances that mission through a global award, a new academy, and a rising sustainability standard. Lisa shares practical examples, from packaging tweaks to AI workflows, that turn intent into measurable impact. Lisa chats about: • Her values-led career path linking business and d...

Send us Fan Mail We sit down with Heartwork founder Karen John to explore how travel, Italian design culture, and a love of craft shaped a U.S. manufacturing brand that treats storage as a culture-building tool. We chat about: • curiosity, travel, and multidisciplinary Italian design • why Heartwork chose storage and makes it in the U.S. • color strategy with Laura Guido-Clark and moving past gray...

Send us Fan Mail Adrian Leal returns to discuss practical steps for starting or improving your content strategy and focusing on authenticity and impact rather than perfection. Resources: Episode 163 - Content + Thought Leadership with Adrian Leal - https://www.sidmeadows.com/episode163 Jay Shetty Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/jayshetty/?hl=en LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shettyja...

Send us Fan Mail Professional development is your responsibility, not your employer's. People who take ownership of their personal growth receive salary increases 2.5 times higher than those who don't actively invest in themselves. • Professional growth requires personal investment - no one is more invested in your career than you • Mastery is never "one and done" - continuous...

Send us Fan Mail Public sector sales represent a third of the furniture industry's market at approximately $4-6 billion annually, offering recession-proof opportunities with transparent purchasing processes and accessible information for strategic selling approaches. • Federal government alone spends about $1.4-1.5 billion annually on furniture • Public sector provides stability during econom...

Send us Fan Mail Join Sid as he and Adrian Leal explore how creating authentic content and establishing thought leadership can transform sales success in the office furniture industry. They discuss how content creation builds lasting professional relationships and personal credibility.  • Building relationships matters more than product knowledge in our commoditized industry • Take the product awa...

Send us Fan Mail Kari Anderson, of the Techbox Creative, joins Sid to dive into the complex world of technology in the office furniture industry, exploring challenges, solutions, and future trends that impact every aspect of the business. • Technology should make our work easier, but disconnected systems in the industry force duplicated efforts • Over 3,000 manufacturers use different software tha...

Send us Fan Mail We are exploring the power of everyday innovation in business, looking at how small, thoughtful touches can transform customer experiences and create lasting value. Innovation creates new value by transforming ideas, methods, or products into impactful solutions The Magic Castle Hotel's "Popsicle Hotline" demonstrates how a simple idea can become a memorable signatu...

Send us Fan Mail Walter Craven created Kabin during lockdown to solve his desperate need for personal space, transforming a cardboard prototype into a revolutionary office product that gives users control over their environment. Kabin is not an acoustic pod but an experience-focused space where users face outward in a throne-like position The unique faceted design serves acoustic purposes for both...

Send us Fan Mail Get ready for a different kind of episode. Rex Miller takes the mic and interviews Sid and three other industry veterans who have united to create The Collaborative Network. This is a game-changing initiative providing structured support programs for small furniture manufacturers. Listen as Rex asks the tough but relevant questions about how this group plans to address the unique...

Send us Fan Mail Natalie Hartkopf, CEO of Hightower, shares her journey in the furniture industry and how this family-founded business evolved from importing European designs to creating their own award-winning Hightower Studio products while becoming a certified B Corporation. • Natalie started with Hightower around 2003, beginning in Seattle before moving to New York • They shifted from purely i...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wondered how to tap into specialized vertical markets that offer substantial growth opportunities? Sara Marberry, a healthcare and senior living design knowledge expert, shares explore the untapped potential these sectors hold for furniture dealers and manufacturers. Listen as she shares her story as well as: Healthcare environments contain diverse spaces including clinical a...

Send us Fan Mail We make nearly 35,000 remotely conscious decisions each day—that's one choice every 1.6 seconds during our waking hours. Each of these decisions has the potential to impact our lives and the lives of those around us in both positive and negative ways. Feel like you've been in a rut? Use some of these tips, tricks, and tactics to help train your brain to see the positive...

Send us Fan Mail Kelly Colón shares her expertise in neurodivergent-friendly design and shows how designing with all brain types in mind can improve spaces for everyone. She challenges the traditional ways our industry approaches built environments, pointing out how standard designs often overlook neurodivergent individuals—and offers practical solutions for creating more inclusive spaces. Listen...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to thrive in the office furniture industry during these turbulent times? Shelley Rosetta, Principal at Solomon Coyle, brings a wealth of knowledge from her journey from bedroom space-planner to dealership principal to industry consultant.  Our conversation reveals how flexibility, operational excellence, and authentic leadership have become non-negotiable qualiti...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when you combine cutting-edge technology with the restorative power of nature? Collin Cavote, founder and CEO of Biome, joins us to share how his company is revolutionizing biophilic design with self-sustaining living walls that require almost no maintenance. From the outside, Biome's products look like beautiful living plant walls. But beneath the greenery lies...

Send us Fan Mail James Strole, founder of Workspace Resources, shares his journey from bank teller to leader in the office furniture industry, discussing pivotal moments, the importance of customer experience, and the integration of AI in business. Listen as he shares valuable insights into how passion, discipline, and effective systems can lead to success in a rapidly evolving market. We discuss:...

Send us Fan Mail Doug Shapiro, the VP of Sales at JSI, discusses the evolution of sales in the office furniture industry, emphasizing the importance of listening and asking the right questions to understand client needs better.  Learn all about his thoughts on the balance of time management in sales, the role of AI tools, and the necessity of being a resource for clients, all while navigating the...

Send us Fan Mail Experience the transformative power of habits. We're exploring four key practices—exercise, reading, journaling, and celebrating daily wins—that propel personal and professional success and why small, sustainable changes can lead to significant outcomes over time.  Join us to: • Explore the impact of habits on personal growth  • Learn the 21/90 Rule for building lasting habit...

Send us Fan Mail Ever felt like life's commitments were pulling you in all different directions? That's exactly where I found myself last year. I was overwhelmed and on the verge of "pod fade."  But now, I’m back, rejuvenated and ready to kick off Season 6 of The Trend Report! Join me as I reflect on our journey since 2020, sharing pivotal moments and memorable conversations fr...

Send us Fan Mail What if building meaningful relationships could revolutionize your sales strategy? Join me, Sid Meadows, and my guest Marianne Hewitt from SalesStar, as we explore the profound impact of relationship-driven sales in the office furniture industry. In this episode, we highlight the mutual benefits of the "give, give, ask" philosophy, emphasizing the importance of understan...

Send us Fan Mail What if merging two industry giants could revolutionize an entire market? Join us as we chat with Amy Edington, Product Manager for Commercial at Cyncly, who takes us through the thrilling creation of Cyncly from the merger of 2020 and CompuSoft. Amy paints a vivid picture of how this fusion resulted in a global powerhouse, expanding their offerings to encompass everything from co...

Send us Fan Mail What if your ability to understand your customers could make or break your career? Today, we uncover a transformative experience from over 20 years ago that reshaped my entire approach to business research. Join me as we explore the three critical C's of business research: customers, competitors, and colleagues. This framework, born from a pivotal project win, can revolutioni...

Send us Fan Mail Can technology revolutionize the office furniture industry? Join us on the Trend Report as we explore this question with Katherine D'Zmura Friedman, Co-Founder and CEO of Thumbprint. Katherine shares her innovative vision of transforming the design and specification process for commercial furniture through a groundbreaking cloud-based platform. Get ready to discover how advan...

Send us Fan Mail Ever feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of decisions you face each day? I'm here to help you navigate the labyrinth of choices with ease and precision. In our latest 10 to Win segment, I break down decision-making into four digestible steps, ensuring you're equipped to tackle anything from the mundane to the monumental.  I'm sharing personal experiences and posing...