by Why mentorship matters more than ever
Last week, I attended Las Vegas Market (as I have for three years now), and I was enjoying dinner at an after-hours networking event. The person I was sitting with, who was around my age, pointed out that we were among the youngest people in the room. They said to me, “Where is the next generation?”
That question stuck with me. I’ve been an editor in the furnishings industry since 2021. Currently, you know me as the retail editor of Home News Now and Bedding News Now, but previously, I was the senior editor of Sleep Savvy and BedTimes magazines. Before that, I was the associate products editor for Hospitality Design magazine. These jobs have brought me to trade shows all over the world, from Valencia, Spain, to Cologne, Germany, to Las Vegas.
No matter where in the world I am, when it comes to work, I’m usually one of the youngest people in the room. There’s nothing bad about that, as I have learned an invaluable amount from those who are older and wiser than me, and I welcome every opportunity to learn. I believe as long as you’re alive, you can and should be learning something new. I hold my own, but I can’t help thinking about the future.
Our industry needs to nurture the next generation for its own growth and sustainability, yes, but the retail industry creates a unique and transferable set of skills. Stuart Machin, CEO of London-based retailer Marks & Spencer, recently said that “retail is a powerful engine of social mobility,” because it can often give young people a crucial opportunity to enter the workforce.
Within the retail industry, careers are plentiful and varied. It’s like the retail industry holds a version of every other industry within it: advertising, designing, editorial, merchandising, technology and sales.
In the rapidly evolving retail landscape (agentic artificial intelligence, virtual showrooms and the age of hyper-personalization), it’s even more imperative to attract new and young talent for their fresh ideas and perspectives. While I think there could certainly be more young professionals in retail — we exist — I think an even greater opportunity is providing additional support, so that those who do come to this industry, stay.
In January, the National Retail Foundation Honors took place, celebrating industry leaders, highlighting talent, awarding student scholarships and raising $2.7 million to fund the NRF Foundation’s career development program and resources. That’s a phenomenal engine to help young professionals in retail.
But I think what we also need more of is dialogue and connection with one another. Whether that’s roundtables at events like High Point Market and Las Vegas Market, or more mentorship, like WithIt’s mentor matching program, designed to help those in the home furnishings industry grow their career, which I went through last year. (I highly recommend it).
While official mentorship has its time and place, I also think industry veterans and newcomers could benefit from more unofficial mentorship, too. That is, keep an eye out for standout talent and nurture them when you can. I have several people in the industry who have taken me under their wing, and my gratitude toward them is boundless. Think of it as a two-way street; they helped me settle into the retail industry, kept me here, and as I grow in my career, I’m able to help in return with various projects or connections.
Such is the circle of life, and it makes a stronger and more innovative industry for all of us. Almost weekly, I hear how much so many love being in the retail industry because of the incredible people who comprise it (because I either say it myself or hear it from someone else). I think another way to attract talent is simply spreading the word, signing up for speaking engagements and volunteering with organizations like WithIt and the National Retail Federation.
Whether as a professional or as a consumer, retail touches so many lives. By helping to shape the next generation, we are also helping to shape ourselves and our industry for the better.
