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WITHIT EVENT CALENDAR
| Saturday,
Oct. 16
Industry Mixer
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm, Phillips Collection Showroom
IHFC C202
Join us for conversation, wine and hors d'oeuvres.
Sunday, Oct. 17
WITHIT EDUCATIONAL BREAKFAST
"Organically Inspired:
Referencing the Natural World Beyond the Window
in the Modern Interior"
Barry Dixon, Barry Dixon, Inc.
7:30 am - 9:00 am, IHFC Green Wing,
11th Floor, International Ballroom
RSVP required hallred@ihfc.com or www.withit.org.
Monday, Oct. 18
WithIt Trends/
Competitive Intelligence
6:00 pm - 8:30 pm, Outerlimits Showroom,
220 Elm, #311 - RSVP www.withit.org
Industry experts explore the hits and misses of market during this interactive session. Join us for food, drink and conversation.
Wednesday,
Oct. 20
WithIt Student Mentoring
8:30 am Meet at Century Courtyard -in the tent, Historic Market Square, West High Ave
12:00 pm Luncheon and presentation
Palliser Showroom,
220 Elm, 4th Floor
Volunteer to mentor - www.withit.org
Friday, Oct. 29
WithIt National Membership Day
Check Facebook page throughout October for more information.
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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
| A special welcome to New Corporate Member
Wray Ward
Annie Balonick
LPK International, OH
Christy Day
Christy Day Designs, NC
Jennifer Franklin
Valdese Weavers, NC
Kim Knopf
Innovative Mattress Solutions, WV
Linda Lane
Linda Lane Design LLC, NC
Kent Panther
Wray Ward, NC
Megan Pecoraro
Four Hands, TX
Sally Simerson
Sally Simerson Inc., CO
Tavia Stearns
Goods Home Furnishings, NC
Heather Tamol
Wray Ward, NC
Amanda Williams
Wray Ward, NC
Cindi Williams
Western Home Furnishings Assn, CA
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| WITHIT SPONSORS | 220 Elm
Adesso, Inc.
AF Lighting
American Home Furnishings Alliance
American Leather
AmericasMart, Atlanta
BDI
BioH®/Cargill
Brand Communications
Circle Furniture
City Furniture
Company C
Country Living Magazine
Cohen Tauber Spievack & Wagner, P.C.
Dallas Market Center
Dovetail Alliance Inc.
Four Hands
Frinier LLC
Furniture Brands International
FurnitureDealer.net
Furniture/Today magazine
Gefen Productions
Geographics Inc.
HB2 Resources
Hickory Chair
Home Furnishings Business
Dreamfit
Human Touch
IHFC
Info Retail
Judy George Int'l
Leggett & Platt, Inc.
Lexington Home Brands
Loeffler Ketchum Mountjoy
Mackenzie Rae LLC
Merchandise Mart Properties Inc., High Point
Natuzzi Americas, Inc.
Palliser Furniture
P.D. Design Studio Ltd.
Phillips Collection
Planned Furniture Promotions, Inc.
PROFITsystems, Inc.
Rowe Fine Furniture
Safavieh Home Furnishings
Sligh Furniture Company
Smith Leonard PLLC
South of Seventh Avenue/Dress Code
Starmount Home Furnishings/Nautica
Sunbrella
Sustainable Furnishings Council
The Media Matters, Inc.
Theodore Alexander USA
Thomasville Home Furnishings of NJ
Valdese Weavers
ViewIt Technologies
Wheby Associates
WhipSmart Creative, Inc.
World Market Center Las Vegas
Wray Ward
Wright of Thomasville
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Join Our List
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| NATIONAL EVENTS | |  High Point Market
Barry Dixon, the admired interior designer and green home products devotee, will headline WithIt's events at High Point Market, Oct. 16-21. The popular competitive intelligence segment will return, too; this season, five panelists will explore issues affecting the high-end and luxury home and furnishings markets. A mentoring session for aspiring home furnishings professionals and a compelling raffle are on tap, too.
Dixon's presentation, "Organically Inspired: Referencing the Natural World Beyond the Window in the Modern Interior" will explore organically inspired elements in residential interiors, and explain how and why homeowners respond to natural materials. The event, which will be held 7:30-9 a.m. on Oct. 17, is free, but reservations are required. Secure your seat by sending a message to hallred@ihfc.com or www.withit.org.
The fall 2010 Competitive Intelligence is free to High Point Market attendees, too. This year's event will be held 6-8 p.m. on Oct. 18 in the Outer Limits showroom, 220 Elm, space 311. The panel, to be comprised of a color trends expert, a manufacturing executive, a retail professional, a product designer, and a sales representative, will be announced soon.
WithIt's popular mentoring session, which acclimates students enrolled in home- and furnishings-related majors to the High Point Market campus, will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 20 at the Century Courtyard (in the tent), Historic Market Square. If you would like to be a mentor during market, contact Sara Lyke at director@withit.org.
Don't forget to buy your WithIt raffle ticket during the High Point Market! One lucky winner will win a luxury getaway for two, including first-class airfare, ocean-view accommodations for four nights at Pebble Beach Lodge, three rounds of golf or luxurious spa treatments, and much more. Buy your tickets now. Only 500 tickets will be sold, so the odds of winning are good and the tickets will sell quickly!
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NETWORKING
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WithIt is revving up for its first annual national membership drive. A number of invitation-only regional events will be held throughout the month of October, including wine tastings, a spa day, intimate lunch gatherings and more. For more details about events being held in your region, visit WithIt's Facebook page throughout October for more information. Be sure to "Like" WithIt's Facebook page once you've logged in to your personal Facebook account. Then, WithIt's updates will appear in your newsfeed.
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| AWARDS | |  2010
WOW Finalists
WithIt salutes its 2010 WOW Awards finalists, all of whom were honored during a ceremony held Aug. 18 at the Renaissance Suites Hotel in Charlotte, NC. Nine awards in six categories were given; a four-way tie among all finalists in the Future Leader Award category boosted the number of honors given this year.
 | | Jay Reardon, Hickory Chair; Kathy Wall, The Media Matters, Inc.; Kaci Prunty, Tempur-Pedic; Julie Phillips, The Phillips Collection; Kristin Hawkins, Broyhill Furniture Industries; Rene Crosby, Four Hands; Vanessa Northrop, City Furniture |
Rene Crosby, senior account executive, Four Hands; Kristin Hawkins, new product development stage gate manager, Broyhill Furniture Industries, a subsidiary of Furniture Brands International; Vanessa Northrop, marketing director, City Furniture; and Kaci Prunty, retail marketing manager, Tempur-Pedic North America, LLC, received a 2010 Future Leader Award.
"In the midst of an extremely challenging business environment, each of these four individuals has accomplished great things," said Dawn Brinson, vice president of marketing for The Media Matters and the master of ceremonies for the WOW Awards. "Each Future Leader Award recipient has pulled a company--and an industry--upward into the opportunities of the present. And each has pushed a business even further forward into possibilities of the future."
Kathy Wall, president, The Media Matters Inc., earned the 2010 Mentoring Award, which acknowledges advocacy, development and/or promotion of women in a home and furnishings business.
F. Jay Reardon, president, Hickory Chair, was named recipient of the 2010 Education Award, which recognizes efforts to educate associates, retailers or consumers about the home and furnishings segments.
 | | Catherine Frinier, Frinier LLC |
Catherine Frinier, principal and managing partner, Frinier Atelier, was named the 2010 President's Award recipient.
"Some people say there is no 'luck' in this life, only hard work," Frinier said when she learned of her honor. "Yet, I have found that my good fortune always follows making the right choices and surrounding myself with the best of the best, as I have certainly been able to do while supporting the WithIt organization, its fine members and worthy causes. I am completely overwhelmed and humbled to receive this distinguished President's Award."
Mary Frye, president, Home Furnishings Independent Association, was honored with the 2010 Chairman's Appreciation recipient.
Julie Phillips, vice president and co-founder of the Phillips Collection, was presented with the 2010 Legacy Award. The honor recognizes Phillips' professional achievements and significant lifetime contributions to the home and furnishings industries.
"Julie is original, tenacious, sensitive to nuance and passionate about quality," championed Mark Phillips, Julie Phillips' husband and business partner. "She has won best showroom awards in every city she has worked, including High Point, Las Vegas, Dallas and Singapore."
Lastly, Cindy Williams of InfoRetail and Beth Sweetman of Furniture Brands Intl. were appointed WithIt Ambassadors during the WOW Awards ceremony.
Details about the 2011 WOW Awards nominations deadline and ceremony will be available at www.withit.org next spring.
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| EDUCATION | | Annual Conference Recap
Excitement at WithIt's annual education conference was palpable as more than 160 attendees gathered last month in Charlotte, NC, for "Leadership2: Take It to the Next Level."
 | | WithIt members navigate the labyrinth of leadership by sharing their stories, said WithIt 2010 President Stephanie Lowder during an annual membership meeting. |
The conference kicked off with a membership update by WithIt 2010 President and Rare Bird Creative Director Stephanie Lowder-individual membership is up 11 percent and corporate membership is up 20 percent from last year-as well as the unveiling of WithIt's new branding initiative.
WithIt's re-branding comes at a time when business and commerce are on the cusp of a creative, innovative, transformational era, according to Lowder. "WithIt has entered a season of growth. So, it's a good time to refresh our business identity to help tell our story and advance our cause. Our new positioning statement clarifies WithIt's unique core competence--leadership encouragement and development for professionals--and the many market segments we serve."
The logo was designed by marketing firm Wray Ward, a creative marketing communications agency located in Charlotte, NC. "We believe our new logo communicates strength and grace, a collaborative business style, and a growing transformational community," Lowder continued. "It reflects the quality of our mission and our membership."
The conference continued Aug. 18-19 with keynote addresses by entrepreneur Emory Austin, Judy George of Judy George International, and Connie Post Benton of Connie Post Global Media.
Each attendee was able to customize her conference experience by selecting from myriad workshops, breakout sessions and round table discussions. Topics ranged from how to increase productivity and reading financial statements to starting a blog and navigating intellectual property issues.
The 2011 conference will be held in Raleigh, NC; more details will be available next spring.
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 | From the leadership conference's opening night networking reception on Aug. 17 (left to right): Sarah Youngblood of Youngblood Interiors, Kelly Galea of Trinity Creative Partners LLC, Bonnie Berry of Haverty's, Carol Gregg of Red Egg, and Catherine Griffith of the Sustainable Furnishings Council.
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 | Left to right: Vicki Payne of Cutters Productions, and Della Croft and Sabrina Rickman of conference sponsor Leggett & Platt.
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 | | Left to right: Peg Whitehurst of Norwalk Furniture; Sarah Callahan, a student at Appalachian State University and 2010 WithIt Scholarship winner; Dana Murphy of The Media Matters; Samantha Peloquin of FurnitureDealer.net; Kiley McAllister of Norwalk Furniture; and Reyna Moore of Norwalk Furniture. |
 | | Recognized speaker and storyteller Emory Austin (left) kicked off the education programming during Leadership 2: Take It to the Next Level, held Aug. 17-19 in Charlotte, NC. Here, she is joined by Cheminne Taylor-Smith of the High Point Market Authority. |
 | | Jerry Cohen of Cohen, Tauber, Spievack & Wagner, shared insights about intellectual property right and other legal issues during a roundtable discussion. |
 | | Can you relate: Idea sharing at roundtables is among the most coveted takeaways from WithIt's annual leadership conference. |
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| PERSONAL GROWTH | | Judy's Journey
 | | WithIt 2010 Education Conference Committee Chair Barbara Miller thanked conference keynote speakers Judy George, Judy George International, and Connie Post Benton, Connie Post Global Media. |
WithIt welcomed Judy George, Judy George International, to the annual education conference. The celebrated businesswoman shared a powerful and humble keynote address that chronicled her career highlights and challenges. George told attendees to keep moving forward, no matter what obstacles arise. Create your own voice, she said, and develop a competitive advantage. Here's how:
* Women who feel more fulfilled live with a sense of purpose and passion, and they commit to ideas and ideals that are greater than the self. Ask yourself: What do you believe in? What stirs your passion? How often do you lend your time and talent to causes, people and concerns that matter to you?
* Solitude gives the soul a chance to reflect. Emotional clarity and inner calm occur when we're alone and able to reflect and think without interruption. Create a discipline of self-care.
* Life is made up of the connections we have to others through work, WithIt and, simply, touch. We, as women, are made for it, yet we don't get enough of it. When we don't, we tend to become isolated and self-worth issues creep up on us. Take time to touch another person's life.
* Create a mental blueprint. As we grow up, we develop perspective and understanding of ourselves. Your blueprint of how things are supposed to be influences how things actually are. So, fill your mind with images of you being energetic, strong, successful and worthy of a good life.
* Identify successful people, past and present, who have the qualities you admire. Use their success to inspire your own.
* Know your strengths and limitations. Know what you do and don't value, and know what is and isn't worth the risk.
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| MARKETING | |
 | | Loeffler Ketchum Mountjoy's Susan Dosier and Donna Forbes shared consumer marketing insights during a breakout session at the 2010 WithIt education conference. |
Consumer Sound Bites
What are the new norms when is comes to marketing to consumers? Loeffler Ketchum Mountjoy President Donna Forbes and Director of Public Relations Susan Dosier tackled the topic during a WithIt educational conference breakout session held Aug. 18:
* We're in a time when human equity is more valuable than home equity, so experience is more important than a product.
* Marketers must recalibrate to reach consumers. How? By deepening existing customer relationships, speaking to the heart of a brand, expanding partnerships into new avenues of acquisition and retention, and experimenting with new ideas for outreach.
* Consumers expect authenticity, and marketers must connect with customers on this level--say who you are and what your values are upfront, and be transparent. "Every piece in a consumer's home can be a social connector," according to Forbes.
* "People are living today in a space between pulls: globalization and localization; individualism and belonging; and materialism and experience," Forbes said. "Know where your customers' priorities lie within these polarizing values."
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| NATIONAL EVENTS | | Luxury Market Redux
Four distinguished panelists shared insights about the luxury market during a WithIt educational event at the summer Las Vegas Market. Kay Lang, Kay Lang & Assoc.; Jennifer Matthews, LUXE Interiors + Design magazine; Lee Lundquist, Robb & Stucky Interiors; and Leigh Mitchell, luxury residential resort consultant, addressed an audience of more 120 attendees.
 | | From left: Leigh Mitchell, luxury residential resort consultant; Kay Lang, Kay Lang & Assoc.; Jennifer Matthews, LUXE Interiors Design magazine; Lee Lundquist, Robb & Stucky Interiors |
A challenging and changing economy impacts the luxury market and how shoppers at these prices prioritize their spending. Here's what the panelists had to say:
Kay Lang: "Luxury shoppers are thinking on a more global level. We've come through a difficult period, so we're seeing different kinds of trends, those that put value on sustainability and durability--the throw-away mentality is going away. These shoppers want options for how we live in the electronic age, and we're in a time when people want special items...there's a new respect for craftsmanship in luxury items."
Lee Lundquist: "Less is more for these shoppers, but they still want luxury. They have to be able to justify going opulent. They can afford to go green and they like to make this contribution. Ultimately, they choose one or two luxury brands [for their home furnishings purchases] and will save elsewhere. When is comes to second, third or fourth residences, they want to walk into these home and have them be done--they don't want a gray shell. It's still their homes and they want to feel a connection to it. As the world gets scarier, home is still where the very wealthy are spending their discretionary income."
Jennifer Matthews: "Value and quality is something we need to convey to luxury shoppers. Why is one product priced more, why is one less? I can't believe the number of wealthy people who don't know where to go for better goods. One-of-a-kind is always unique to the luxury market, and they like the diversity of putting a $100 vase next to a $1,000 product."
Leigh Mitchell: "We're seeing some positive indicators in the luxury market, and we're seeing a more selective luxury shopper. People are much more educated, and we're seeing a trend toward downsizing. As a professional, it's the knowledge of why one product will work better than another that you need to have--and to be able to convey it to your client. We're seeing requests for more beach/seaside Caribbean looks in our properties and colorful bedding. In home furnishings, the care is for quality."
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Have a story idea for an upcoming e-newsletter edition? Submit your ideas to Julie Smith Vincenti, Vice President-Media.
WithIt, Inc.
PO Box 35362
Greensboro, NC 27425
www.withit.org
  
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