EP 224 | The Supplier Perspective hosted by Annie Elliott
June 1, 2021
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The pandemic has not been bad for the interior design field. As we know, the pandemic has made consumers want to improve their homes. That, in turn, has created high demand for interior designers, contractors, and realtors. But what about our vendors and showroom reps? After all, they’re a critical part of your A Team – connecting you to manufacturers, factories, and artisans.
In this episode, Interior Designer and BOD™ Member, Annie Elliott, speaks with 3 vendors on her A Team about their experience over the last year. She’s joined by Debbie Pegher of Century Furniture, Dorothy Myers of Schumacher, and Dean Buchanan of Stark Carpet.
In this episode you will learn:
- The lockdowns affected showrooms for a very limited time. Those who were already advanced online were able to pivot quickly.
- When there are issues with merchandise – broken supply chains, foam shortage, etc. –make sure your vendors paint you a vivid picture of the circumstances to relay to your clients.
- Envisioning socially distanced workers in a NC workroom really helps clients understand that production is affected and delays are unavoidable.
- Not only did demand in general increase during the pandemic, but demand for certain items increased.
Design Intervention
These professionals all agree, the best piece of business advice they’ve received is an oldie but goodie: hire slowly and fire quickly. A fit with the organization’s culture is critical; there are no shortcuts!
About Guest Host Annie Elliott
Annie is a recovering art historian who developed her eye and aesthetic sensibilities studying 20th-century art and working in some of the nation’s top museums.
In 2004, armed with a master’s degree in art history, interior design coursework at the Corcoran College of Art + Design (now part of GW University), and incredible naiveté, Annie opened “bossy color.” Today, the homes created by Annie Elliott Design feature a distinctive, exuberant mix of antiques, art, and modern furnishings.
Annie is an Associate Member of ASID, and her design work and insights have appeared in HGTV Magazine, This Old House, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Washingtonian, The Wall Street Journal, and other publications. NBC4 recently aired a segment about Annie and an interior design project AED did 100% remotely during COVID.
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Legal Disclosure | This podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be used for any legal decisions. Kimberley Seldon Design Group, Kimberley Seldon Productions Inc., Kimberley Seldon Design and Media, Inc., Business of Design™, or any of its affiliated companies or staff is not responsible for any errors or omissions effecting accuracy in any content, and they will not be held liable for the use or misuse of information, facts, details or any other aspects should there arise any defects, errors, omissions or perhaps inaccuracies. Extensive research has been conducted to put this podcast together for the purpose of educating our industry in order to better serve the public. Care has been taken to acknowledge ownership of copyrighted material. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for every situation. This work is offered with the understanding that we do not render any legal, accounting or other professional advice. Seek the advice of a lawyer and/or other competent professional person in all matters of law. Further, listeners should be aware that internet websites mentioned may change or disappear between when this was recorded and when it was listened to.