by MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — Sixteen member companies that participate in Furniture First’s NextGen group recently completed a four-day, three-night trip to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Serta Simmons Bedding helped to sponsor the retreat and attended to aid in the training sessions. The young retailers worked on developing their leadership skills while enjoying a bit of recreation in the sun and tropical climate. To participate in Furniture First’s NextGen group, individuals must be a part of the current generation’s succession plan.
Two of the NextGen participants on the trip also serve on Furniture First’s Board of Directors, Kyle Deets, owner of Deets Furniture in Norfolk, Nebraska is the current Chairman of the Board of Directors, and Jess Smith, manager and buyer at Talsma Furniture in Byron Center, Michigan, serves as the Vice Chairman on Furniture First’s board.
Several of the working sessions focused on mattresses, a key revenue driver for many of the attendees. Topics such as floor layouts, marketing and advertising, the customer buying process, and how retail sales associates can use Furniture First’s new Mattress 1st / America’s Sleep Specialists Plus models to create a repeatable rest test process. Best Practices and troubleshooting sessions rounded out the sleep-focused sessions. More general topics included staffing challenges, as well as marketing and advertising to drive store traffic.
Leadership and communication skills development were part of the program with several team exercises. NextGen Members competed in groups to complete an art project, in which teams needed to “blindly” describe a furniture item to a fellow team mate to draw. A very spirted Amazing Race style competition furthered the goals of working together to compete.
While not in session indoors, the NextGen retreat attendees enjoyed the tropical climate with poolside networking, and a Catamaran excursion.
“Business is complicated right now. Getting out of the store and away from the day to day operations is useful for those who want to learn how to be better leaders,” said Mack Kauffman, Director of Sleep Products at Furniture First and NextGen program coordinator. “Our NextGen group goes to places where they can relax and connect, and be more receptive to what they learn by comparing notes with others facing some of the same challenges that they do.”
Andrew Kauffman, chief executive officer of Furniture First, noted “If you read the industry news, you’ll see there have recently been a number of stores closing after decades in business. Our goal is to help family-owned furniture stores stay in business, serving their communities. By helping the next generation of retail owners, develop the leadership skills and a network of resources they can draw upon when they face challenges, we hope to help keep family stores, not just stay open, but thrive.”
Furniture First is a national cooperative buying group for independent retailers. For more than 30 years Furniture First has served full line independent retailers with sales over $2 million. Collectively, the group sells $3 billion at retail. For more information on Furniture First Membership, please visit www.JoinFurnitureFirst.com or call 800-411-3477.
Furniture First will be open for Market at noon on Thursday, October 23rd in their four-story building at 336 South Main Street in High Point. The first two floors of Furniture First on Main are occupied by Furniture First with Bread Financial and Knorr Marketing on the third floor, and Vaughan Bassett on the fourth floor. While the Furniture First showroom is closed to non-members, all retailers are invited to visit the Industry Service Center on the first floor where several marketing and service partners have tables to meet with potential clients.
