High Point Fall Market 2019 was, to put it simply, AMAZING! Market was full of inspiration, business talk, celebrities and… powerhouse women!
Before I gush about these women, let me backup a bit… We get asked all the time, “What is
market?” For those of you not in the industry, we’ll explain. ‘Market’ is held in High Point, North Carolina and has been going on for 110 years. 2000 manufacturers from around the world setup showrooms for one week each fall and spring to display their new furniture collections throughout 180 buildings, there’s over 10 million square feet to go through (well, if it was physically possible to go through it all in one week.)
In addition to manufacturer showrooms, the design industry pulls in the best of the best to offer seminars, specialized classes and panel discussions where designers and business owners can learn from each other. There are also your ‘design celebrities’ there too, just doing their thing walking through showrooms like everyone else… and it’s fun to pass by Thom Felicia or Barry Dixon looking at the same gorgeous console table you are looking at. Outside of the industry these names may not be well known, but it’s the same feeling as if an aspiring actress attending an acting class alongside Julia Roberts. Market then adds a night life element as well (which is welcomed after the miles you walk each day.) There are private dinners to be invited to, parties and wine… LOTS of wine!
So back to these powerhouse women… This fall, I went to market with a
different intention than usual: business and marketing! I attend market each spring to look for new vendors and to see everything furniture, but this fall, I received a special invite to attend one of those private dinners hosted by the darling Kate Rumson, founder and editor of The Real House of IG (a powerhouse woman herself!) And because I’m still going through vendors we discovered at Spring market, I focused my time at market this fall in every business class, seminar and discussion I could. And all I can say is, WOW!!!
As a business owner, I have business mentors, I take seminars, go to very expensive coaching retreats, listen to podcasts, call up my local entrepreneur minded friends and soak it all in… and then there are what I have termed as my ‘silent mentors’… interior design business owners that I follow, read up on, and whether it’s a blog post or an article in a trade magazine, I pay attention to every move they are making in the industry and with their business.
Well, I not only got to see them roaming around at market, but I got to literally sit down and
chat with them, attend their seminars where they so graciously gave an intimate and in-depth look into their business, how they hire, how they structure their company, their processes, systems… and I realized that each one of my ‘silent mentors’ that I got to rub shoulders with were women, powerhouse women, a force for so much good, so intelligent, in business and design, so inspiring, so vulnerable and giving.
I came back to my cute little design firm in Scottsdale Arizona recharged and inspired, so blessed to belong to the most amazing tribe of women business owners learning from each other.
