March 20, 2025 • 61 mins
The podcast episode features Keith Eichenblatt, a renowned lighting designer with nearly five decades of experience, who shares insights into his vibrant career and the evolution of design. He discusses the impact of the internet on the industry, the importance of personal branding for reps, and the value of building relationships with designers and manufacturers.
• Keith's upbringing in a family lighting business
• Transition from retail to representation
• Influence of the internet on product distribution
• Importance of trade shows in the design industry
• Challenges smaller brands face in a competitive market
• Significance of personal branding for industry professionals
• Inspiring stories behind the brands Keith represents
• Vision for the future of the design industry
To learn more about iDesign Lab or TW Interiors, please visit twinteriors.com.
Learn more at:
https://twinteriors.com/podcast/
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Episode Transcript
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Voice Over (00:00):
The following podcast iDesign Lab is an SW
Group production in associationwith Five Star and TW Interiors.
This is iDesign Lab, a podcastwhere creativity and curiosity
meet style and design.
Curator of interiors,furnishings and lifestyles.
Hosted by Tiffany Woolley, aninterior designer and a style
(00:22):
enthusiast, along with herserial entrepreneur husband
Scott, idesign Lab is yourultimate design podcast where we
explore the rich and vibrantworld of design and its constant
evolution in style and trends.
Idesign Lab provides industryinsight, discussing the latest
trends, styles and everything inbetween to better help you
style your life, through advicefrom trendsetters, designers,
(00:45):
influencers, innovators,fabricators and manufacturers,
as well as personal stories thatinspire, motivate and excite.
And join us on this elevated,informative and lively journey
into the world of all thingsdesign.
Today we have a very specialguest who's been illuminating
the world of design quiteliterally for nearly five
decades, from his beginnings asa teenager working at his
(01:08):
parents' lighting showroom inSarasota, florida, purchased
from none other than Pee Wee.
Herman's dad, keith Eichenblatt, has been a pioneer in lighting
and home decor.
Keith's journey spans fromdesigning stunning recessed
lighting plans to representingsome of the top brands in
lighting, furniture andaccessories.
His passion for design led himto establish his own import
company traveling the globe todiscover unique pieces that
(01:31):
inspire.
Whether he's helping designersshine like superstars or
bringing new trends to light,keith's expertise and story are
nothing short of illuminating.
Get ready for a brightconversation as we welcome Keith
Eichenblatt to the iDesign Lab.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Today we look forward to welcoming Keith Eichenblatt
to the iDesign Lab podcast.
Keith has a very colorful andilluminating life in the design
industry and we're excited towelcome him here and hear about
how he has designed and shaped acareer in this industry.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
So welcome, Thank you .
Thank you very much.
I guess our first question istell us a little about yourself.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Well, I grew up in this industry, and so it's a
family business.
A family business and we moveddown from Jersey and we wound up
buying our lighting store fromPee Wee Herman's dad, that's
where he came in.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Wait, wait, wait.
Pee Wee Herman, like Pee Wee's.
Speaker 4 (02:28):
Playhouse Pee Wee Herman.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Really, and where was that?
Speaker 4 (02:32):
In Sarasota.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
In Sarasota Okay.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
And I loved it because it was always.
You know my dad.
I have six other brothers andsisters and my dad would always
say it's a family business andbecause you know we're from New
Jersey and we communicate withsarcasm and go, well, where's
the rest of the family?
It's just you and me.
Where's everybody else?
Right, but it was a greatlearning curve and it was a
(02:57):
great business.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
So was the store known as the Pee Wee Herman
Fight Dad store.
Speaker 4 (03:02):
No, no, pee Wee obviously grew up in Sarasota
and you know he was knownbecause he grew up there and you
know Ringling and Barnum andBailey right and stuff like that
.
But I would say the real hit ofthe show was his dad so he had
a great personality.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Yeah, he drove people in and built his brand probably
that way.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
Yeah, and he was just as much of a character as Pee
Wee, but I never had theopportunity to meet him, but to
hear some of the stories fromhis mom and dad, oh my gosh,
it's absolutely hysterical.
So your family takes over thestore.
So the family takes over thestore.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
And it was a lighting store.
Lighting store Like your localChandeliers table lamps.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
One of the lamps lines that we mentioned the
natural light lamps Right Backin that day.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
We're talking about like 1976.
Okay, okay.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
It's kind of cool where you're working in a
showroom as a kid and next thingyou know, some decades later
you're also the rep now for thesame lines that you were.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Wow yeah it's like full circle.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Yeah, so that was really fun.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
So you guys moved from New Jersey to Sarasota
Right.
How did that happen?
Retiring, that's a big changefrom one part of the country to
the other.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
If you had seven kids and you had to travel in the
snow back and forth to New Yorkto work, your health would also
go crazy.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
That was the motivation.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
That was the reason why we moved down.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
So you worked in the store?
What through high schoolcollege?
Speaker 4 (04:41):
Well, through high school and my dad, you know,
again, again, this is a familybusiness, but it was you and
your dad.
But but where's the family?
Right?
So when it, when, uh, it camedown to it is that, uh, I mean,
I still did, I didn't want towork there, but I had to help
(05:02):
out and stuff like that that'swhat you do right and so he goes
uh, yeah, I play high schoolsports.
He says, well, if you're in, ifyou're in uh junior varsity, you
got to come to work.
I'm sorry, you got to come towork if you, if you, I was on a
wrestling team.
If you wrestled varsity allright well then you don't have
to come in so I did.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
I did very well in wrestling.
It was a way of motivating.
You had to put in the hard workone way or the other.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
Right right.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
I love that.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
But I learned a lot of disciplines and he was a
fantastic teacher and really gotto know the industry from many,
many perspectives, rather thanjust being a rep, where you know
where I am today?
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Right, because you were on the sales side, I was on
the sales side.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
I was on the buying side Side, yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
What did that look like, the buying side for your
dad?
Like coming into an industrythat he wasn't looking in before
.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
He was a textile chemist, okay, oh my gosh, so it
was totally different.
But the thing that made himgreat was he understood that,
although he had his opinion andhe was the final word, he got
his sales people involved.
He got you know, uh well, whatdo you think about this, what do
you think about that?
(06:21):
Yeah, and uh, back in the daysof catalogs, I know, okay, we
would travel the markets.
And here I am 14.
You know, just like you know,traveling with the bag, you know
acting like you know, juniorbuyer right, right.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
You know, probably had that on your tag, right
right right.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
Actually my name wasn't keith, it was marvin
eichenblatt Sunkeith.
It was a long name.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
That's so cool.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
So when did you decide to take the transition
from working in the store andfacilitating a life in repping?
So what happened was I decidedthat you can call it growth,
right, just normal growth.
Okay, and that if I'm going tosee the world from my
perspectives and my optics, I'vegot to do something different.
Okay, and uh.
So I quit working for my dadand I went to another lighting
(07:20):
showroom from sarasota over tothe Daytona Beach area and
worked there.
And then an opportunity cameopen.
He says, keith, well, do youwant to be a rep?
I said, sure, why not?
Let me do something a littlebit different.
And it was always weighingthings back and forth and
overanalyzing stuff.
I said you know what, if Idon't do it now, the opportunity
(07:41):
will never come again.
So from that point on, I justsaid you know what I'm going to
go for it.
I wasn't making any money there.
I can make no money out of heretoo, right, you know so.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
So what did you start repping?
What was your first line ofproduct?
Speaker 4 (07:57):
Well, it was still lighting Still lighting.
It was always lighting and Imean it's been a very, very good
industry for me.
I've made a very good life forit.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
So when you say it's a good industry, what do you
mean by that?
Speaker 4 (08:12):
well, for one thing, it put a lot of coin in my
pocket, so it wasn't.
I didn't look at it as a job,never looked at it as a job
always looked at it as a career.
That's a beautiful way to lookat it so you know, you're
enjoying what you're doing, thenoh gosh, meeting people, yeah
and uh, and then, you know, uh,I grew the different lines that
(08:36):
I decided to wrap.
I also decided on working ondifferent channels of
distribution, and then it kindof came to the point of people
who I wanted to call on, ratherthan this and that.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
So were you repping mainly in Florida?
Did you go outside of Florida?
How big, only Florida.
Speaker 4 (08:56):
Only Florida, so you stayed in.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Florida, so you focused.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
And how did you transition from being obviously
going to a place to work everyday you know the lighting store
to transitioning into kind ofbeing your own?
Speaker 4 (09:10):
boss so.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Did they ever explain it to you that way?
Speaker 4 (09:14):
Well, in a way, you said something that I was just
telling a story about the otherday.
My brother goes to me, goes,everything that you do is on an
individual basis rather than ayou know a lot more people, like
, although I worked in the storeand the store had four or five
people, but you know, going backto sports, it was always like
wrestling or tennis or somethinglike that, where it was a
(09:37):
single sport okay.
And then even like you know myjob, I'm in my car by myself.
You know, yeah, you know,you're counting on you right?
so, uh, so, so that's, that wasnot the bad, that was an easy
transition.
Um, although it gets lonely outthere, you know when you, when
(09:59):
you're, when you're drivingalong, you're not making any
sales.
You're a truck driver, you'renot, okay?
Speaker 3 (10:04):
yeah but when you're starting out and you get this
position and you're now a repfor a lighting company Right,
Are they telling you where to go?
Are they giving you a list oflike here's all your accounts
that you need to go call uponand sell, or is that all up to
you to find new accounts or findthe accounts or?
Speaker 4 (10:22):
well, a lot of.
It is a lot of.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
It is like it will provide an account list, but you
still have to go out there anddevelop the territory and
service those accounts right onething I find in these podcasts
too, that when we're talking topeople in your position, that
the the way the industry kind ofshifted to where back.
You know, 20 years ago, 30years ago, people were mainly
(10:45):
calling on retail right wherenow the design industry has such
a huge component of that aswell?
Speaker 4 (10:54):
well, there's this other thing called the internet,
yeah, I've heard aboutsomething like that and one of
the lines I used to represent iscalled murrayFice lighting.
Right yeah, so I consider thatan A-line, and not only that.
I'm not familiar with it no.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
What's unique about it?
Yeah, it's still around.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
It got absorbed by another company Like another
company, but Mr Murray-Fice.
One of the things that he hadsaid is that with the Internet
coming out, it basically leveledthe playing field for a lot of
people.
So before it was like, oh well,you're going to have this, one
store is going to carry thisline, giving them an exclusive,
(11:36):
or something like that.
Now it's like your competitorisn't the next lighting store,
it was Denny's, because theybasically took pictures.
They went over to Denny's andsaid you know, I'll order a
hamburger and also see whereelse can.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
I buy this or what kind of pricing can I get it at
so?
Speaker 3 (11:58):
does that help you or hinder you in terms of being
more successful or selling morehinder?
Speaker 4 (12:05):
you in terms of being more successful or selling more
Well, if I don't have access tothe commissions that an
internet company has a lot ofmanufacturers, hold that as a
house account Right right.
So if they go to a store andthey say, oh, I like this, and
they go buy it elsewhere, thenthe store loses, I lose, and
(12:26):
stuff like that, right?
Speaker 3 (12:28):
So the lines you represent a number of different
lines.
Do all of those lines alsoallow others to sell it on the
internet, or are a lot of themkind of keeping it?
Speaker 4 (12:43):
more exclusive to the designers and to the stores.
The majority of a lot of thelighting stores today will sell
online, and you can't blame themeither.
The number of lighting stores,my gosh, I don't know how to put
the number together, but morethan 50% from when I started,
Wow.
And then you have othermanufacturers who are getting
(13:06):
bigger and bigger and thesmaller ones are kind of the
owners are getting older andthere's no succession plan.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
Which is so crazy to think about all those big names
through the years.
Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, I mean.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
But the other point that you uh brought up, that I
thought was interesting, wasokay.
So we're selling to retailstores now, right now.
Again, the internet is anotherhuge channel, but the other one
is is the designer base.
In fact, when you saw mesitting there in the parking lot
, I was coaching another salesrep about you.
You know, if you don't recognizethe designer, you're behind the
(13:47):
game.
You're behind the game becauseif you ever got an account or an
attendee list from places likeHigh Point, you would see that
the number of designers on thatlist are by far the majority of
names that have registered forthe show, right?
Speaker 2 (14:07):
majority of names that have registered for the for
the show, right so so there's agood correlation between who is
kind of well.
I feel like designers areconstantly trying to find, you
know, be in the know of what'snew, what's being represented
right now, and you know it's notas easy to get like.
We were spoiled in southflorida with dak Dakota and the
design center and the resources.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
Right.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
But that has since shifted.
Also, and even though there'sstill great resources, even now,
palm Beach is growing its ownlittle designer hub.
But at the end of the day, thebest place to see anything and
everything is at market andthrough our reps, who you know
know we do count on and rely onin the industry too the the high
(14:52):
point show.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
uh, I was at a little meeting whenever you call it
and, uh, I don't remember thelady's name, but she was one of
the first people who startedeither the show or a group or
whatever.
But the thing was she says thatback in the day, when it first
(15:14):
started, you had to be retail Ifyou were a designer.
Sorry, you can't.
You know this isn't for you.
You know you have to buythrough distribution.
Wow, this isn't for you.
You have to buy throughdistribution.
Wow.
Now it's like I mentioned, it'sa whole different game.
It's a whole different game.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Yeah, we keep hearing in people that we talk to, that
individuals who are, likeyourself, reps and repping
brands and so forth.
The designer side is soimportant to their business.
Oh, yeah, and unfortunately,we're hearing and seeing that
some of these retailers aredisappearing.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
I find that's so good .
If I may, mention names.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
Yeah, of course.
Speaker 4 (16:04):
You can take a lot of these furniture companies like
Bears Furniture is doing a greatjob, scan Design is doing a
great job, clive Daniel Home isdoing a great job.
Okay, because they're bigenough and they hire enough
people to do this.
Now, what do they have in there?
They have salespeople, but theyalso have designers in there
(16:25):
Right.
So they're really doing a greatjob with bringing it better to
the people.
Okay, the smaller ones, thesmaller accounts and stuff like
that the mom and pops it'sharder to get that going because
you know it's, you know.
Designer component yeah, youknow, it's the two of them who
(16:49):
are selling.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
You know, you know, I know that's kind of always been
my thing too of like you don'twant a salesperson helping you
decorate your house right youknow.
So I do understand that designcomponent being, you know, a
pivotal situation.
So, as you have this careerspanning now we've mentioned a
(17:10):
few decades in this industrywhat do you think is the most
important component to date?
The most important component orexciting component, like is it
the growth of the Internet, Isit the you know, the design
business, or say the shows orthe relationship?
Speaker 4 (17:34):
So gosh, the part that I would say that makes my
job so exciting is that it'svery fluid.
Okay, nothing is the same, andone of the things I get the the
biggest kick out of is you know,everybody is putting out great
product.
I mean my gosh, you go to you,you go to market.
(17:56):
It's like you know, oh, youthink, oh well, this guy's a,
it's a great brand or whatever.
Yeah, but the smaller guy, youknow, the smaller manufacturer,
you might be able to find thesame exact thing, maybe a
different twist, maybe adifferent element that's off of
it hits a different price point,or something like that.
But nothing about this industryis boring, because I just find
(18:17):
that everyone's coming out withgreat product Constantly,
evolving Constantly.
And as far as bringing back asa design into my own agency is,
I'm hiring people to dodifferent aspects of the job
that are different than I usedto do before, like more on email
(18:43):
blasts.
I make up my own literature tohand out and such like that.
I find that manufacturers, theydon't print catalogs anymore,
but if a rep comes by and theydon't have a catalog, well you
know.
So it's all internet.
That's the catalog, yeah well,what you need to do is go onto
the internet and it's like, yeah, but then as soon as you leave,
then you forget.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
So, yeah, what are some of those ideas that people
in your, in the rep industry orthe rep world how do you trigger
, like designers to recommend,because I even myself somebody
will pop in, I might be outright at a meeting and they
leave some things I'm like, ohmy god, these are all gorgeous
right but like, what is a goodtrigger to remember?
Like, oh, I gotta remember thatwhen it gets put back on the
shelf, those email blasts, Iguess.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
Well, the email blasts.
But I got complimented on byanother manufacturer saying,
like I'm branding myself, right,we have a Rather than trying to
brand the manufacturer Becauseyou know, what's going to happen
is one day I may lose the line,they may close, they may get
another rep or whatever.
But it's like my gosh.
(19:52):
I've got to go to KeithEichelblatt for this resource,
for a table lamp, a mirror, alight or something like that.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
Well, you're so closer to those items because
you're seeing them from themanufacturers, Like from a
designer.
You're a great resource tobounce off of.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Totally Like.
Even the email blast could justsimply be photos from market, I
mean to be able to see them indifferent lights.
I mean, I refer to things allthe time like that.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
Yeah, but the other thing is that.
So what I leave behind is thatI'll leave behind a postcard,
and it will have a picture of meon it in those suits that I was
telling you about.
But you've got to makesomething memorable.
You've got to grab theattention and the such in order
(20:40):
to be memorable, because there'sa lot of reps out there.
There's a lot of reps out there, correct?
There's a lot of reps out there, and sometimes the rep makes
the line and sometimes the linemakes the rep.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Right, so you know, but you stand out and you just
said because of the way in whichyou dress the way in which you
present yourself.
Let's talk about that for alittle.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
How did that evolve?
Like to be able to set yourselfapart.
Tell us, talk about that for alittle.
How did that evolve to be ableto set yourself apart?
Speaker 4 (21:05):
Well, when I'm off, I'm in front of the TV just
relaxing.
My wife one time came in andgoes well, what are you doing?
I said well, I'm watching TV,she goes.
Well, how about turning on theTV then?
The whole idea was that I'mjust zoning out.
I'm just, you know I'm on.
So I, as mentioned before, wasI take being a rep as a career
(21:32):
so much.
Like a doctor or anybody else,they're always going to go back
and try to learn more and learnmore, and learn more.
Speaker 3 (21:39):
So I look at it differently when I hear in our
conversation before we startedthe podcast today, we were
talking a little about this, wewere talking about acting and so
forth because you've done someacting and I kind of think about
it from your standpoint andseeing you at market and what
not that you're a performer.
It's like Elvis getting onstage.
Speaker 4 (21:59):
It's like you've got your I don't want to call it
costume, but you're beautifullydressed well, do you know that
when Walt Disney World hiressomebody, they're not hiring
employees, they're hiring actors?
Speaker 2 (22:11):
Correct Actors, they call them Okay.
Speaker 4 (22:15):
And so that way they can get around a lot of stuff, I
guess.
But the idea is I can bewhoever I want to be.
If I want to walk into ashowroom here, you'll do one, I
think you need to have thislight.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
Bring your jersey back or something Right.
Speaker 4 (22:32):
I know where you live .
Are you going to buy this lampor what, so it is.
But the progression of tryingto learn more about sales, learn
more about people, learn moreabout acting I did acting
because I thought that thatcould bring out a different
(22:53):
element.
Yeah, yeah, and basically it'sjust.
I learned how to have fun at myjob, right.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
Which is what we all want to eventually achieve.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
Most people don't have fun with what they're doing
.
No, it's a shame.
Speaker 4 (23:06):
Yeah, and so that's the reason why I call it more of
that career rather than thatjob, because I do like what I'm
doing and the amount of peoplethat I call on.
Oh my gosh, it's like if youever saw my account list, it's
way too many.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
Right, well, I guess that's a good thing then, not
enough way too many.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
Okay, you know that's a good thing, then not enough.
Yeah, I mean not that I take aday off, but I mean it's like
like what was it like a year ago, or something like that.
It was like the first time Itook a vacation, and I don't
know how long so you're, soyou're in your car, then a lot
driving every day.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Yes, a lot of windshield time a lot of
windshield time it's one of thegood questions we like to ask
when you're a rep.
What does the day-to-day looklike?
Obviously a lot of windshieldtime, but is there certain days
that you set aside for managingaccounts, or certain days you
set aside for replenishingaccounts, or how does the day
get set up?
Speaker 4 (24:00):
so.
So, as the years have gone on,a lot of, I think, the
responsibilities have alsochanged, like, for instance,
when I first started, the bigthing was going back into the
warehouses and counting theboxes and making sure there's
inventory, is it on the floor,and hanging it on the floor, and
(24:21):
stuff like that.
Nowadays, these things calledcomputers I think that's how you
pronounce it are actually youknow, you don't even need to go
in the back.
And even if you did and you gotthe information, they're like
all right, thank you, and Idon't know what to do with your
information because I'm going togo buy my computer anyway.
Okay, so the day-to-day isstill trying to plan it, but end
(24:45):
of the year, at the end ofDecember, whatever I was
planning, 2025.
Okay, and the first thing I didwas I got out three months of
the calendar and I marked downyou know here's where I'm going
to be in this date, this date,this date, this date, by January
15th.
It was done.
It was garbage, okay.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
You were already.
Speaker 4 (25:07):
Because you know the best you can do is that.
You know you can still try toplan for it, but so many
different things come up,correct, and it doesn't work out
that way, like if you get intoa car accident.
It really screws up your day,right, you know so.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Like a flat tire I had yesterday so.
But how does one manage youraccounts like?
So you know you have an incomecoming in right how, in this
business, would you explain, youknow, for somebody getting into
this type of career?
Right how do you manage what'scoming in every month, what you
want to, how you want to grow,how you want to scale, how you
(25:42):
want to scale.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
Right.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
You know when is it time to take on a new line, when
is a line no longer serving youRight, or how does that all
work?
Speaker 4 (25:51):
Well, I find that sometimes, when it comes down to
the development of the line,okay, I found that there's a lot
of people who have a lot oflines, to the point where they
don't even remember how manylines they have or what they
have.
So, a lot of things that I tryto do is I try not to pick up
(26:12):
too many and just keepdeveloping it and keep
developing it.
And, as I said, everybody hasgood product.
Well, at some point it's goingto be too much of a crossover,
and then which one do you pullout first?
Well, at some point it's goingto be too much of a crossover,
and then which one do you pullout first?
(26:35):
I find that there's alwaysprograms that different
manufacturers have that mayappeal to you but not for you,
that kind of thing.
So you've got to think ahead ofthe game and see what will work
.
You go into a lighting store.
They may not be that muchinterested in table lamps, but
you go into a furniture storeand they're not that much
interested in channel leaders.
So then you're shifting gearsand one of the talents that I
think a lot of people have lostwas back in the day, you know,
(27:00):
before a lot of the you knowagain, we had handwritten
purchase orders and stuff likethat.
Reps used to be able to addcolumns up, upside down, which I
thought was always the greatestthing, because I was like,
going now you need more, youknow, but now it's kind of like,
oh man, I wish you guys wouldstop relying on computers.
You know, because you know howmuch inventory you have now.
It's true, because you know howmuch inventory you have now.
(27:22):
It's true.
Do most lines or the lines thatyou represent, are you the
exclusive for that?
For your territory or your area?
There may be different otherreps in it, like, for instance,
you may have a commercial repversus a residential rep and
(27:46):
again, as I I mentioned before,like the internet rep.
So there's so much businessstill out there.
There's plenty to go around.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
There's plenty to go around so one thing that I, one
of the reasons I loved startinga podcast was because I just
love everybody's stories thatthey have to tell, and I feel
like there's so much to learnand grow from everybody's story,
and something that I've alwaysbeen intrigued by in the
industry is love, like you justmentioned, murray Feist.
Like you know he's a realperson.
(28:18):
And I just love hearing thehistory of so many of these
iconic brands that we do useevery day, like howard elliott.
Like what are some of thebackground stories of the or
your favorite stories?
Speaker 4 (28:31):
the background and you represent howard elliott
which is a great brand howardelliott has got a great story
behind a real person well, yes,yes, ish.
Okay, the way that that startedstarted was the family was in a
big rental Like party, rentalParty rentals, tents.
(28:52):
One of the biggest ones in thenation, if I'm not mistaken.
Voice Over (28:55):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (28:56):
And the owner of the company, brian Burke, went to
his dad and said hey, I want tostart my own Mira company.
Miras, yeah, mirors.
Voice Over (29:03):
That's my, my own mirror company.
Speaker 4 (29:04):
Okay, Mirrors, yeah, mirrors, that's my New Jersey.
Voice Over (29:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (29:06):
Mirrors.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (29:09):
And so you know there was like okay, son, you know
you don't know enough, whatever,and you know it's that always.
Son father's like, no, I'mgoing to do this, okay.
So he says okay, the dad'ssaying, okay, well, we'll name
it Elliot, howard, which is bothof their middle names.
And so Brian goes no, I want toname it Howard, elliot.
Okay, so he's their middlenames.
(29:32):
Right, so it was their middlenames.
And so they're off and running.
He's importing his own stuff,came out with some beautiful,
beautiful stuff, he's got thesupport from his family and
stuff like everything's goinggreat.
And then 9-11 came, oh no.
So if you remember back, thenshut down uh, high point might
(29:54):
have been the safest place inthe world at that point, because
there was, you know guard dogswalking all over arm, you know
guards on the roofs and stufflike that.
But it's like what a time toopen up a new showroom.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
Because that's when they opened, so Howard Elliott's
only been around that just ashort period of time.
Speaker 4 (30:12):
Yeah, something like that 20-something years.
But even with that one.
It's really developed intosomething strong and got into
different categories.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Totally.
A lot of categories, a lot ofaccessories, a lot of lighting,
even.
Speaker 4 (30:33):
They never got it.
Brian never really wanted toget into anything that I can
plug in.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
That's true.
That's because of a new set ofproblems or something, right, so
he goes.
Speaker 4 (30:43):
I don't want to deal with that kind of stuff and I'm
like going yeah, well, shippingmirrors could be an issue.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
There you go.
No kidding.
Speaker 4 (30:50):
But one of the other lines is the natural light lamps
.
As I mentioned, I startedselling them on the retail side
back when I was like 14.
And it's a mom and pop and youwant to talk about two lovely
people.
And you want to talk about twolovely people.
Okay, the wife does a lot ofthe designing.
You know the uh.
Harvey does the uh uh.
(31:10):
You know runs.
You know runs a show, if youwill, but they do it together
natural light lamps.
I'm not familiar with it yeah,definitely is, but it's, yeah,
what's?
What's unique about theirproduct or well, one of the
things is that if you go onlineand go to natural light, you'll
come up with a beer, okay, okay,I always refer to it as the
Natural Light, so you know ifanyone.
(31:31):
You have to type the in yeah,that way it'll come up and
they've got it's table lamps,okay, and they also have art,
and all their art is originalwork, okay, and it is very good
and it's overscaled.
It is just beautiful stuff.
Now, when it comes to theirlamps, the majority of it is
(31:53):
domestic and they ship out ofFlorida.
Speaker 2 (31:56):
Wow, yeah, up in the panhandle, is that where they do
the manufacturing?
Speaker 4 (32:00):
Right, wow, I mean, when you go there you'll
actually see people putting thethings together rather than box
in, box out from containers.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
Is that the company that has the color options?
Speaker 4 (32:12):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
So you can customize their colors.
Speaker 4 (32:15):
Yes, so you could say to an extent that they are made
in the USA.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (32:22):
And the nice thing about that is, whereas a lot of
other manufacturers bringeverything in from China, so you
have to put a certain amount tofit into a cube, which will fit
into a container.
We've got lamps that are justvery, very tall.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
I know, your scale is great.
Speaker 4 (32:38):
The scale is great.
Scale is great, joanne knowscolor, she knows design.
We use different mediums and inmy opinion, it's the greatest
lamp line in the world.
Really, and you know, theshades are the best.
I'm biased but I still think Ialways, whenever I present it, I
(33:01):
always say this is the greatestyou know lampline in the world.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
Tell us what other lines do you rep?
Speaker 4 (33:08):
I rep Craftmade lighting and fans.
And they've got, you know,great, great designs on ceiling
fans, high-end ceiling fans.
You know, to builders uhceiling fans, it's a across the
board lighting chandeliers,indoor lighting, outdoor
lighting and even uh lightedmirrors.
So that's that's one of theirnew categories, uh concept
(33:29):
lighting, which uh is spelledwith a k of the-.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
But they gave you some tough ones for the internet
, right.
Speaker 4 (33:36):
So they said, yeah, let's make it difficult for all
of us.
So it's concept and that getsinto nice, streamlined,
contemporary LED lighting.
And they have won awards afterawards after awards on design.
That's a really nice company.
Speaker 3 (33:53):
Are they US based as well?
Speaker 4 (33:57):
No, it's abroad.
But I mean, it's hard to findlighting anywhere in the world
except for China, correct, youknow?
Speaker 2 (34:09):
So has it always been like that.
Speaker 4 (34:11):
No, back in the day, I've been to Spain, to a trade
show there, which is very cool.
There's other trade showsthroughout the world, but you
know, I remember that, you knowwell.
This product's from Italy, thisproduct's from Spain, this
product's from so-and-so, butnow a lot of it is coming out of
(34:32):
China.
But they're also bringing inthe Chinese companies, are
bringing in Italian people to dothe Right.
Speaker 2 (34:40):
We had that conversation yesterday here.
Because of a wood floor thatwe're selecting, the pricing
came in Our rep came in he waslike, oh, that's a good price, I
don't, that's great.
You know, our rep came in.
He was like, oh, that's a goodprice, I don't like that's great
.
And he like looked at the boardand it's, like you know, made
in the People's Republic and Iwas like, what do you mean?
(35:01):
Like it's just.
I feel like it is everything'sgetting taken over.
And he's like well, it doesn'tmean that every product is bad,
but what we've dealt with sinceI've been in this business is I
truly never had damaged goods.
And now I feel like half of ourday, which even John who's
helped us sometimes like half ofour day is monitoring and
(35:26):
managing damaged goods.
Speaker 4 (35:30):
And that's where the rep comes in, right?
So how do?
Speaker 2 (35:31):
you deal with like such.
I mean, there's a waste factor,there's so much like a cost
situation like where does thatfit in our industry?
Speaker 4 (35:40):
now I think I mean going back to the natural light
lamps.
I, I I laugh at that becauseagain, I see them building it, I
see them putting in the box, Isee them doing this and that and
I think that uh ups can throwit off their truck and nothing's
going to happen to it.
I'm really impressed with theway that they have it.
You have some othermanufacturers who will ship it
(36:01):
over to the United States inboxes made for trucking but not
for UPS.
So if they don't redesign theirboxes then you're going to get
that damage damage.
But everyone's trying to limitit because freight is so high
right now well, the damagedgoods.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
I feel like too, like what happens to all those
damaged goods.
I mean they tell us, donatethem.
You go to like our receivingwarehouse.
I mean there's just stuff fordays that like has no end use.
How, how do the reps getinvolved at all in combating?
Voice Over (36:37):
where all?
Speaker 2 (36:37):
that ends up.
Or how does it work?
Well?
Speaker 4 (36:41):
what I try to do is my job is to make you money,
right, okay, ultimately, we'reall trying to sell the same
thing.
Right and if you make money, Imake money.
Voice Over (36:52):
Right, and that's the bottom line.
Speaker 4 (36:53):
Yeah, it's a really good way of looking at the
business when you're, when youcome from the retail end of it
and you see a pile of garbagethat's sitting there and you
know you're waiting for the repto take care of something and
that's a that's, that's money,that's in the bank, that's just
sitting back, it's true.
So that's how I look at it,okay, okay, I embrace the
(37:13):
situation, if you will.
And so you go on and keep theball of damages, I should say
the sale of the product going.
That part is figured in Somehowor another.
It's figured in because there'sno sense in shipping back
something that's broken that'sgoing to go back by truck, only
for them to throw it away intheir garbage can.
Speaker 2 (37:34):
Correct and if they can donate it.
Speaker 4 (37:37):
I'm sure somewhere along the line they have
insurance policies that say youknow, I'm not an accountant, but
I'm sure there's a line therefor someone.
Speaker 2 (37:47):
It's such a wild thing for me to like, just
because of how much we deal within the damaged situation.
Voice Over (37:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (37:55):
Especially, like you say, we recognize the value of
what reps bring to the table,especially as an interior design
firm.
Right, and it's not justdamaged things.
I think that's kind of theminor part of all the business.
It's just something you have todeal with.
But I think the fact what repsbring to the table from a design
(38:16):
firm and helping withselections and helping with
colors and alternatives to itemsthat are sold that we may not
know or the consumer may notknow, come in 50 other different
colors, shades Well, if youever go to market and when you
go through every single showroomand you saw every single
(38:40):
product.
Speaker 4 (38:41):
It's mind-boggling.
Speaker 2 (38:43):
Yeah, it is mind-boggling you can't do that.
Speaker 4 (38:45):
I mean so when you do go to market and you find out
oh my gosh, check this out.
You know, one of the thingsthat Dad and I used to do was we
would go to the lines that wewould typically buy for, but the
last mission was always to findsomething that's new, that's in
a small building that can'tafford a big showroom.
Speaker 2 (39:04):
Oh, that's cool, and let's find that little gem.
I love that.
Speaker 4 (39:11):
But that's also what the rep can bring to the game.
Is that something that is notalways that's glaring in the eye
, is just something that is sospecial that you wouldn't have
seen them?
Speaker 3 (39:24):
without the rep.
Right, I went to High Pointthis year.
It was my first time.
I've been to a lot of tradeshows for other industries and
businesses.
You mentioned a few minutes agoabout Spain a trade show, right
, so you've probably.
It sounds as though you've beento a number of different trade
shows, possibly around the worldin different places.
Is there any one trade show youthink is like the trade show?
(39:46):
Is it High Point for theindustry?
Speaker 4 (39:54):
So I go to the atlanta show, I go to the high
point show and I go to thedallas show twice a year, you
know?
So, right, there's what.
Uh, the six shows, right shows,um, each one does something a
little bit different than theother one, I mean, but if you're
an interior designer, I reallythink you know however you want,
(40:16):
to what scale you want to putyourself on.
If you don't go to the HighPoint show, I think you're
missing out on so much, I mean,and not only the product.
All right, great, everyone hasa good product, as I keep
mentioning.
But they've got the classes,they've got other programs,
they've got other programs.
They've got so much things thatyou can offer.
(40:38):
They have continuing educationcredits and stuff like that.
And not only that, you get tomeet your friends again.
Speaker 3 (40:45):
Right, Every six months or so.
Yeah, there's definitely I'vesaid this a couple of times on
some of the podcasts that afterme going, I've said to Tiffany,
you need to take some of theclients to this.
This is unbelievable.
Yeah, I mean we're a busy firm.
We probably, at any one giventime, are working on 20 plus
houses.
Right, I mean we're busy andthere's clients that we have
(41:09):
that if we took them for threedays for High Point, they could
do their entire house.
Speaker 4 (41:16):
But I also think that you give them too much choices.
Speaker 2 (41:19):
You'll never get the job done.
Well, Tiffany's pretty good athoming them in.
Speaker 3 (41:26):
We can love a lot of things and appreciate them.
There's so much to see.
We've got a client it's allabout chandeliers and this
particular client is a touringcomedian Right and her whole
basis of her tour is that she'sknown as the chandelier status
Right.
A chandelier is somethingthat's so beautiful you look at
and it never changes.
Speaker 2 (41:44):
It stands alone in a room and so forth.
Speaker 3 (41:47):
And so they're always looking for new chandeliers for
the stage for their tour.
I said, Tiffany, you've got totake them to High Point.
New chandeliers for the stagefor their tour?
I said, Tiffany, you've got totake them to High Point.
They'll go nuts when they seeeverything that's there.
Speaker 4 (42:00):
Well, one of the funny things which reminds me of
Craftmade, they had bought thisone doorbell line okay, line of
doorbells, unbelievable.
What was actually kind of coolwas that made it onto Saturday
Night Live?
Really no way, because it waskind of like, if you remember,
they had that one skit withchandeliers.
(42:21):
You've got to have a chandelier.
It'll make your food tastebetter.
Voice Over (42:23):
You've got to have a chandelier.
Speaker 2 (42:24):
That's so funny.
Speaker 4 (42:26):
And so it was a takeoff of that, and so the one
guy who I was talking to aboutit was always saying I can say
that there's no other competitorout there that has ever been on
Saturday Night Live with theirdoorbells.
Speaker 2 (42:41):
That is so funny.
Yeah, so any of the brands thatyou currently rep and work with
do they bring on designers forcollaborations?
Is there any collaborationsthat are?
I feel like that's kind of anewer thing in the last 10 years
, this collaboration that somany brands Well, are you
talking in terms of designersfor product or licensees?
(43:03):
Like I guess, a licensing orjust bringing, it seems like a
lot of companies are.
Speaker 3 (43:08):
Like even the Mears, for example, promoting their
designer, like we noticed thatat High Point this year.
Speaker 4 (43:15):
So I represented one line with Hillary Farr.
That was a license, and youwant to talk about an ego
stretch was, in order to meether, you had to sign up in the
morning to meet her.
So one of the things that shegot there early was working with
the owner and she goes.
You know, we're running out oftime.
(43:37):
I've got to meet my the firstperson.
I got to meet Keith Eichenblattand I go up to her.
I go, hillary, it's only, I'mjust another ref, don't worry
about it, it's okay, I'm here,you know.
So I think there's animportance to having a good
license.
As far as it takes you and itwill take you just so far, okay,
(43:58):
but it's all about the productcorrect.
Okay, product yeah and so I Ionly wish that more
manufacturers would come outwith their own designers,
because there's a lot of overlapokay, there's a lot of overlap
from manufacturer tomanufacturer to manufacturer.
I would like to see themanufacturers have their own
(44:20):
designers and develop their own.
The other thing and I hope mymanufacturers are listening
listen to the reps.
We're the ones who are on thefront lines and you know we're
seeing what is going on.
It's their company, so they canrun it any way they want to,
but I find that they may live ina little bubble.
Speaker 2 (44:41):
Right.
Speaker 4 (44:42):
Okay, they may, you know, they may think differently
this and that and this and that, but not only that.
Florida is so different thanNebraska too, okay, so I mean
they're trying to appeal toeverybody and I keep saying more
coastal.
Speaker 2 (44:54):
give me more coastal Right.
Right, it's definitely a thing.
So we live in we kind ofmentioned this a little bit
before that we live in this now,computer age, social media
world and you're all about yourbranding, personal brand.
Do these companies care kind ofguide you at all on how to work
(45:14):
with social media or how topush the brand or cross
collaborate like through socialmedia at any way?
Speaker 4 (45:22):
are you?
A lot of the manufacturers dohave their own social media
person, okay, which is good,okay.
Um, there's also a lot of repsout there, so a lot of reps out
there, that don't even know howto use the computer, the social
media and stuff like that.
(45:42):
So I mean in my mind, then hiresomeone that does, because the
world is really changing a lotand it's changing even faster.
And the funniest story justhappened about a few weeks ago
was I was at a vendor show, okay.
So you know, one company has,you know, across the United
(46:04):
States, you know, a bunch ofemployees and they're of all
ages.
Well, one of them was about 24years old, right, and so you
know, I go.
You know I was talking to himand said hey, you know, let me
help you out, go ahead and giveme your card.
You know I go.
You know I was talking to himand said hey, you know, let me
help you out, go ahead and giveme your card.
And you know, and here's mine.
Speaker 2 (46:19):
Oh, I know they probably did.
Speaker 4 (46:21):
So he goes oh, we don't have cards he has his
digital one.
Yeah, I'm like, well, I don'tknow what to do.
Speaker 2 (46:28):
You scan a QR code, you know it's already in your.
Speaker 4 (46:30):
That happened to me the other day too, so it's like,
okay, you know, thanks formaking me feel old.
You know, I appreciate that,but a lot of the manufacturers,
if they're not doing it bythemselves, they're hiring
people to do it.
As far as collaborating as anindependent rep, I do my own and
(46:52):
there's other reps that will goout there.
Well, the manufacturer needs tocome out with catalogs, the
manufacturer needs to come outwith this manufacturer.
It's like I'm in business formyself.
Yeah, you know.
So if I see a need, that aprinted postcard which costs you
know nothing, if you will right, you know you're printing, then
make it and just print it up,you know, and and to do it is,
you know, it's just not thatdifficult.
Speaker 3 (47:15):
Right.
Speaker 2 (47:17):
So, on that note, what advice would you give an
individual who would like tomove into this industry starting
?
Speaker 4 (47:28):
out, get a lot of friends.
What's interesting is I don'tfind too many people coming in
from the outside.
Usually someone's bringingsomebody in.
Okay that makes sense to me.
And even when it gets to someof the more popular lines,
(47:48):
you're almost always recommendedand recommended, and
recommended From the inside.
From the inside, yeah,recommended from the inside.
From the inside.
Yeah, you know, I know a guyyou know like, because I may rep
howard elliott right with withthis guy here, but he's also
repping another line and so, oh,we're looking for someone in
florida.
I know a guy in florida, youknow, I rep with him with
another one, you know.
(48:09):
So that's how, sometimes, youknow, our packages do grow.
Um, what would I advise them on?
Be patient, because successdoesn't happen overnight, right,
but I as, as mentioned before,I mean there's so many facets,
there's still a lot of businessout there there is you could
still make a a good, good livingwith this, with this job, is it
(48:32):
?
Speaker 3 (48:32):
difficult to become a rep for a individual, because
I've heard and you've said itthat if you're good at what you
do and you enjoy what you'redoing which you certainly seem
to be you're going to do welland you're going to make a nice
living and you have your own.
Basically, you're making yourown schedule, you're not really
reporting to anyone.
(48:53):
You know it's, I think, a nicelifestyle that way as well.
Speaker 2 (48:57):
But I think it might be difficult for a person to
become a rep because like yousaid, if you don't know a lot of
people, you got to start fromthe inside.
Speaker 4 (49:05):
Well, a big part of it is there's a certain amount
of crazy that you have to addinto the recipe.
Okay, and I mean, if you're nota self-starter, yeah, oh, my
gosh, and all the things youhear about kids today, there is
no way they're gonna be wrapped.
Speaker 2 (49:23):
It's so true.
It's so true.
I was actually listening to apodcast this morning where
they're saying like school haskind of been set up to take all
that free thinking away Likethey want.
You know, it's kind of breakingdown the free thinking and kind
of get y'all in a box and getin line and conform Right.
(49:44):
So yes, and it's funny that yousay that like there is still so
much growth in this industry,which is another reason why I
love having the podcast to kindof illuminate it, because in a
lot of my own research, it's notone that AI is going to be able
to.
It's a very personal business,it's tactical.
You know there is a lot andit's been an untapped industry
(50:06):
for such a long time.
Speaker 4 (50:08):
It's still a mom and pop.
Speaker 2 (50:09):
It is right yeah it really is.
Speaker 4 (50:12):
It really is, yeah, the uh, uh, I I just, you know,
uh, I I just think that if a newperson is coming in, there's
something about them that theyhave that drive already in them.
Okay I'm, am I driven by money?
(50:33):
I'm not gonna kid you, I likemoney, but but the thing about
it is, I like making the sale.
Speaker 2 (50:38):
Right, you like that.
The art is a deal of it.
Speaker 4 (50:43):
And if you and I worked on something and it's
like, keith, I'm looking for aceiling fan, okay, and I found
the perfect one for you and yourcustomers absolutely love it,
you know, I mean you're going tobe happy because you satisfied
your customer and I'm going tobe happy because you know you're
happy, kind of thing.
So yeah, that's a big part ofit.
Speaker 2 (51:04):
It's a relationship business too.
Speaker 4 (51:06):
Yeah, you're not going to find and, as I said, a
lot of it is crazy because youcan make whatever you want out
of it okay I mean the, the like.
For instance, one of the jokesthat was kind of carrying me for
a number of years but I neverreally picked up on it.
Was I like to dress up asyou've seen?
(51:29):
and stuff like that, like yourpersonal branding but I also
drove a uh toyota sienna, whichwas the most comfortable thing
in the world, held everythingbut the paint was burning off of
it.
I had like 300,000 plus miles onit but it was so reliable, it
was this, it was that, and it'slike, oh well, you don't really
match your car.
So I was like, all right, fine,I wound up getting a new car
(51:51):
because it was time anyway.
But I was bulletproof to a lotof people's criticisms right
like, you want to buy me a car,buy me a car, I'll drive that
you know.
Speaker 3 (52:02):
But uh, uh, you know, I, I, I do my own thing you
know, I have to say somethingthat, for people who've never
been to high point high pointit's like it's like a mini city
of just every furniture,lighting, home accessory you
could think of, by every singlecompany is there in this one
(52:23):
little mini city.
My first time going there wasthis year and I went around with
Tiffany and we met a lot ofpeople, a lot of people that
Tiffany knows, and went to a lotof showrooms and I have to tell
you that you're the one personthat really stood out when I met
you at High Point.
This is that your personalitywas electrifying.
(52:47):
You were.
Speaker 4 (52:48):
I was on, baby, I was on.
Speaker 3 (52:51):
And I said to Tiffany the first time and you popped
up everywhere.
Speaker 2 (52:53):
You were like old bug .
Speaker 3 (52:55):
But that's the thing is that when I first met you, I
said to Tiffany, I said I betyou he does really well because
he's got a great personality,he's so friendly and just
warming and charming.
And then, like I don't know, itwas like 20 minutes later we're
in another building and, forpeople who don't understand
another building, we walked liketwo blocks to another building,
(53:16):
went up to the sixth floor,which these buildings are a maze
walked into another showroomand I said wait, he has a
brother, a twin.
Speaker 4 (53:26):
And he dresses the same way too.
That was you.
Speaker 3 (53:28):
And then I forget, I think it was later in the day we
ran into you at anothershowroom where you were holding
court with all these differentpeople and I said to Tiffany I
said, man, he does get around,he's really on it and I said
we've got to have him on ourpodcast.
Speaker 4 (53:46):
But one of the things that I as a child.
So for the brands that yourepresent, I have to say they're
very lucky to have you Did youhear that everyone has this been
working.
Speaker 3 (53:51):
Hello, they have to say they're very lucky to have
you, did you?
Speaker 4 (53:55):
hear that everyone has this been working.
Speaker 3 (53:59):
Hello, they have to be, they have to be.
Speaker 4 (54:03):
Well, I had a sales manager one time and goes to me.
He goes Keith, you did reallyreally well this year.
Let's put a quota on for nextyear for, like you know, like
$600,000 for it.
I said, well, that's great.
Voice Over (54:19):
Why don't we make it ?
Speaker 4 (54:20):
$700,000?
He goes you want to do $700,000?
Make it $800,000.
I said I'll tell you what.
Let's make it a cool milliondollars.
He goes really I said what partdo you think I'm not going to
do anyway, to strive to do thebest that I can.
Speaker 2 (54:34):
You're right, you don't need to give me a quota.
That's a good advice.
Speaker 4 (54:37):
I'm going to do whatever it takes.
Yeah, you know, and if I meetit, I meet it.
I mean, am I the greatest one?
There's always someone who'sgoing to be better.
You know, there's always goingto be a lot more people,
hopefully it'll be worse.
But you know I don't have alife, I just work.
Speaker 2 (54:55):
So where do you see your future in the industry?
Well Is there an end game, oris it just keep going?
Speaker 4 (55:03):
Well, no, there's going to be an end game one day,
but part of it that I thoughtwas so interesting, again, let's
call it growth.
That's one of my favorite words,and maybe it's even a better
understanding of what we do.
I uh, every 10 years I said Igotta pinch myself to make sure
that I'm still alive, okay.
(55:24):
So one of the things that I diddo was okay.
As I mentioned before, I workedat the retail level, okay.
So that way it that helped outwhen I was a rep, so I could
understand that when a lightingdistributor says, hey, my
builder needs our stuff, wecan't close, I get it.
Okay.
A lot of other reps, you knowyou'll get it.
(55:47):
When you hear knock, knock,knock on the back door, that's
when you're going to get it.
Okay.
So you know, so I know that myefforts to make things happen,
you know, matter.
A lot of people think likekeith, how big of a garage do
you have?
Because it sure sounds like youhave everything to solve our
problems in your garage.
Then when I turned I I think itwas 50 I said you know what I
(56:09):
want to try this import business.
It seems like it seems like itworks right right.
So I did that.
I flew around the world and didthis and did that and I'm
already a rep, so it's like Iknew a lot of contacts I already
make to sell this product too.
And that's not an easy job.
(56:30):
It's time-consuming, it'severything else like that.
I hired people and it just gotto the point where that was a
bit much, so I would.
Speaker 2 (56:39):
I never stopped repping but you're not afraid to
try new things oh gosh, no,yeah, no, no, there's.
Speaker 4 (56:44):
Uh, I'm 62 years old and still really yeah, and the
other.
And also is that I'm never.
I never think that I havelearned enough.
No, I feel the same way.
Speaker 2 (56:58):
You have to learn something new every day, they
say.
Speaker 4 (57:00):
Yeah, but just the way that the industry is
changing.
If I feel that I can stay ontop of things and especially
ahead of other people inlearning where the industry is
going, you know that's going tohelp me out.
Things I do wish for things Ido wish is that I'd had a little
(57:20):
bit more time to get involvedin more industry clubs and stuff
like that.
But you know, we're all tryingto work harder.
Speaker 2 (57:31):
I figure that'll be my next season.
Like right now, my juggle iswork and parents and parenting
and building the podcast as myextra, but I would love to.
Speaker 4 (57:41):
But how?
Voice Over (57:42):
cool is this.
Speaker 2 (57:42):
It is so cool, it's been great having you, and we're
so happy too, so let's wrapthis up?
Speaker 3 (57:48):
Sure, we always wrap it up by asking a couple of
offbeat questions about design.
So I'll ask a question first.
Offbeat questions about design.
So I'll ask a question first.
Is that from a designperspective, is there a
restaurant that comes to mindthat you think it's been
designed really cool or great,or wonderful?
Speaker 2 (58:07):
Or it could be lack of design.
It could be designing of thefood.
Speaker 4 (58:12):
If you give me a great steak on a picnic table,
I'm all about that.
But there is a restaurant thatI particularly like going back
to over and over again, becausethey have a piano bar there.
Speaker 2 (58:27):
Oh, I love that.
Speaker 4 (58:32):
But can I mention the name?
Speaker 2 (58:33):
Yes.
Speaker 4 (58:33):
Okay, it's called Christeners, which is somehow or
another.
They were connected with DelFrisco's, okay, and they know
how to.
It's all about the service.
They've got good managementthere.
It's in Orlando, what's thename of it?
Christeners?
K-r-i-s-t-n-e-r-s.
(58:54):
Wow, I should try it and beenthere for bachelor parties, to
birthdays, to everything.
And there's a level ofsophistication that when you go
in there, you know I go in therewearing one of my crazy suits
or whatever and I want to beking tonight because I know that
you know.
Speaker 2 (59:10):
You feel special walking through here, I feel
special.
Speaker 4 (59:12):
And I want you know I feel special and I want, I want
you know.
So I love that place and youknow that's where I like going.
I love that.
What is your favorite hotel?
I would definitely say my house.
(59:38):
Ok, I, you know one of thethings that they said in this,
you know, and I mean mean I'vebeen to the Intercontinental in
Paris Absolutely amazing.
Yeah, okay, not that I've beenall over the world and this and
that, and not that I stay in thegreatest places either.
And there's a, really I thinkit's in Boca.
I remember that when I firstmet my wife, there was a very
opulent the Boca Resort.
I bet you, that's what it was.
Voice Over (01:00:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:00:01):
I bet you that's what it was they changed it.
Speaker 2 (01:00:03):
It's called the Boca Resort.
Speaker 4 (01:00:04):
Well, they can change it back then.
Speaker 3 (01:00:05):
Yeah, yeah, they changed that old kind of world.
Speaker 4 (01:00:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:00:10):
Now it's just like all white.
Speaker 4 (01:00:12):
Right, oh, you know it was great.
Speaker 2 (01:00:14):
It's still a great place.
It's still historical.
Speaker 4 (01:00:18):
Where do you want to go on vacation?
Speaker 2 (01:00:20):
You want to go home.
Speaker 4 (01:00:20):
I want to go home.
I got a great porch overlookingour lake.
The dogs To me.
Speaker 2 (01:00:27):
That's my You're happy, that's my happy spot, so
you like to dress Right.
Speaker 3 (01:00:33):
Is there any particular wardrobe accessory
that?
Speaker 4 (01:00:38):
Shoes.
I love shoes, I love shoes.
Speaker 2 (01:00:42):
That's the best way to wrap up I couldn't agree more
.
Speaker 4 (01:00:44):
Never enough shoes and they're not buckles on your
shoes, they're called monks,monks.
Yeah, single monk, double monk.
I didn't know that.
See that?
No, we all learned somethingtoday.
We all learned something today.
Well, thank you, you bet.
Voice Over (01:00:56):
Appreciate you coming.
Thank you so much.
You bet it was a lot of fun.
It was a pleasure to have youiDesign Labs Podcast is an SW
Group production in associationwith the 5 Star and TW Interiors
.
To learn more about iDesign Labor TW Interiors, please visit
twinteriorscom.
The following podcast iDesign Lab is an SW
Group production in associationwith Five Star and TW Interiors.
This is iDesign Lab, a podcastwhere creativity and curiosity
meet style and design.
Curator of interiors,furnishings and lifestyles.
Hosted by Tiffany Woolley, aninterior designer and a style
(00:22):
enthusiast, along with herserial entrepreneur husband
Scott, idesign Lab is yourultimate design podcast where we
explore the rich and vibrantworld of design and its constant
evolution in style and trends.
Idesign Lab provides industryinsight, discussing the latest
trends, styles and everything inbetween to better help you
style your life, through advicefrom trendsetters, designers,
(00:45):
influencers, innovators,fabricators and manufacturers,
as well as personal stories thatinspire, motivate and excite.
And join us on this elevated,informative and lively journey
into the world of all thingsdesign.
Today we have a very specialguest who's been illuminating
the world of design quiteliterally for nearly five
decades, from his beginnings asa teenager working at his
(01:08):
parents' lighting showroom inSarasota, florida, purchased
from none other than Pee Wee.
Herman's dad, keith Eichenblatt, has been a pioneer in lighting
and home decor.
Keith's journey spans fromdesigning stunning recessed
lighting plans to representingsome of the top brands in
lighting, furniture andaccessories.
His passion for design led himto establish his own import
company traveling the globe todiscover unique pieces that
(01:31):
inspire.
Whether he's helping designersshine like superstars or
bringing new trends to light,keith's expertise and story are
nothing short of illuminating.
Get ready for a brightconversation as we welcome Keith
Eichenblatt to the iDesign Lab.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Today we look forward to welcoming Keith Eichenblatt
to the iDesign Lab podcast.
Keith has a very colorful andilluminating life in the design
industry and we're excited towelcome him here and hear about
how he has designed and shaped acareer in this industry.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
So welcome, Thank you .
Thank you very much.
I guess our first question istell us a little about yourself.
Speaker 4 (02:12):
Well, I grew up in this industry, and so it's a
family business.
A family business and we moveddown from Jersey and we wound up
buying our lighting store fromPee Wee Herman's dad, that's
where he came in.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Wait, wait, wait.
Pee Wee Herman, like Pee Wee's.
Speaker 4 (02:28):
Playhouse Pee Wee Herman.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Really, and where was that?
Speaker 4 (02:32):
In Sarasota.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
In Sarasota Okay.
Speaker 4 (02:35):
And I loved it because it was always.
You know my dad.
I have six other brothers andsisters and my dad would always
say it's a family business andbecause you know we're from New
Jersey and we communicate withsarcasm and go, well, where's
the rest of the family?
It's just you and me.
Where's everybody else?
Right, but it was a greatlearning curve and it was a
(02:57):
great business.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
So was the store known as the Pee Wee Herman
Fight Dad store.
Speaker 4 (03:02):
No, no, pee Wee obviously grew up in Sarasota
and you know he was knownbecause he grew up there and you
know Ringling and Barnum andBailey right and stuff like that
.
But I would say the real hit ofthe show was his dad so he had
a great personality.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Yeah, he drove people in and built his brand probably
that way.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
Yeah, and he was just as much of a character as Pee
Wee, but I never had theopportunity to meet him, but to
hear some of the stories fromhis mom and dad, oh my gosh,
it's absolutely hysterical.
So your family takes over thestore.
So the family takes over thestore.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
And it was a lighting store.
Lighting store Like your localChandeliers table lamps.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
One of the lamps lines that we mentioned the
natural light lamps Right Backin that day.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
We're talking about like 1976.
Okay, okay.
Speaker 4 (04:00):
It's kind of cool where you're working in a
showroom as a kid and next thingyou know, some decades later
you're also the rep now for thesame lines that you were.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Wow yeah it's like full circle.
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Yeah, so that was really fun.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
So you guys moved from New Jersey to Sarasota
Right.
How did that happen?
Retiring, that's a big changefrom one part of the country to
the other.
Speaker 4 (04:24):
If you had seven kids and you had to travel in the
snow back and forth to New Yorkto work, your health would also
go crazy.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
That was the motivation.
Speaker 4 (04:35):
That was the reason why we moved down.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
So you worked in the store?
What through high schoolcollege?
Speaker 4 (04:41):
Well, through high school and my dad, you know,
again, again, this is a familybusiness, but it was you and
your dad.
But but where's the family?
Right?
So when it, when, uh, it camedown to it is that, uh, I mean,
I still did, I didn't want towork there, but I had to help
(05:02):
out and stuff like that that'swhat you do right and so he goes
uh, yeah, I play high schoolsports.
He says, well, if you're in, ifyou're in uh junior varsity, you
got to come to work.
I'm sorry, you got to come towork if you, if you, I was on a
wrestling team.
If you wrestled varsity allright well then you don't have
to come in so I did.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
I did very well in wrestling.
It was a way of motivating.
You had to put in the hard workone way or the other.
Speaker 4 (05:27):
Right right.
Speaker 2 (05:28):
I love that.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
But I learned a lot of disciplines and he was a
fantastic teacher and really gotto know the industry from many,
many perspectives, rather thanjust being a rep, where you know
where I am today?
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Right, because you were on the sales side, I was on
the sales side.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
I was on the buying side Side, yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:52):
What did that look like, the buying side for your
dad?
Like coming into an industrythat he wasn't looking in before
.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
He was a textile chemist, okay, oh my gosh, so it
was totally different.
But the thing that made himgreat was he understood that,
although he had his opinion andhe was the final word, he got
his sales people involved.
He got you know, uh well, whatdo you think about this, what do
you think about that?
(06:21):
Yeah, and uh, back in the daysof catalogs, I know, okay, we
would travel the markets.
And here I am 14.
You know, just like you know,traveling with the bag, you know
acting like you know, juniorbuyer right, right.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
You know, probably had that on your tag, right
right right.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
Actually my name wasn't keith, it was marvin
eichenblatt Sunkeith.
It was a long name.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
That's so cool.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
So when did you decide to take the transition
from working in the store andfacilitating a life in repping?
So what happened was I decidedthat you can call it growth,
right, just normal growth.
Okay, and that if I'm going tosee the world from my
perspectives and my optics, I'vegot to do something different.
Okay, and uh.
So I quit working for my dadand I went to another lighting
(07:20):
showroom from sarasota over tothe Daytona Beach area and
worked there.
And then an opportunity cameopen.
He says, keith, well, do youwant to be a rep?
I said, sure, why not?
Let me do something a littlebit different.
And it was always weighingthings back and forth and
overanalyzing stuff.
I said you know what, if Idon't do it now, the opportunity
(07:41):
will never come again.
So from that point on, I justsaid you know what I'm going to
go for it.
I wasn't making any money there.
I can make no money out of heretoo, right, you know so.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
So what did you start repping?
What was your first line ofproduct?
Speaker 4 (07:57):
Well, it was still lighting Still lighting.
It was always lighting and Imean it's been a very, very good
industry for me.
I've made a very good life forit.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
So when you say it's a good industry, what do you
mean by that?
Speaker 4 (08:12):
well, for one thing, it put a lot of coin in my
pocket, so it wasn't.
I didn't look at it as a job,never looked at it as a job
always looked at it as a career.
That's a beautiful way to lookat it so you know, you're
enjoying what you're doing, thenoh gosh, meeting people, yeah
and uh, and then, you know, uh,I grew the different lines that
(08:36):
I decided to wrap.
I also decided on working ondifferent channels of
distribution, and then it kindof came to the point of people
who I wanted to call on, ratherthan this and that.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
So were you repping mainly in Florida?
Did you go outside of Florida?
How big, only Florida.
Speaker 4 (08:56):
Only Florida, so you stayed in.
Speaker 3 (08:58):
Florida, so you focused.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
And how did you transition from being obviously
going to a place to work everyday you know the lighting store
to transitioning into kind ofbeing your own?
Speaker 4 (09:10):
boss so.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Did they ever explain it to you that way?
Speaker 4 (09:14):
Well, in a way, you said something that I was just
telling a story about the otherday.
My brother goes to me, goes,everything that you do is on an
individual basis rather than ayou know a lot more people, like
, although I worked in the storeand the store had four or five
people, but you know, going backto sports, it was always like
wrestling or tennis or somethinglike that, where it was a
(09:37):
single sport okay.
And then even like you know myjob, I'm in my car by myself.
You know, yeah, you know,you're counting on you right?
so, uh, so, so that's, that wasnot the bad, that was an easy
transition.
Um, although it gets lonely outthere, you know when you, when
(09:59):
you're, when you're drivingalong, you're not making any
sales.
You're a truck driver, you'renot, okay?
Speaker 3 (10:04):
yeah but when you're starting out and you get this
position and you're now a repfor a lighting company Right,
Are they telling you where to go?
Are they giving you a list oflike here's all your accounts
that you need to go call uponand sell, or is that all up to
you to find new accounts or findthe accounts or?
Speaker 4 (10:22):
well, a lot of.
It is a lot of.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
It is like it will provide an account list, but you
still have to go out there anddevelop the territory and
service those accounts right onething I find in these podcasts
too, that when we're talking topeople in your position, that
the the way the industry kind ofshifted to where back.
You know, 20 years ago, 30years ago, people were mainly
(10:45):
calling on retail right wherenow the design industry has such
a huge component of that aswell?
Speaker 4 (10:54):
well, there's this other thing called the internet,
yeah, I've heard aboutsomething like that and one of
the lines I used to represent iscalled murrayFice lighting.
Right yeah, so I consider thatan A-line, and not only that.
I'm not familiar with it no.
Speaker 2 (11:11):
What's unique about it?
Yeah, it's still around.
Speaker 4 (11:14):
It got absorbed by another company Like another
company, but Mr Murray-Fice.
One of the things that he hadsaid is that with the Internet
coming out, it basically leveledthe playing field for a lot of
people.
So before it was like, oh well,you're going to have this, one
store is going to carry thisline, giving them an exclusive,
(11:36):
or something like that.
Now it's like your competitorisn't the next lighting store,
it was Denny's, because theybasically took pictures.
They went over to Denny's andsaid you know, I'll order a
hamburger and also see whereelse can.
Speaker 2 (11:50):
I buy this or what kind of pricing can I get it at
so?
Speaker 3 (11:58):
does that help you or hinder you in terms of being
more successful or selling morehinder?
Speaker 4 (12:05):
you in terms of being more successful or selling more
Well, if I don't have access tothe commissions that an
internet company has a lot ofmanufacturers, hold that as a
house account Right right.
So if they go to a store andthey say, oh, I like this, and
they go buy it elsewhere, thenthe store loses, I lose, and
(12:26):
stuff like that, right?
Speaker 3 (12:28):
So the lines you represent a number of different
lines.
Do all of those lines alsoallow others to sell it on the
internet, or are a lot of themkind of keeping it?
Speaker 4 (12:43):
more exclusive to the designers and to the stores.
The majority of a lot of thelighting stores today will sell
online, and you can't blame themeither.
The number of lighting stores,my gosh, I don't know how to put
the number together, but morethan 50% from when I started,
Wow.
And then you have othermanufacturers who are getting
(13:06):
bigger and bigger and thesmaller ones are kind of the
owners are getting older andthere's no succession plan.
Speaker 2 (13:17):
Which is so crazy to think about all those big names
through the years.
Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, I mean.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
But the other point that you uh brought up, that I
thought was interesting, wasokay.
So we're selling to retailstores now, right now.
Again, the internet is anotherhuge channel, but the other one
is is the designer base.
In fact, when you saw mesitting there in the parking lot
, I was coaching another salesrep about you.
You know, if you don't recognizethe designer, you're behind the
(13:47):
game.
You're behind the game becauseif you ever got an account or an
attendee list from places likeHigh Point, you would see that
the number of designers on thatlist are by far the majority of
names that have registered forthe show, right?
Speaker 2 (14:07):
majority of names that have registered for the for
the show, right so so there's agood correlation between who is
kind of well.
I feel like designers areconstantly trying to find, you
know, be in the know of what'snew, what's being represented
right now, and you know it's notas easy to get like.
We were spoiled in southflorida with dak Dakota and the
design center and the resources.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
Right.
Speaker 2 (14:28):
But that has since shifted.
Also, and even though there'sstill great resources, even now,
palm Beach is growing its ownlittle designer hub.
But at the end of the day, thebest place to see anything and
everything is at market andthrough our reps, who you know
know we do count on and rely onin the industry too the the high
(14:52):
point show.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
uh, I was at a little meeting whenever you call it
and, uh, I don't remember thelady's name, but she was one of
the first people who startedeither the show or a group or
whatever.
But the thing was she says thatback in the day, when it first
(15:14):
started, you had to be retail Ifyou were a designer.
Sorry, you can't.
You know this isn't for you.
You know you have to buythrough distribution.
Wow, this isn't for you.
You have to buy throughdistribution.
Wow.
Now it's like I mentioned, it'sa whole different game.
It's a whole different game.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
Yeah, we keep hearing in people that we talk to, that
individuals who are, likeyourself, reps and repping
brands and so forth.
The designer side is soimportant to their business.
Oh, yeah, and unfortunately,we're hearing and seeing that
some of these retailers aredisappearing.
Speaker 4 (15:58):
I find that's so good .
If I may, mention names.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
Yeah, of course.
Speaker 4 (16:04):
You can take a lot of these furniture companies like
Bears Furniture is doing a greatjob, scan Design is doing a
great job, clive Daniel Home isdoing a great job.
Okay, because they're bigenough and they hire enough
people to do this.
Now, what do they have in there?
They have salespeople, but theyalso have designers in there
(16:25):
Right.
So they're really doing a greatjob with bringing it better to
the people.
Okay, the smaller ones, thesmaller accounts and stuff like
that the mom and pops it'sharder to get that going because
you know it's, you know.
Designer component yeah, youknow, it's the two of them who
(16:49):
are selling.
Speaker 2 (16:49):
You know, you know, I know that's kind of always been
my thing too of like you don'twant a salesperson helping you
decorate your house right youknow.
So I do understand that designcomponent being, you know, a
pivotal situation.
So, as you have this careerspanning now we've mentioned a
(17:10):
few decades in this industrywhat do you think is the most
important component to date?
The most important component orexciting component, like is it
the growth of the Internet, Isit the you know, the design
business, or say the shows orthe relationship?
Speaker 4 (17:34):
So gosh, the part that I would say that makes my
job so exciting is that it'svery fluid.
Okay, nothing is the same, andone of the things I get the the
biggest kick out of is you know,everybody is putting out great
product.
I mean my gosh, you go to you,you go to market.
(17:56):
It's like you know, oh, youthink, oh well, this guy's a,
it's a great brand or whatever.
Yeah, but the smaller guy, youknow, the smaller manufacturer,
you might be able to find thesame exact thing, maybe a
different twist, maybe adifferent element that's off of
it hits a different price point,or something like that.
But nothing about this industryis boring, because I just find
(18:17):
that everyone's coming out withgreat product Constantly,
evolving Constantly.
And as far as bringing back asa design into my own agency is,
I'm hiring people to dodifferent aspects of the job
that are different than I usedto do before, like more on email
(18:43):
blasts.
I make up my own literature tohand out and such like that.
I find that manufacturers, theydon't print catalogs anymore,
but if a rep comes by and theydon't have a catalog, well you
know.
So it's all internet.
That's the catalog, yeah well,what you need to do is go onto
the internet and it's like, yeah, but then as soon as you leave,
then you forget.
Speaker 2 (19:11):
So, yeah, what are some of those ideas that people
in your, in the rep industry orthe rep world how do you trigger
, like designers to recommend,because I even myself somebody
will pop in, I might be outright at a meeting and they
leave some things I'm like, ohmy god, these are all gorgeous
right but like, what is a goodtrigger to remember?
Like, oh, I gotta remember thatwhen it gets put back on the
shelf, those email blasts, Iguess.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
Well, the email blasts.
But I got complimented on byanother manufacturer saying,
like I'm branding myself, right,we have a Rather than trying to
brand the manufacturer Becauseyou know, what's going to happen
is one day I may lose the line,they may close, they may get
another rep or whatever.
But it's like my gosh.
(19:52):
I've got to go to KeithEichelblatt for this resource,
for a table lamp, a mirror, alight or something like that.
Speaker 3 (19:58):
Well, you're so closer to those items because
you're seeing them from themanufacturers, Like from a
designer.
You're a great resource tobounce off of.
Speaker 2 (20:07):
Totally Like.
Even the email blast could justsimply be photos from market, I
mean to be able to see them indifferent lights.
I mean, I refer to things allthe time like that.
Speaker 4 (20:18):
Yeah, but the other thing is that.
So what I leave behind is thatI'll leave behind a postcard,
and it will have a picture of meon it in those suits that I was
telling you about.
But you've got to makesomething memorable.
You've got to grab theattention and the such in order
(20:40):
to be memorable, because there'sa lot of reps out there.
There's a lot of reps out there, correct?
There's a lot of reps out there, and sometimes the rep makes
the line and sometimes the linemakes the rep.
Speaker 3 (20:50):
Right, so you know, but you stand out and you just
said because of the way in whichyou dress the way in which you
present yourself.
Let's talk about that for alittle.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
How did that evolve?
Like to be able to set yourselfapart.
Tell us, talk about that for alittle.
How did that evolve to be ableto set yourself apart?
Speaker 4 (21:05):
Well, when I'm off, I'm in front of the TV just
relaxing.
My wife one time came in andgoes well, what are you doing?
I said well, I'm watching TV,she goes.
Well, how about turning on theTV then?
The whole idea was that I'mjust zoning out.
I'm just, you know I'm on.
So I, as mentioned before, wasI take being a rep as a career
(21:32):
so much.
Like a doctor or anybody else,they're always going to go back
and try to learn more and learnmore, and learn more.
Speaker 3 (21:39):
So I look at it differently when I hear in our
conversation before we startedthe podcast today, we were
talking a little about this, wewere talking about acting and so
forth because you've done someacting and I kind of think about
it from your standpoint andseeing you at market and what
not that you're a performer.
It's like Elvis getting onstage.
Speaker 4 (21:59):
It's like you've got your I don't want to call it
costume, but you're beautifullydressed well, do you know that
when Walt Disney World hiressomebody, they're not hiring
employees, they're hiring actors?
Speaker 2 (22:11):
Correct Actors, they call them Okay.
Speaker 4 (22:15):
And so that way they can get around a lot of stuff, I
guess.
But the idea is I can bewhoever I want to be.
If I want to walk into ashowroom here, you'll do one, I
think you need to have thislight.
Speaker 2 (22:31):
Bring your jersey back or something Right.
Speaker 4 (22:32):
I know where you live .
Are you going to buy this lampor what, so it is.
But the progression of tryingto learn more about sales, learn
more about people, learn moreabout acting I did acting
because I thought that thatcould bring out a different
(22:53):
element.
Yeah, yeah, and basically it'sjust.
I learned how to have fun at myjob, right.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
Which is what we all want to eventually achieve.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
Most people don't have fun with what they're doing
.
No, it's a shame.
Speaker 4 (23:06):
Yeah, and so that's the reason why I call it more of
that career rather than thatjob, because I do like what I'm
doing and the amount of peoplethat I call on.
Oh my gosh, it's like if youever saw my account list, it's
way too many.
Speaker 2 (23:21):
Right, well, I guess that's a good thing then, not
enough way too many.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
Okay, you know that's a good thing, then not enough.
Yeah, I mean not that I take aday off, but I mean it's like
like what was it like a year ago, or something like that.
It was like the first time Itook a vacation, and I don't
know how long so you're, soyou're in your car, then a lot
driving every day.
Speaker 2 (23:39):
Yes, a lot of windshield time a lot of
windshield time it's one of thegood questions we like to ask
when you're a rep.
What does the day-to-day looklike?
Obviously a lot of windshieldtime, but is there certain days
that you set aside for managingaccounts, or certain days you
set aside for replenishingaccounts, or how does the day
get set up?
Speaker 4 (24:00):
so.
So, as the years have gone on,a lot of, I think, the
responsibilities have alsochanged, like, for instance,
when I first started, the bigthing was going back into the
warehouses and counting theboxes and making sure there's
inventory, is it on the floor,and hanging it on the floor, and
(24:21):
stuff like that.
Nowadays, these things calledcomputers I think that's how you
pronounce it are actually youknow, you don't even need to go
in the back.
And even if you did and you gotthe information, they're like
all right, thank you, and Idon't know what to do with your
information because I'm going togo buy my computer anyway.
Okay, so the day-to-day isstill trying to plan it, but end
(24:45):
of the year, at the end ofDecember, whatever I was
planning, 2025.
Okay, and the first thing I didwas I got out three months of
the calendar and I marked downyou know here's where I'm going
to be in this date, this date,this date, this date, by January
15th.
It was done.
It was garbage, okay.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
You were already.
Speaker 4 (25:07):
Because you know the best you can do is that.
You know you can still try toplan for it, but so many
different things come up,correct, and it doesn't work out
that way, like if you get intoa car accident.
It really screws up your day,right, you know so.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Like a flat tire I had yesterday so.
But how does one manage youraccounts like?
So you know you have an incomecoming in right how, in this
business, would you explain, youknow, for somebody getting into
this type of career?
Right how do you manage what'scoming in every month, what you
want to, how you want to grow,how you want to scale, how you
(25:42):
want to scale.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
Right.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
You know when is it time to take on a new line, when
is a line no longer serving youRight, or how does that all
work?
Speaker 4 (25:51):
Well, I find that sometimes, when it comes down to
the development of the line,okay, I found that there's a lot
of people who have a lot oflines, to the point where they
don't even remember how manylines they have or what they
have.
So, a lot of things that I tryto do is I try not to pick up
(26:12):
too many and just keepdeveloping it and keep
developing it.
And, as I said, everybody hasgood product.
Well, at some point it's goingto be too much of a crossover,
and then which one do you pullout first?
Well, at some point it's goingto be too much of a crossover,
and then which one do you pullout first?
(26:35):
I find that there's alwaysprograms that different
manufacturers have that mayappeal to you but not for you,
that kind of thing.
So you've got to think ahead ofthe game and see what will work
.
You go into a lighting store.
They may not be that muchinterested in table lamps, but
you go into a furniture storeand they're not that much
interested in channel leaders.
So then you're shifting gearsand one of the talents that I
think a lot of people have lostwas back in the day, you know,
(27:00):
before a lot of the you knowagain, we had handwritten
purchase orders and stuff likethat.
Reps used to be able to addcolumns up, upside down, which I
thought was always the greatestthing, because I was like,
going now you need more, youknow, but now it's kind of like,
oh man, I wish you guys wouldstop relying on computers.
You know, because you know howmuch inventory you have now.
It's true, because you know howmuch inventory you have now.
(27:22):
It's true.
Do most lines or the lines thatyou represent, are you the
exclusive for that?
For your territory or your area?
There may be different otherreps in it, like, for instance,
you may have a commercial repversus a residential rep and
(27:46):
again, as I I mentioned before,like the internet rep.
So there's so much businessstill out there.
There's plenty to go around.
Speaker 2 (27:57):
There's plenty to go around so one thing that I, one
of the reasons I loved startinga podcast was because I just
love everybody's stories thatthey have to tell, and I feel
like there's so much to learnand grow from everybody's story,
and something that I've alwaysbeen intrigued by in the
industry is love, like you justmentioned, murray Feist.
Like you know he's a realperson.
(28:18):
And I just love hearing thehistory of so many of these
iconic brands that we do useevery day, like howard elliott.
Like what are some of thebackground stories of the or
your favorite stories?
Speaker 4 (28:31):
the background and you represent howard elliott
which is a great brand howardelliott has got a great story
behind a real person well, yes,yes, ish.
Okay, the way that that startedstarted was the family was in a
big rental Like party, rentalParty rentals, tents.
(28:52):
One of the biggest ones in thenation, if I'm not mistaken.
Voice Over (28:55):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (28:56):
And the owner of the company, brian Burke, went to
his dad and said hey, I want tostart my own Mira company.
Miras, yeah, mirors.
Voice Over (29:03):
That's my, my own mirror company.
Speaker 4 (29:04):
Okay, Mirrors, yeah, mirrors, that's my New Jersey.
Voice Over (29:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (29:06):
Mirrors.
Speaker 2 (29:07):
Okay.
Speaker 4 (29:09):
And so you know there was like okay, son, you know
you don't know enough, whatever,and you know it's that always.
Son father's like, no, I'mgoing to do this, okay.
So he says okay, the dad'ssaying, okay, well, we'll name
it Elliot, howard, which is bothof their middle names.
And so Brian goes no, I want toname it Howard, elliot.
Okay, so he's their middlenames.
(29:32):
Right, so it was their middlenames.
And so they're off and running.
He's importing his own stuff,came out with some beautiful,
beautiful stuff, he's got thesupport from his family and
stuff like everything's goinggreat.
And then 9-11 came, oh no.
So if you remember back, thenshut down uh, high point might
(29:54):
have been the safest place inthe world at that point, because
there was, you know guard dogswalking all over arm, you know
guards on the roofs and stufflike that.
But it's like what a time toopen up a new showroom.
Speaker 3 (30:06):
Because that's when they opened, so Howard Elliott's
only been around that just ashort period of time.
Speaker 4 (30:12):
Yeah, something like that 20-something years.
But even with that one.
It's really developed intosomething strong and got into
different categories.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Totally.
A lot of categories, a lot ofaccessories, a lot of lighting,
even.
Speaker 4 (30:33):
They never got it.
Brian never really wanted toget into anything that I can
plug in.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
That's true.
That's because of a new set ofproblems or something, right, so
he goes.
Speaker 4 (30:43):
I don't want to deal with that kind of stuff and I'm
like going yeah, well, shippingmirrors could be an issue.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
There you go.
No kidding.
Speaker 4 (30:50):
But one of the other lines is the natural light lamps
.
As I mentioned, I startedselling them on the retail side
back when I was like 14.
And it's a mom and pop and youwant to talk about two lovely
people.
And you want to talk about twolovely people.
Okay, the wife does a lot ofthe designing.
You know the uh.
Harvey does the uh uh.
(31:10):
You know runs.
You know runs a show, if youwill, but they do it together
natural light lamps.
I'm not familiar with it yeah,definitely is, but it's, yeah,
what's?
What's unique about theirproduct or well, one of the
things is that if you go onlineand go to natural light, you'll
come up with a beer, okay, okay,I always refer to it as the
Natural Light, so you know ifanyone.
(31:31):
You have to type the in yeah,that way it'll come up and
they've got it's table lamps,okay, and they also have art,
and all their art is originalwork, okay, and it is very good
and it's overscaled.
It is just beautiful stuff.
Now, when it comes to theirlamps, the majority of it is
(31:53):
domestic and they ship out ofFlorida.
Speaker 2 (31:56):
Wow, yeah, up in the panhandle, is that where they do
the manufacturing?
Speaker 4 (32:00):
Right, wow, I mean, when you go there you'll
actually see people putting thethings together rather than box
in, box out from containers.
Speaker 2 (32:09):
Is that the company that has the color options?
Speaker 4 (32:12):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (32:12):
So you can customize their colors.
Speaker 4 (32:15):
Yes, so you could say to an extent that they are made
in the USA.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (32:22):
And the nice thing about that is, whereas a lot of
other manufacturers bringeverything in from China, so you
have to put a certain amount tofit into a cube, which will fit
into a container.
We've got lamps that are justvery, very tall.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
I know, your scale is great.
Speaker 4 (32:38):
The scale is great.
Scale is great, joanne knowscolor, she knows design.
We use different mediums and inmy opinion, it's the greatest
lamp line in the world.
Really, and you know, theshades are the best.
I'm biased but I still think Ialways, whenever I present it, I
(33:01):
always say this is the greatestyou know lampline in the world.
Speaker 2 (33:05):
Tell us what other lines do you rep?
Speaker 4 (33:08):
I rep Craftmade lighting and fans.
And they've got, you know,great, great designs on ceiling
fans, high-end ceiling fans.
You know, to builders uhceiling fans, it's a across the
board lighting chandeliers,indoor lighting, outdoor
lighting and even uh lightedmirrors.
So that's that's one of theirnew categories, uh concept
(33:29):
lighting, which uh is spelledwith a k of the-.
Speaker 2 (33:33):
But they gave you some tough ones for the internet
, right.
Speaker 4 (33:36):
So they said, yeah, let's make it difficult for all
of us.
So it's concept and that getsinto nice, streamlined,
contemporary LED lighting.
And they have won awards afterawards after awards on design.
That's a really nice company.
Speaker 3 (33:53):
Are they US based as well?
Speaker 4 (33:57):
No, it's abroad.
But I mean, it's hard to findlighting anywhere in the world
except for China, correct, youknow?
Speaker 2 (34:09):
So has it always been like that.
Speaker 4 (34:11):
No, back in the day, I've been to Spain, to a trade
show there, which is very cool.
There's other trade showsthroughout the world, but you
know, I remember that, you knowwell.
This product's from Italy, thisproduct's from Spain, this
product's from so-and-so, butnow a lot of it is coming out of
(34:32):
China.
But they're also bringing inthe Chinese companies, are
bringing in Italian people to dothe Right.
Speaker 2 (34:40):
We had that conversation yesterday here.
Because of a wood floor thatwe're selecting, the pricing
came in Our rep came in he waslike, oh, that's a good price, I
don't, that's great.
You know, our rep came in.
He was like, oh, that's a goodprice, I don't like that's great
.
And he like looked at the boardand it's, like you know, made
in the People's Republic and Iwas like, what do you mean?
(35:01):
Like it's just.
I feel like it is everything'sgetting taken over.
And he's like well, it doesn'tmean that every product is bad,
but what we've dealt with sinceI've been in this business is I
truly never had damaged goods.
And now I feel like half of ourday, which even John who's
helped us sometimes like half ofour day is monitoring and
(35:26):
managing damaged goods.
Speaker 4 (35:30):
And that's where the rep comes in, right?
So how do?
Speaker 2 (35:31):
you deal with like such.
I mean, there's a waste factor,there's so much like a cost
situation like where does thatfit in our industry?
Speaker 4 (35:40):
now I think I mean going back to the natural light
lamps.
I, I I laugh at that becauseagain, I see them building it, I
see them putting in the box, Isee them doing this and that and
I think that uh ups can throwit off their truck and nothing's
going to happen to it.
I'm really impressed with theway that they have it.
You have some othermanufacturers who will ship it
(36:01):
over to the United States inboxes made for trucking but not
for UPS.
So if they don't redesign theirboxes then you're going to get
that damage damage.
But everyone's trying to limitit because freight is so high
right now well, the damagedgoods.
Speaker 2 (36:19):
I feel like too, like what happens to all those
damaged goods.
I mean they tell us, donatethem.
You go to like our receivingwarehouse.
I mean there's just stuff fordays that like has no end use.
How, how do the reps getinvolved at all in combating?
Voice Over (36:37):
where all?
Speaker 2 (36:37):
that ends up.
Or how does it work?
Well?
Speaker 4 (36:41):
what I try to do is my job is to make you money,
right, okay, ultimately, we'reall trying to sell the same
thing.
Right and if you make money, Imake money.
Voice Over (36:52):
Right, and that's the bottom line.
Speaker 4 (36:53):
Yeah, it's a really good way of looking at the
business when you're, when youcome from the retail end of it
and you see a pile of garbagethat's sitting there and you
know you're waiting for the repto take care of something and
that's a that's, that's money,that's in the bank, that's just
sitting back, it's true.
So that's how I look at it,okay, okay, I embrace the
(37:13):
situation, if you will.
And so you go on and keep theball of damages, I should say
the sale of the product going.
That part is figured in Somehowor another.
It's figured in because there'sno sense in shipping back
something that's broken that'sgoing to go back by truck, only
for them to throw it away intheir garbage can.
Speaker 2 (37:34):
Correct and if they can donate it.
Speaker 4 (37:37):
I'm sure somewhere along the line they have
insurance policies that say youknow, I'm not an accountant, but
I'm sure there's a line therefor someone.
Speaker 2 (37:47):
It's such a wild thing for me to like, just
because of how much we deal within the damaged situation.
Voice Over (37:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (37:55):
Especially, like you say, we recognize the value of
what reps bring to the table,especially as an interior design
firm.
Right, and it's not justdamaged things.
I think that's kind of theminor part of all the business.
It's just something you have todeal with.
But I think the fact what repsbring to the table from a design
(38:16):
firm and helping withselections and helping with
colors and alternatives to itemsthat are sold that we may not
know or the consumer may notknow, come in 50 other different
colors, shades Well, if youever go to market and when you
go through every single showroomand you saw every single
(38:40):
product.
Speaker 4 (38:41):
It's mind-boggling.
Speaker 2 (38:43):
Yeah, it is mind-boggling you can't do that.
Speaker 4 (38:45):
I mean so when you do go to market and you find out
oh my gosh, check this out.
You know, one of the thingsthat Dad and I used to do was we
would go to the lines that wewould typically buy for, but the
last mission was always to findsomething that's new, that's in
a small building that can'tafford a big showroom.
Speaker 2 (39:04):
Oh, that's cool, and let's find that little gem.
I love that.
Speaker 4 (39:11):
But that's also what the rep can bring to the game.
Is that something that is notalways that's glaring in the eye
, is just something that is sospecial that you wouldn't have
seen them?
Speaker 3 (39:24):
without the rep.
Right, I went to High Pointthis year.
It was my first time.
I've been to a lot of tradeshows for other industries and
businesses.
You mentioned a few minutes agoabout Spain a trade show, right
, so you've probably.
It sounds as though you've beento a number of different trade
shows, possibly around the worldin different places.
Is there any one trade show youthink is like the trade show?
(39:46):
Is it High Point for theindustry?
Speaker 4 (39:54):
So I go to the atlanta show, I go to the high
point show and I go to thedallas show twice a year, you
know?
So, right, there's what.
Uh, the six shows, right shows,um, each one does something a
little bit different than theother one, I mean, but if you're
an interior designer, I reallythink you know however you want,
(40:16):
to what scale you want to putyourself on.
If you don't go to the HighPoint show, I think you're
missing out on so much, I mean,and not only the product.
All right, great, everyone hasa good product, as I keep
mentioning.
But they've got the classes,they've got other programs,
they've got other programs.
They've got so much things thatyou can offer.
(40:38):
They have continuing educationcredits and stuff like that.
And not only that, you get tomeet your friends again.
Speaker 3 (40:45):
Right, Every six months or so.
Yeah, there's definitely I'vesaid this a couple of times on
some of the podcasts that afterme going, I've said to Tiffany,
you need to take some of theclients to this.
This is unbelievable.
Yeah, I mean we're a busy firm.
We probably, at any one giventime, are working on 20 plus
houses.
Right, I mean we're busy andthere's clients that we have
(41:09):
that if we took them for threedays for High Point, they could
do their entire house.
Speaker 4 (41:16):
But I also think that you give them too much choices.
Speaker 2 (41:19):
You'll never get the job done.
Well, Tiffany's pretty good athoming them in.
Speaker 3 (41:26):
We can love a lot of things and appreciate them.
There's so much to see.
We've got a client it's allabout chandeliers and this
particular client is a touringcomedian Right and her whole
basis of her tour is that she'sknown as the chandelier status
Right.
A chandelier is somethingthat's so beautiful you look at
and it never changes.
Speaker 2 (41:44):
It stands alone in a room and so forth.
Speaker 3 (41:47):
And so they're always looking for new chandeliers for
the stage for their tour.
I said, Tiffany, you've got totake them to High Point.
New chandeliers for the stagefor their tour?
I said, Tiffany, you've got totake them to High Point.
They'll go nuts when they seeeverything that's there.
Speaker 4 (42:00):
Well, one of the funny things which reminds me of
Craftmade, they had bought thisone doorbell line okay, line of
doorbells, unbelievable.
What was actually kind of coolwas that made it onto Saturday
Night Live?
Really no way, because it waskind of like, if you remember,
they had that one skit withchandeliers.
(42:21):
You've got to have a chandelier.
It'll make your food tastebetter.
Voice Over (42:23):
You've got to have a chandelier.
Speaker 2 (42:24):
That's so funny.
Speaker 4 (42:26):
And so it was a takeoff of that, and so the one
guy who I was talking to aboutit was always saying I can say
that there's no other competitorout there that has ever been on
Saturday Night Live with theirdoorbells.
Speaker 2 (42:41):
That is so funny.
Yeah, so any of the brands thatyou currently rep and work with
do they bring on designers forcollaborations?
Is there any collaborationsthat are?
I feel like that's kind of anewer thing in the last 10 years
, this collaboration that somany brands Well, are you
talking in terms of designersfor product or licensees?
(43:03):
Like I guess, a licensing orjust bringing, it seems like a
lot of companies are.
Speaker 3 (43:08):
Like even the Mears, for example, promoting their
designer, like we noticed thatat High Point this year.
Speaker 4 (43:15):
So I represented one line with Hillary Farr.
That was a license, and youwant to talk about an ego
stretch was, in order to meether, you had to sign up in the
morning to meet her.
So one of the things that shegot there early was working with
the owner and she goes.
You know, we're running out oftime.
(43:37):
I've got to meet my the firstperson.
I got to meet Keith Eichenblattand I go up to her.
I go, hillary, it's only, I'mjust another ref, don't worry
about it, it's okay, I'm here,you know.
So I think there's animportance to having a good
license.
As far as it takes you and itwill take you just so far, okay,
(43:58):
but it's all about the productcorrect.
Okay, product yeah and so I Ionly wish that more
manufacturers would come outwith their own designers,
because there's a lot of overlapokay, there's a lot of overlap
from manufacturer tomanufacturer to manufacturer.
I would like to see themanufacturers have their own
(44:20):
designers and develop their own.
The other thing and I hope mymanufacturers are listening
listen to the reps.
We're the ones who are on thefront lines and you know we're
seeing what is going on.
It's their company, so they canrun it any way they want to,
but I find that they may live ina little bubble.
Speaker 2 (44:41):
Right.
Speaker 4 (44:42):
Okay, they may, you know, they may think differently
this and that and this and that, but not only that.
Florida is so different thanNebraska too, okay, so I mean
they're trying to appeal toeverybody and I keep saying more
coastal.
Speaker 2 (44:54):
give me more coastal Right.
Right, it's definitely a thing.
So we live in we kind ofmentioned this a little bit
before that we live in this now,computer age, social media
world and you're all about yourbranding, personal brand.
Do these companies care kind ofguide you at all on how to work
(45:14):
with social media or how topush the brand or cross
collaborate like through socialmedia at any way?
Speaker 4 (45:22):
are you?
A lot of the manufacturers dohave their own social media
person, okay, which is good,okay.
Um, there's also a lot of repsout there, so a lot of reps out
there, that don't even know howto use the computer, the social
media and stuff like that.
(45:42):
So I mean in my mind, then hiresomeone that does, because the
world is really changing a lotand it's changing even faster.
And the funniest story justhappened about a few weeks ago
was I was at a vendor show, okay.
So you know, one company has,you know, across the United
(46:04):
States, you know, a bunch ofemployees and they're of all
ages.
Well, one of them was about 24years old, right, and so you
know, I go.
You know I was talking to himand said hey, you know, let me
help you out, go ahead and giveme your card.
You know I go.
You know I was talking to himand said hey, you know, let me
help you out, go ahead and giveme your card.
And you know, and here's mine.
Speaker 2 (46:19):
Oh, I know they probably did.
Speaker 4 (46:21):
So he goes oh, we don't have cards he has his
digital one.
Yeah, I'm like, well, I don'tknow what to do.
Speaker 2 (46:28):
You scan a QR code, you know it's already in your.
Speaker 4 (46:30):
That happened to me the other day too, so it's like,
okay, you know, thanks formaking me feel old.
You know, I appreciate that,but a lot of the manufacturers,
if they're not doing it bythemselves, they're hiring
people to do it.
As far as collaborating as anindependent rep, I do my own and
(46:52):
there's other reps that will goout there.
Well, the manufacturer needs tocome out with catalogs, the
manufacturer needs to come outwith this manufacturer.
It's like I'm in business formyself.
Yeah, you know.
So if I see a need, that aprinted postcard which costs you
know nothing, if you will right, you know you're printing, then
make it and just print it up,you know, and and to do it is,
you know, it's just not thatdifficult.
Speaker 3 (47:15):
Right.
Speaker 2 (47:17):
So, on that note, what advice would you give an
individual who would like tomove into this industry starting
?
Speaker 4 (47:28):
out, get a lot of friends.
What's interesting is I don'tfind too many people coming in
from the outside.
Usually someone's bringingsomebody in.
Okay that makes sense to me.
And even when it gets to someof the more popular lines,
(47:48):
you're almost always recommendedand recommended, and
recommended From the inside.
From the inside, yeah,recommended from the inside.
From the inside.
Yeah, you know, I know a guyyou know like, because I may rep
howard elliott right with withthis guy here, but he's also
repping another line and so, oh,we're looking for someone in
florida.
I know a guy in florida, youknow, I rep with him with
another one, you know.
(48:09):
So that's how, sometimes, youknow, our packages do grow.
Um, what would I advise them on?
Be patient, because successdoesn't happen overnight, right,
but I as, as mentioned before,I mean there's so many facets,
there's still a lot of businessout there there is you could
still make a a good, good livingwith this, with this job, is it
(48:32):
?
Speaker 3 (48:32):
difficult to become a rep for a individual, because
I've heard and you've said itthat if you're good at what you
do and you enjoy what you'redoing which you certainly seem
to be you're going to do welland you're going to make a nice
living and you have your own.
Basically, you're making yourown schedule, you're not really
reporting to anyone.
(48:53):
You know it's, I think, a nicelifestyle that way as well.
Speaker 2 (48:57):
But I think it might be difficult for a person to
become a rep because like yousaid, if you don't know a lot of
people, you got to start fromthe inside.
Speaker 4 (49:05):
Well, a big part of it is there's a certain amount
of crazy that you have to addinto the recipe.
Okay, and I mean, if you're nota self-starter, yeah, oh, my
gosh, and all the things youhear about kids today, there is
no way they're gonna be wrapped.
Speaker 2 (49:23):
It's so true.
It's so true.
I was actually listening to apodcast this morning where
they're saying like school haskind of been set up to take all
that free thinking away Likethey want.
You know, it's kind of breakingdown the free thinking and kind
of get y'all in a box and getin line and conform Right.
(49:44):
So yes, and it's funny that yousay that like there is still so
much growth in this industry,which is another reason why I
love having the podcast to kindof illuminate it, because in a
lot of my own research, it's notone that AI is going to be able
to.
It's a very personal business,it's tactical.
You know there is a lot andit's been an untapped industry
(50:06):
for such a long time.
Speaker 4 (50:08):
It's still a mom and pop.
Speaker 2 (50:09):
It is right yeah it really is.
Speaker 4 (50:12):
It really is, yeah, the uh, uh, I I just, you know,
uh, I I just think that if a newperson is coming in, there's
something about them that theyhave that drive already in them.
Okay I'm, am I driven by money?
(50:33):
I'm not gonna kid you, I likemoney, but but the thing about
it is, I like making the sale.
Speaker 2 (50:38):
Right, you like that.
The art is a deal of it.
Speaker 4 (50:43):
And if you and I worked on something and it's
like, keith, I'm looking for aceiling fan, okay, and I found
the perfect one for you and yourcustomers absolutely love it,
you know, I mean you're going tobe happy because you satisfied
your customer and I'm going tobe happy because you know you're
happy, kind of thing.
So yeah, that's a big part ofit.
Speaker 2 (51:04):
It's a relationship business too.
Speaker 4 (51:06):
Yeah, you're not going to find and, as I said, a
lot of it is crazy because youcan make whatever you want out
of it okay I mean the, the like.
For instance, one of the jokesthat was kind of carrying me for
a number of years but I neverreally picked up on it.
Was I like to dress up asyou've seen?
(51:29):
and stuff like that, like yourpersonal branding but I also
drove a uh toyota sienna, whichwas the most comfortable thing
in the world, held everythingbut the paint was burning off of
it.
I had like 300,000 plus miles onit but it was so reliable, it
was this, it was that, and it'slike, oh well, you don't really
match your car.
So I was like, all right, fine,I wound up getting a new car
(51:51):
because it was time anyway.
But I was bulletproof to a lotof people's criticisms right
like, you want to buy me a car,buy me a car, I'll drive that
you know.
Speaker 3 (52:02):
But uh, uh, you know, I, I, I do my own thing you
know, I have to say somethingthat, for people who've never
been to high point high pointit's like it's like a mini city
of just every furniture,lighting, home accessory you
could think of, by every singlecompany is there in this one
(52:23):
little mini city.
My first time going there wasthis year and I went around with
Tiffany and we met a lot ofpeople, a lot of people that
Tiffany knows, and went to a lotof showrooms and I have to tell
you that you're the one personthat really stood out when I met
you at High Point.
This is that your personalitywas electrifying.
(52:47):
You were.
Speaker 4 (52:48):
I was on, baby, I was on.
Speaker 3 (52:51):
And I said to Tiffany the first time and you popped
up everywhere.
Speaker 2 (52:53):
You were like old bug .
Speaker 3 (52:55):
But that's the thing is that when I first met you, I
said to Tiffany, I said I betyou he does really well because
he's got a great personality,he's so friendly and just
warming and charming.
And then, like I don't know, itwas like 20 minutes later we're
in another building and, forpeople who don't understand
another building, we walked liketwo blocks to another building,
(53:16):
went up to the sixth floor,which these buildings are a maze
walked into another showroomand I said wait, he has a
brother, a twin.
Speaker 4 (53:26):
And he dresses the same way too.
That was you.
Speaker 3 (53:28):
And then I forget, I think it was later in the day we
ran into you at anothershowroom where you were holding
court with all these differentpeople and I said to Tiffany I
said, man, he does get around,he's really on it and I said
we've got to have him on ourpodcast.
Speaker 4 (53:46):
But one of the things that I as a child.
So for the brands that yourepresent, I have to say they're
very lucky to have you Did youhear that everyone has this been
working.
Speaker 3 (53:51):
Hello, they have to say they're very lucky to have
you, did you?
Speaker 4 (53:55):
hear that everyone has this been working.
Speaker 3 (53:59):
Hello, they have to be, they have to be.
Speaker 4 (54:03):
Well, I had a sales manager one time and goes to me.
He goes Keith, you did reallyreally well this year.
Let's put a quota on for nextyear for, like you know, like
$600,000 for it.
I said, well, that's great.
Voice Over (54:19):
Why don't we make it ?
Speaker 4 (54:20):
$700,000?
He goes you want to do $700,000?
Make it $800,000.
I said I'll tell you what.
Let's make it a cool milliondollars.
He goes really I said what partdo you think I'm not going to
do anyway, to strive to do thebest that I can.
Speaker 2 (54:34):
You're right, you don't need to give me a quota.
That's a good advice.
Speaker 4 (54:37):
I'm going to do whatever it takes.
Yeah, you know, and if I meetit, I meet it.
I mean, am I the greatest one?
There's always someone who'sgoing to be better.
You know, there's always goingto be a lot more people,
hopefully it'll be worse.
But you know I don't have alife, I just work.
Speaker 2 (54:55):
So where do you see your future in the industry?
Well Is there an end game, oris it just keep going?
Speaker 4 (55:03):
Well, no, there's going to be an end game one day,
but part of it that I thoughtwas so interesting, again, let's
call it growth.
That's one of my favorite words,and maybe it's even a better
understanding of what we do.
I uh, every 10 years I said Igotta pinch myself to make sure
that I'm still alive, okay.
(55:24):
So one of the things that I diddo was okay.
As I mentioned before, I workedat the retail level, okay.
So that way it that helped outwhen I was a rep, so I could
understand that when a lightingdistributor says, hey, my
builder needs our stuff, wecan't close, I get it.
Okay.
A lot of other reps, you knowyou'll get it.
(55:47):
When you hear knock, knock,knock on the back door, that's
when you're going to get it.
Okay.
So you know, so I know that myefforts to make things happen,
you know, matter.
A lot of people think likekeith, how big of a garage do
you have?
Because it sure sounds like youhave everything to solve our
problems in your garage.
Then when I turned I I think itwas 50 I said you know what I
(56:09):
want to try this import business.
It seems like it seems like itworks right right.
So I did that.
I flew around the world and didthis and did that and I'm
already a rep, so it's like Iknew a lot of contacts I already
make to sell this product too.
And that's not an easy job.
(56:30):
It's time-consuming, it'severything else like that.
I hired people and it just gotto the point where that was a
bit much, so I would.
Speaker 2 (56:39):
I never stopped repping but you're not afraid to
try new things oh gosh, no,yeah, no, no, there's.
Speaker 4 (56:44):
Uh, I'm 62 years old and still really yeah, and the
other.
And also is that I'm never.
I never think that I havelearned enough.
No, I feel the same way.
Speaker 2 (56:58):
You have to learn something new every day, they
say.
Speaker 4 (57:00):
Yeah, but just the way that the industry is
changing.
If I feel that I can stay ontop of things and especially
ahead of other people inlearning where the industry is
going, you know that's going tohelp me out.
Things I do wish for things Ido wish is that I'd had a little
(57:20):
bit more time to get involvedin more industry clubs and stuff
like that.
But you know, we're all tryingto work harder.
Speaker 2 (57:31):
I figure that'll be my next season.
Like right now, my juggle iswork and parents and parenting
and building the podcast as myextra, but I would love to.
Speaker 4 (57:41):
But how?
Voice Over (57:42):
cool is this.
Speaker 2 (57:42):
It is so cool, it's been great having you, and we're
so happy too, so let's wrapthis up?
Speaker 3 (57:48):
Sure, we always wrap it up by asking a couple of
offbeat questions about design.
So I'll ask a question first.
Offbeat questions about design.
So I'll ask a question first.
Is that from a designperspective, is there a
restaurant that comes to mindthat you think it's been
designed really cool or great,or wonderful?
Speaker 2 (58:07):
Or it could be lack of design.
It could be designing of thefood.
Speaker 4 (58:12):
If you give me a great steak on a picnic table,
I'm all about that.
But there is a restaurant thatI particularly like going back
to over and over again, becausethey have a piano bar there.
Speaker 2 (58:27):
Oh, I love that.
Speaker 4 (58:32):
But can I mention the name?
Speaker 2 (58:33):
Yes.
Speaker 4 (58:33):
Okay, it's called Christeners, which is somehow or
another.
They were connected with DelFrisco's, okay, and they know
how to.
It's all about the service.
They've got good managementthere.
It's in Orlando, what's thename of it?
Christeners?
K-r-i-s-t-n-e-r-s.
(58:54):
Wow, I should try it and beenthere for bachelor parties, to
birthdays, to everything.
And there's a level ofsophistication that when you go
in there, you know I go in therewearing one of my crazy suits
or whatever and I want to beking tonight because I know that
you know.
Speaker 2 (59:10):
You feel special walking through here, I feel
special.
Speaker 4 (59:12):
And I want you know I feel special and I want, I want
you know.
So I love that place and youknow that's where I like going.
I love that.
What is your favorite hotel?
I would definitely say my house.
(59:38):
Ok, I, you know one of thethings that they said in this,
you know, and I mean mean I'vebeen to the Intercontinental in
Paris Absolutely amazing.
Yeah, okay, not that I've beenall over the world and this and
that, and not that I stay in thegreatest places either.
And there's a, really I thinkit's in Boca.
I remember that when I firstmet my wife, there was a very
opulent the Boca Resort.
I bet you, that's what it was.
Voice Over (01:00:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (01:00:01):
I bet you that's what it was they changed it.
Speaker 2 (01:00:03):
It's called the Boca Resort.
Speaker 4 (01:00:04):
Well, they can change it back then.
Speaker 3 (01:00:05):
Yeah, yeah, they changed that old kind of world.
Speaker 4 (01:00:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (01:00:10):
Now it's just like all white.
Speaker 4 (01:00:12):
Right, oh, you know it was great.
Speaker 2 (01:00:14):
It's still a great place.
It's still historical.
Speaker 4 (01:00:18):
Where do you want to go on vacation?
Speaker 2 (01:00:20):
You want to go home.
Speaker 4 (01:00:20):
I want to go home.
I got a great porch overlookingour lake.
The dogs To me.
Speaker 2 (01:00:27):
That's my You're happy, that's my happy spot, so
you like to dress Right.
Speaker 3 (01:00:33):
Is there any particular wardrobe accessory
that?
Speaker 4 (01:00:38):
Shoes.
I love shoes, I love shoes.
Speaker 2 (01:00:42):
That's the best way to wrap up I couldn't agree more
.
Speaker 4 (01:00:44):
Never enough shoes and they're not buckles on your
shoes, they're called monks,monks.
Yeah, single monk, double monk.
I didn't know that.
See that?
No, we all learned somethingtoday.
We all learned something today.
Well, thank you, you bet.
Voice Over (01:00:56):
Appreciate you coming.
Thank you so much.
You bet it was a lot of fun.
It was a pleasure to have youiDesign Labs Podcast is an SW
Group production in associationwith the 5 Star and TW Interiors
.
To learn more about iDesign Labor TW Interiors, please visit
twinteriorscom.
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