Our Learning Center, located in the Universal showroom, hosts several events each Market.
From panel discussions to lectures, we cover the trends happening now.
Visit the Universal Showroom Learning Center Friday, April 21 through Tuesday, April 25 for 16 can’t-miss events!
101 S Hamilton St High Point, NC 27260
FRIDAY
April 21 @ 10am EST
Bill Perdue
VP of Regulatory Affairs for AHFA
Get The Facts: The CPSC Anti-tip Ruling and What
It Means For Retailers And Interior Designers
Regulatory and compliance issues can be complicated, and there is a lot to know regarding the CPSC ruling, the Study Act and new ASTM guidelines. Join Bill Perdue, AHFA’s vice president of regulatory affairs, as he breaks down the new guidelines and how it affects retailers and interior designers. What are manufacturers doing to address the ruling? When does it go into effect? How will this impact my business? Get the answers to all these questions and more.
Reserve your free ticket here!
FRIDAY
April 21 @ 2pm EST
The Building Blocks of a Firm’s Financials
Featuring:
Traci Connell, Traci Connell Interiors & The Gloss
Beth Bender, The Dove Agency
Join interior designer, business mentor, and founder of The Gloss for Interior Designers, Traci Connell, for an intimate discussion with Co-Founder and Principal of The Dove Agency, Beth Bender, to discuss tactics to streamline the back-end financials of a design firm to pave the way for financial growth and firm expansion.
Reserve your free ticket here!
FRIDAY
April 21 @ 4pm EST
Discover the Art of Design:
Big Cities vs. Small Towns
Featuring:
Marta Mitchell, Marta Mitchell Interior Design Group
Robert Ventolo, Crain + Ventolo
Christian Daw, Christian Daw Design
Moderator: Courtney Porter, Editor-in-Chief of Decor News Now
Where we live affects our experiences and relationships as well as our styles and aesthetics. Whether it is to reflect the energy of a thriving metropolis or to capture the charm of a quaint town, clients have different wants and needs based on where they call home. Join us as we dive into the diverse world of design across the country and take a closer look at how designers from big cities and small towns provide for their clients. Discussions will include: The dynamic relationship between location and design style, wants, and needs; and the unique design needs and styles of urban and rural clients.
Reserve your free ticket here!
SATURDAY
April 22 @ 10am EST
Melissa Galt
Interior Design Business Coach
How to Set Flat Rates to
Earn More with Less Stress
How to Set Flat Rates to Earn More with Less Stress Tired of losing hours each week creating and adjusting hourly invoices? Ready to trade tracking time for earning what you deserve all the time ? Then join designer business coach, Melissa Galt for this masterclass in how to set flat rates with defined deliverables, so your profit is protected and your client has confidence and clarity.The added bonus is you’ll know your cash flow at all times and your client can manage their interior investment with ease.
Reserve your free ticket here!
SATURDAY
April 22 @ 12 noon EST
John McClain
John McClain Design
The New Client Journey: How To Attract,
Close, & Onboard Every Ideal Client
Don’t let that perfect client slip by you! This session will begin with specific marketing methods to attract potential clients, managing the Discovery Call, moving to the Consultation, Design Agreement, and finally, Client Onboarding. Downloads will include: The Discovery Call Guide To Success, The In-Home Consultation Questionnaire, and my Client Onboarding System.
Reserve your free ticket here!
SATURDAY
April 22 @ 2pm EST
Cultivating a Firm Culture
Featuring:
Bryan Yates, Yates Desygn
Lorna Gross, Lorna Gross Interior Design
Morgan Farrow, Morgan Farrow Interiors
Moderator: Laura Umansky, Laura U Design Collective
A design firm’s culture can often be the breaking point between success and a mess. Hear from some of the nation’s top design firm leaders, including moderator Laura Umansky of Laura U Design Collective. They will share how they created and maintained a positive, collaborative firm culture. Attendees will learn how to hire the right team members, tactics for fostering workplace relationships, and how to handle employee conflicts.
Reserve your free ticket here!
SATURDAY
April 22 @ 4pm EST
Sandra Funk
House of Funk
How to Become a Wildly In-Demand Designer
How would your business transform if you had unending potential clients just begging to work with you? I’m going to show you why it’s important to make the shift from being overworked and under-appreciated, to hand-selecting your clients, skyrocketing your profits and joy… while still having a life. After this workshop, you will be ready to: 1. price your projects for profit 2. scale your business while you focus on what you love 3. build a pipeline full of raving, referring, ideal clients.
Reserve your free ticket here!
SUNDAY
April 23 @ 10am EST
Niching in Vacation Rental Design
Featuring:
Ericka Saurit, Saurit Creative
Jessica Duce, J Duce Design
Olaniyi Swarn, J’adore Le Decor
Margie Kaercher, Hearth and Honey Homes
Tatianna Taylor-Tait, Interior Designer
Once you’ve declared your short-term rental design services or specialty, what does it take to build your brand, identify the ideal client, and get hired? Jessica Duce of JDuce Design and Vacation Rental Designers and others reveal what it took to establish authority in this growing and fast-paced design space. Moderated by Ericka Saurit, Saurit Creative with introductions by Jane Dagmi, HPxD.
Reserve your free ticket here!
SUNDAY
April 23 @ 12 noon EST
Interior Design Unplugged: The Blueprint
to Building a Business that Lasts
Featuring:
Michelle Wiebe, Studio M
Tom Wiebe, Studio M
Do 7- and 8-figure annual revenue numbers excite you? Would you like to NOT participate in the recession? Over three decades of owning an award winning interior design firm have given Michelle and Tom Wiebe practical insight and wisdom they want to share with you. Attendees will learn top tips about building and growing a business:
- Client Agreements & Fees
- Client Budgets, Deposits, & Mark-ups
- Assessing Profitability
- Building & Inspiring a Winning Team
- Navigating all Economic Conditions
April 23 @ 2pm EST
Why You Need a Sales Ecosystem
Featuring:
Amber Guyton, Blessed Little Bungalow
Karen Wolfe, K+Co Living
Joshua Smith, Joshua Smith Interior Design
Lance Thomas, Thomas Guy Interiors
Amy Forshew, Proximity Interior Design
Moderator: Nicole Kasak, A Design Partnership
In today’s digital environment, setting up a sales and marketing ecosystem is essential to take your interior design business to greater heights. Composed of eight distinct parts, each component of your system needs to interact with the others to ensure client acquisition and retention. Join our panel of experts as we dive into the specifics of each segment of the sales and marketing ecosystem, and learn about how they support one another to build a flourishing legacy brand that will outperform the competition. Moderated by Nicole Kasak of A Design Partnership.
Reserve your free ticket here!
SUNDAY
April 23 @ 4pm EST
Crossover Interior Design
Featuring:
Stacy Garcia, Stacy Garcia Global Lifestyle Brands
Gary Inman, Designer in Residence, HPU
Kymberlyn Lacy, International Flair Designs
David Santiago, Casa Santi Interior Design
Nicole Baxter, nBaxter Design
Aakash Patel, Decor Boston
David Cohen, David Cohen Brands
Moderator: Charmaine Wynter, Charmaine Wynter Interiors
Classically, crossovers are the perfect marriage of modern design and traditional elements – it’s beautiful when done right. The panelists in this discussion acknowledge that art, design, fashion, and technology speak similar languages. Join moderator Charmaine Wynter as these respected names from residential and hospitality design share how crossovers can positively impact your business. Q & A to follow.
Reserve your free ticket here!
MONDAY
April 24 @ 10am EST
The Big Picture: Sourcing Art Like a Pro
Featuring:
Allyson Monson, Fine Art Photographer
Eleanor Scott Davis, Fine Art Painter
Christine Wexler, Romanoff Elements
Carol Romanoff, Romanoff Elements
Bets Miller, Nest Inspired Home
Moderator: Kaitlin Petersen, Business of Home
Is finding art an arduous task? In a world of infinite possibilities where do you start? Join Business of Home Editor in Chief Kaitlin Petersen as she talks with artists, art brokers and interior designers about the process of sourcing art.
Reserve your free ticket here!
MONDAY
April 24 @ 12 noon EST
Creating a Luxury Look…For Less!
Featuring:
Erinn Valencich, Erinn V.
Megan Molton, Megan Molton Interiors
Kristi Nelson, KM Nelson Design
Moderator: Diane Falvey, Furniture, Lighting & Decor
Top designers share their go-to brands and design tricks for a luxe-space. No matter the budget, it’s never enough- so what are the most important elements to focus on? And which brands do you go to for big impact without breaking the budget? This all-star cast will share successful budget friendly finds and design tips from their most gorgeous projects, including sharing their own designs available at market.
Reserve your free ticket here!
MONDAY
April 24 @ 2pm EST
Ginna Christensen
GC Collaborative
The Power of You
We are constantly under pressure and told how to think, act, and grow our businesses. The only problem is you may begin to doubt yourself. I help clients regain trust in themselves and allow their gut, intuition, creative ideas, and values to determine the way forward. During this interactive presentation, we will focus on one tool: Human Design. Working with three volunteers from the audience, I will walk you through the practical tools this road map provides so that you can avoid burnout while feeling more confident, satisfied, and successful.
Click to volunteer.
Reserve your free ticket here!
Following The Power of You, Ginna will be offering twenty minute power coaching sessions to the first four people to sign up. Click here to claim your spot. Please indicate which time slot works best for you. Sessions will be held in the Designer’s Lounge.
MONDAY
April 24 @ 4 pm EST
Architectural Digest: The Art of the Pitch
—and the New AD PRO Directory
Featuring:
Lila Allen, Senior Editor of AD Pro
Mel Studach, Editor of AD Pro
Join AD Pro Editors Lila Allen and Mel Studach as they spill insider tips for getting your projects in front of editors—and ensuring that they’re seen in their best light. Prepare to take notes as Allen and Studach share intel on pitching your work to journalists, common missteps to avoid, and tips on expanding your reach with AD’s newest tool, the AD PRO Directory. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, this session will help you position your portfolio in a way that entices editors and future clients alike.
Reserve your free ticket here!
TUESDAY
April 25 @ 10am EST
Melissa Galt
Interior Design Business Coach
How to Build a Team and Avoid Burnout
The last two years have seen an intense demand for design and burnout is at an all time high. It’s time to get some help. Master building the right team for your firm with designer business coach, Melissa Galt. You’ll learn whether to outsource or hire locally, tips to make the right hire the first time, how to craft an irresistible job description, and what to pay and how to manage your team. And you’ll know what to delegate to reclaim your time and energy.
- How to Identify What to Delegate to Avoid Overwhelm
- How to Document Your Processes so You Minimize Time in Training
- Where to Find Great Talent Fast Online and Offline
- Key Interviewing Tips so You Hire Right the First Time
- How to Build a Team Online & Offline that You Can Rely on to Build Your Business
Reserve your free ticket here!
We hope you join us for a designer focused panel and discussion!
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