101 S. Hamilton St. Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line) Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Corporate Phone: 336.822.8888
Universal Furniture International, Inc.
Add to MyMarketUniversal Furniture creates quality furnishings for the whole home with a focus on function and lifestyle. The company’s casegood, upholstery, accent and accessory designs are developed under the brand names Universal Furniture, Miranda Kerr Home, and Coastal Living, and sold through retailers and interior designers throughout North America and around the world. Founded in 1968, Universal Furniture is a brand of Samson Holdings, one of the world’s largest vertically integrated furniture manufacturers. For more information, please visit www.universalfurniture.com, or find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest @UniversalFurn.
The Psychology of Selling Luxury
Educational Universal Furniture International, Inc., 101 S. Hamilton St. Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line)
CEU Accredited: New construction and interior design can be challenging undertakings, and the luxury market is a unique niche with many facets. Learn the blueprint to attracting the luxury client, the psychology of selling luxury, processes and communication, and successful installations and relationship nurturing. Measurable outcomes include understanding the nuances of the high-end design process, how to reach and attract high-end clientele, learning the key ingredients to building relationships with wealthy clients, and how to create lasting and positive relationships with your builders, architects, and clients— all through the power of psychology.
Speakers: Tracee Murphy
Designing for Different Generations
Educational Universal Furniture International, Inc., 101 S. Hamilton St. Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line)
Join us in a discussion on the benefits of connecting with all age groups. Appreciating the uniqueness of different generations' preferences, habits, and behaviors curates design success. Panelists will discuss marketing ideas for different generations by embracing design preferences and immersing lifestyle trends that impact design needs and wants. Discover how to create designs for every generation.
Speakers: Jennifer Ward-Woods, Barbara Elliott, Lynne Marvin Lawson, Laura Outland
Double Your Revenues in Half the Time (with Less Effort)
Educational Universal Furniture International, Inc., 101 S. Hamilton St. Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line)
Are you ready to double and triple your revenues in half the time? Flat fees are your fast track forward. Design Business Strategist and Coach Melissa Galt delivers the proven formulas for your design business success. You’ll learn which flat fee to deploy depending on the project, and they can work for every type of project you have. Escape the trap of hourly, ditch the time lost to hourly invoicing, and eliminate the questions clients can ask. Master the key to flat fee success with precise deliverables and the number one phrase you need to avoid scope creep and client changes. You’ll get the formulas, how to sell it, and the path to watching your profits grow in less time.
Speakers: Melissa Galt
Elevated by Design: Build your confidence in selling luxury carpet
Educational Universal Furniture International, Inc., 101 S. Hamilton St. Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line)
Join the conversation as you learn about the latest fiber technology advancements, performance carpeting, construction techniques, and custom capabilities from the senior leadership team at Stanton. Join executives as they share invaluable information on carpet and rugs and what key attributes you should understand when selling high-end carpeting to your clients.
Speakers: Adam Feldberg, Geoff Siebold, Christine Zampaglione
Mastering Profitable Processes with Powerhouse Leaders in Interior Design
Educational Universal Furniture International, Inc., 101 S. Hamilton St. Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line)
Panelists will share their secrets to creating a process-driven design firm that enhances profitability and restores your invaluable time and mental space. In this transformative session, you'll learn to identify when you need processes, how to create them, and how to keep them up-to-date. Discover how streamlined processes can boost your firm's profitability while giving you back the balance and peace of mind that we hold dear. Walk away with actionable strategies to elevate your design practice and reclaim your work-life harmony.
Speakers: LuAnn Nigara, Michelle Lynne, Rick Campos, Katie Decker-Erickson
Fast Track Your Business Growth Without Adding Another Client
Educational Universal Furniture International, Inc., 101 S. Hamilton St. Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line)
Tired of chasing after the next client? These days, nothing comes easy, but design professionals are finding ways to accelerate their business growth. Based on the newly released results from the 2024 Interior Design Business Survey, leading business transformation expert Gail Doby shares the practical and often brilliant solutions other designers are using to map their way through today’s business dilemmas. How are outside factors affecting your clients, your team, and your bottom line? Do you understand how to get unstuck by navigating those changes for better business now and in the future?
Speakers: Gail Doby
Scaling with Sanity
Educational Universal Furniture International, Inc., 101 S. Hamilton St. Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line)
Join us for an insightful discussion on how to scale your business with confidence and peace of mind. Learn best practices and key strategies to prepare your business for expansion. Hear from designers who have scaled their businesses beyond 7-figures on topics such as effective time management, team building, client communication, financial planning, and self-leadership. For solo designers looking to expand or boutique firm owners looking to scale their business with confidence.
Speakers: Salimah Mamdani, Lori Miller, Juliane Mazzarella, Cynthia Bolton-Smith
Using Your Design Contract to Strengthen Relationships and Improve Communications
Educational Universal Furniture International, Inc., 101 S. Hamilton St. Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line)
CEU Accredited: Attorney Wendy Estela will provide an overview of the key provisions you need in your design contract to ensure you maintain control of your client relationships, get paid on time, protect your intellectual property, and avoid disputes and misunderstandings. She will teach the necessary basics, including clauses that will protect you in worst-case scenarios and bolster your social media presence to further grow your brand. You'll also learn how to negotiate with your client upfront, which will create a solid foundation for a healthy professional relationship.
Speakers: Wendy Estela Esq.
Bridge the Sustainability Gap
Educational Universal Furniture International, Inc., 101 S. Hamilton St. Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line)
The sustainability conversation needs a reboot. All too often, it feels like an all or nothing proposition. Either you’re in the green club or you aren’t. You have a certification, or you don’t. But the reality is that many businesses operate in between, contributing to the sustainability of the planet where they can. The conversation needs to have a wider audience and a wider acceptance of what it means to be part of the sustainability story. This discussion will help you understand what sustainability can mean for interior design and how you can start making positive changes for a greener future.
Speakers: Jerri Hobdy, Lucy Penfield, Jules Haines, Janine Wagers, Diane Falvey
From Stuck to Unstoppable: Overcoming Burnout for Service Driven Creators
Educational Universal Furniture International, Inc., 101 S. Hamilton St. Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line)
Ever found yourself tirelessly working, feeling stuck, and wondering why the creative spark seems elusive? The biggest block to success among Creators rarely stems from a lack of effort or talent. More often, it's an invisible force that holds them back, and that force is burnout. The result? A creativity-crushing burnout that hinders problem-solving, effective teamwork, opportunity attraction, and decision-making. In this interactive workshop, we'll tackle this challenge head-on.
Speakers: Ginna Christensen
How to Invest Wisely in Your Business
Educational Universal Furniture International, Inc., 101 S. Hamilton St. Neighborhood: Commerce Concourse Shuttle Stop: 15 (Red Line)
Join Business of Home's Kaitlin Petersen, Susie Novak of Susie Novak Interiors, Beth Diana Smith of Beth Diana Smith Interior Design, Swati Goorha of Swati Goorha Designs, and Christina Samatas and Renee DiSanto of Park & Oak for an engaging discussion about the best investments designers have made in their businesses. From moving into an office to hiring a creative agency, outsourcing public relations, and even opening a cocktail lounge, they'll share which moves yielded the biggest returns and how they measured the ROI. If you want to learn how to make the best use of your resources, you won't want to miss this conversation.
Speakers: Christina Samatas, Kaitlin Petersen, Beth diana Smith, Susie Novak, Swati Goorha, Renee DiSanto