What is the one thing that will most impact businesses this year? That’s the question we asked the winners of the ARTS Awards as they came off stage during the gala event Jan. 9. Here’s how they answered:
Jason Phillips of Phillips Collection, which won the Wall Décor award: “Continuing to transform and evolve. I think customers are looking for companies that are dynamic, that are evolving. For us that means more categories. We’ve been dangling the carrot for a while but this year it’s going to happen. We have lighting coming, we have more seating coming. I think our customers are eager to buy more categories from us.
Eddie Maestri of Maestri Studio, who won the Interior Designer award: “I have taken a deep dive into the history of our business, and try to stay nimble and focus on the goal of what I want and what my team wants. I‘ve always stressed to my team for us to pivot and really evolve with our clients and what their needs are even with the news of the economy at the time. That’s the biggest thing this year.”
Brian Kleinberg, who received a Lighting Showroom award for the East region for Elements Lighting + Decor: “I do think there is a movement where people have had experiences — in some cases poor experiences — with the Internet; the sizing, colors, or quality doesn’t match up. I’m beginning to see these disgruntled customers reappearing back into the showroom.”
Martha Graham, who received a Sales Representative award for the East Region: “Housing will affect our business in a big way. In the state of the Florida, we need more houses to be built and have low inventory [right now]. We need lower interest rates so people can purchase homes. When I moved [to Florida, more than 30 years ago], we had 4 million people – now there’s 24 million.”
Maria Mullen of Hubbardton Forge, which received the Green Manufacturer and Lighting Fixtures awards: “On the positive side, I think it’s the product that we bring to market. If you’re doing great work, that helps you. On the more mundane side, it’s the economy. We can only control what we can control. I tell my team all the time: Focus on what’s within your circle of control, execute on that and try not to get crazy about the other stuff.”
Libby Langdon, who received the Product Designer award: “Sharing the value of what I do, what we offer and how I work.”
Mac Cooper, Uttermost, which received the Home Accents award: “I think the consumer will become more willing to upgrade their home, to be first-time homeowners. As interest rates fall, there will be more consumer optimism and that will bring a resurgence to our industry.”
Cameron Feizy, who accepted the Academy of Achievement award on behalf of his father, John Feizy, who passed away last year: “Tariffs – or lack thereof, hopefully.”
Regan Iglesia of Pooky Lighting, which received the Lamps award: “We’ve tried to be strategic about how we grow the business, starting with the Northeast and then focusing on Texas last year. Now we’ll be putting a big effort into the South, including Atlanta, Charleston, Birmingham, Charlotte, as well as addressing Florida. So attacking the next big marketplace … the South is really important.”
Laura Fast of Ivystone, who received a Sales Representative award for the West Region: “I believe the consumers and buyers are settling – not expecting any new normal – but reacting appropriately to every day. If we can all continue to do that and not overreact to anything. My stores and customers and designers really settled into their own vision last year, because they realized that looking to outside influences wasn’t helping a lot of us.”
Neill Robinson, Bernhardt, which received the Accent Furniture award: “Product launches and product development. Newness in the marketplace.”
Jaime Merida, who received a Home Accents Store award for the East region for Bountiful Home: “This sounds weird, but who the hell knows? We’ll take it one day at a time, which we did last year, too, and it ended up great. The challenges this year – we don’t know what they are. It’s predictably unpredictable.”
