WHFA

Topic to focus on Generation2Generation

Coming off the success of their Las Vegas Market Chatter Over Cocktails, the Next Generation-NOW group has announced it is hosting its first online NGN Huddle on August 22 at 11 a.m. PDT. NGN Huddles are the perfect place for members to learn and grow, straight from their computer.

The first NGN Huddle, Generation2Generation will offer advice from two successful retail stores on how they are handling the generational transition. The skills and knowledge passed from generation to generation can help businesses grow, succeed and thrive—but the transition between generations isn’t always a simple one. Family-business owners from Gates Home Furnishings, Grants Pass, Ore., and Coconis Furniture, South Zanesville, Ohio will be on hand to answer questions provided by the Next Generation-NOW membership. Both stores currently have two generations working side-by-side.

“There is always so much you can learn from talking to others, and this first NGN Huddle will focus on an issue that many of us are dealing with in the industry. Succession of a business isn’t easy. I am excited to share our businesses’ success when it comes to transitioning from generation to generation. My dad transitioned into the business in 1977, and has built a successful business for me to continue,” said Nick Gates. “I know that Coconis Furniture has also had great success at surviving multiple successions over the last 85 years. I have already learned so much from the Coconis family, and I know attendees will too.”

Utilizing the next generation’s tech-savviness, the NGN Huddle will be conducted through Google Hangouts and social media. To attend, members simply create a profile on the Next Generation-NOW social site at social.ngnow.org, log-in and then they can start watching the panel discussion live. To ask questions, members simply post to the Social page’s wall, or Tweet @ngnow on Twitter.

Through community, education and outreach, Next Generation-NOW is an incubator for those new to the industry; informing and encouraging while learning from those who have years of experience to share. It is a hosted community of the National and Western Home Furnishings Association. To sign-up for Next Generation-NOW Social page, visit social.ngnow.org. For more information, visit www.ngnow.org.

Mentoring from Kerry Lebensburger, Ashley Furniture Industries, Inspires All 

Next Generation-NOW hosted its Market Chatter Over Cocktails during the Las Vegas Market and saw over 100 attendees there to speed network and listen to the sage advice of industry veteran, Kerry Lebensburger, Ashley Furniture Industries.

Kerry shared his story of coming into the family business in 1969, where he became a buyer over lunch. “A rep came in and told my father, ‘You’re too old to buy contemporary furniture for the store, and I am too old to sell it, let’s have the young kid do it’, and at lunch, I became a buyer,” he said.

He continued to share how every generation thinks they are faced with horrible changes, and when he was a retailer in 1972, he attended a conference put on by Furniture Today and the National Home Furnishings Association called Debut 72. During this conference, attendees were told they had to prepare for the future, because companies like Levitz, Breuners and Ikea were coming on board. From this event, a group called Young Executives was formed to gather the next generation together and create a successful future for the industry. Today, similar challenges are facing the industry and a new group of young executives are gathering to form Next Generation-NOW.

“There were challenges in every generation. You are faced with tremendous challenges, but every generation has to overcome the challenges. The way you overcome challenges, there is both a formal and informal way to do that. The opportunities for this generation are tremendous,” Kerry added. “NGN is on a mission. We are going to try and put 300 next generation retailers in a room at High Point. What we are looking to do is get people that you might have heard of them, but you don’t know how to get a hold of them.”

In parting, Kerry said, “I hope you continue to learn every single day of your lives.”

Next Generation-NOW is a hosted community of the National and Western Home Furnishings Association and is an incubator for those new to the industry—informing and encouraging while learning from those who have years of experience to share. Kerry’s full speech can be seen at http://youtu.be/lG5IQVbPXwA. For more information on Next Generation-NOW, or to sign up online, visit www.ngnow.org.

Interested in sponsoring the next generation of home furnishings professionals? Contact Cindi Williams at cwilliams@whfa.org or (800) 422-3778.