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, October 13 through Monday, October 16 for 14 can’t-miss events!
101 S Hamilton St High Point, NC 27260
Friday, October 13th at 2PM
Designing for Showhouses
Speakers: Kesha Franklin, Halden Interiors
Rydhima Brar, R/terior Studio
Andrew Suvalsky, Andrew Suvalsky Designs
Everick Brown, Everick Brown Design
Kristin Bartone, Bartone Interiors Byron Cordero
Cordero Consulting – Moderator
Showhouses can serve as a launching pad for designers to showcase their talent and gain recognition within the industry. This panel will delve into the practical considerations faced by designers, including budget constraints, time limitations, and the need to strike a balance between functionality and aesthetics. Join us for an engaging discussion that brings together a diverse group of interior designers from various backgrounds, localities, and showhouses to share their valuable experiences.
Friday, October 13th at 4PM
Behind The Scenes Creating Your Brand, Your Voice, Your Image
Speakers: Antonio Deloatch, Antonio Deloatch Designs
Tina Ramchandani, Tina Ramchandi Creative/Interior Design Studio
Venjhamin Reyes, Venjhamin Reyes Photography
DuVal Reynolds, DuVal Design
Jessica Robb, Robb Media – Moderator
Unlock Your Brand’s Essence: Empowering Panel on Amplifying Your Voice and Image!” Join visionary experts in this captivating discussion, crafting a brand that reflects you and makes an unforgettable impact, igniting a transformative journey of self-expression and design brilliance.
Saturday, October 14th at 10AM
How to Set Flat Rates to Earn More with Less Stress
Speaker: Melissa Galt, Interior Design Business Coaching
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.
Saturday, October 14th at 12PM
The Value Proposition of Market: Cultivating, and Stewarding Diverse Market Relationships
Speaker: Arianne Bellizaire, Arianne Bellizaire Interiors
Joanna Saltz, House Beautiful
Kathy Kuo, Kathy Kuo Home
Ashley Ross, Muse Noire Interiors – Moderator
Our panel will share their experiences, strategies, and best practices for cultivating and nurturing relationships that resonate across a variety of market segments. During this discussion, our panelists will offer practical insight on how they have adapted their market schedule to align with the goals set for their business. You won’t want to miss this masterclass on leveraging every moment the largest international home furniture market has to offer, from planned heavy hitter events, to chance encounters. This launch pad panel is the first installment of a new initiative from DAA’s education and engagement community. Our off-market series aim to level the playing field by closing the business education gap across diverse communities in the industry.
Saturday, October 14th at 2PM
Diversifying Your Revenue Stream
Speakers: Sara Malek Barney, BANDD/DESIGN
Lucy Penfield, Lucy Interior Design
Lisa Brown, Everick Brown Design
LuAnn Nigara, A Well-Designed Business – Moderator
Join us for an insightful discussion between three prominent designers about the ways they diversify their revenue streams in our industry today. From affiliate marketing to investing in real estate, our panel has years of combined experience expanding their sources of income in a variety of successful ways. Session followed by a champagne toast in the Designers Lounge to celebrate the launch of the Designer Alliance.
Saturday, October 14th at 4PM
RUE MAGAZINE Presents: The Brains Behind Cupcakes & Cashmere
Speakers: Emily Schuman, Cupcakes & Cashmere
Geoffrey Fuller, Cupcakes & Cashmere
Kelli Lamb, RUE Magazine – Moderator
The OG of fashion and style blogging–Emily Schuman–launched Cupcakes and Cashmere in 2008 and grew it into a must-read, aspirational lifestyle brand that has millions of visitors to her blog and social media platforms. Joined by her husband Geoffrey Fuller, the brand has expanded into robust e-commerce platforms, bestselling books, licensed product lines and a new luxury candle brand called Lavune. In this rare chat, RUE’s Editorial Director Kelli Lamb talks to the dynamic duo to understand how they built this from blog to bona-fide brand and how they pivot in an ever-changing media landscape. Discover their tricks, tips and insight that you can apply to your own business.
Sunday, October 15th at 10AM
Tell the Truth: What Real Designers Do to Win at Business
Speakers: Cheryl Luckett, Dwell by Cheryl
Tina Ramchandani, Tina Ramchandani Creative
Gail Doby, Pearl Collective – Moderator
Erin Weir, Pearl Collective – Moderator
How do you collect coveted referrals from clients? What tips help take clients’ minds from money-driven to design-loving? Pearl Collective will lead a lively and real-life discussion with interior design pros, Cheryl Luckett and Tina Ramchandani, on these and many other hot-button topics. We’ll also look at the newly-released results from the 2023 Interior Design Business Survey to find how others are rising to the top and how you can put some of these smart ideas into practice in your firm.
Sunday, October 15th at 12PM
Streamline Your Purchasing Processes
Speakers: Peter Mitchell, MM Interior Design Group
Bria Hammel, Bria Hammel Interiors
Kate Lester, Kate Lester Interiors
Rick Campos – Moderator
Purchasing is one of the most important aspects of running a successful firm. Learn processes, tips, and tricks from the experts on how to budget for and streamline your purchasing process and optimize your relationships with vendors to keep your projects running smoothly and your clients satisfied.
· Understanding the full cost of purchasing (ie your time commitment)
· How much time to budget for purchasing and procurement
· Why the best price isn’t necessarily the lowest cost for you
Sponsored by Design Manager
Sunday, October 15th at 2PM
Designing for the Elite: Prep Your Business to Serve High-End Clients
Speaker: Sandra Funk, House of Funk
Ready to take your interior design business to new heights and attract dream clients? Join Sandra Funk’s game-changing workshop on scaling your interior design business and watch your success soar. She will guide you through proven strategies and techniques to effectively scale your business and cater to the needs of high-end clients. Discover how to price your projects for maximum profitability in the luxury market;
master the art of creating an exceptional client experience; and scale your business while doing what you absolutely love.
Sunday, October 15th at 4PM
The New Interior Design Services Pricing Model
Speaker: John McClain, John McClain Design
The design industry is constantly evolving and so should the pricing models of interior designers!
In this detailed and actionable presentation, you will learn brand new ways to: 1) Price your services for guaranteed profit and project pleasure
2) Develop specific types of design services that your clients can choose a la carte to fit their needs 3) Detail the deliverables of your services for project functionality and client satisfaction.
You will leave this presentation armed with all of the methods to start pricing your services profitably, easily, and fairly for all involved while charging your value, in a brand-new and effective way!
Monday, October 16th at 10AM
The Six S’s of Success to Get Published: A Six-Step Blueprint to Help Get You Published
Speaker: Tori Sikkema, Tori Sikkema Photography
Attendees will gain valuable insights into each stage of the publishing process, from crafting a captivating visual story of their design project to submitting their work. If you’re an interior designer, architect, builder or just starting your business, I’d like to help you incorporate my successful workflow into your existing process. For some, rethinking your procedure will be a paradigm shift in how you approach marketing your brand and design projects.
Monday, October 16th at 12PM
Unveiling the Future: The Power of 3D Renderings for Project Profitability and Client Satisfaction
Speakers: Camia Brown, Camia Brown Interiors
Kelly O’Neil, Kelly O’Neil Design
Fernando Duque, Duke Renders
LuAnn Nigara, A Well Designed Business – Moderator
Discover how interior design renderings drive greater project profitability by streamlining decision-making, reducing costly changes, and fostering seamless communication among project stakeholders. Delve into real-life case studies, where renderings have enhanced budgeting accuracy and accelerated project timelines, resulting in substantial cost savings for clients and design firms alike.
Monday, October 16th at 2PM
Marketing for Designers: Tips and advice from the home industry’s top agencies
Speakers: Franziska Neuman, FZK
Jennifer Smiga, Ultraviolet Agency
Molly Schoneveld, The Storied Group
Michelle Peranteau, Katie Brockman & Co
Tori Sikkema, Tori Sikkema Photography
Ericka Saurit, Saurit Creative – Moderator
Designers know that building a successful brand relies on three things: defining a strong message, an investment in consistent marketing across multiple channels, and a PR plan to activate it. Join an interactive panel discussion from top marketing professionals specialized in the home industry as they weigh in on 2024 industry trends and marketing best practices, where to invest your marketing dollars first, and how they’re supporting clients with innovative campaigns. Gain actionable tips and advice while getting to know agency owners with a mission to support interior designers and home brands in growing their business.
Monday, October 16th at 4PM
AI and Metaverse Activations: New Pathways To Profit For Interior Designers, Retailers and Manufacturers
Speaker: Leslie Carothers, Savour Partnership
Artificial intelligence and metaverse activations are the next frontier in digital marketing revenue opportunities for interior designers and home related manufacturers and retailers. Learn how these two technologies can be used together – in ethical ways – to move your business powerfully forward and pave new pathways to profit and publicity in 2023 and beyond.
We hope you join us for a designer focused panel and discussion!
https://www.universalfurniture.com/marketevents
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