"It Depends" More Than You Think and That’s the Industry
In an industry that loves clear answers and proven playbooks, the reality is a lot messier. The biggest decisions we face, including how we sell, how we design space, and how we show up in the market, rarely come with a simple yes or no. They live somewhere in between, shaped by context, experience, and timing.
That’s exactly where this episode of The Trend Report lands.
In this Hot Takes episode, I sat down with Michelle Warren, co-founder of the Collaborative Network, founder of Catalyst Consulting Group, and someone who has spent years navigating the complexities of the public sector. We spun the wheel, tackled a series of questions, and let the conversation go where it wanted to go.
What came out of our conversation wasn’t just a collection of opinions. It was a clear reminder that in our industry, very few things are black and white. Most of the conversations that matter live somewhere in the gray.
One of the first topics we landed on was whether manufacturers should sell direct. It’s a question that tends to invite strong, immediate reactions. But Michelle approached it with nuance, shaped by her experience in the public sector. In most cases, the existing model works for a reason. Dealers expand reach, provide local expertise, and help move projects across the finish line.
But there are exceptions. In certain environments, especially at the federal level, the manufacturer may need to hold the contract or “carry the paper.” In those moments, it can look like a direct sale, even if the broader ecosystem is still intact. And in some cases, particularly through procurement platforms, a transaction may happen without dealer involvement at all.
What stood out to me is that this isn’t really a yes-or-no question. It’s a reminder that the structure of our industry is evolving, and flexibility matters more than rigid rules. That idea of evolution carried into our next conversation around the open office. Is it dead? Not exactly. But it’s definitely changing.
The open office isn’t disappearing entirely, but it’s no longer the default solution for every space. What’s replacing it is something more dynamic. The workplace today is being shaped around choice. Employees want the ability to decide how and where they work depending on the task at hand. Heads-down work, collaboration, creative thinking, they all require different environments. And when you layer in hybrid work, the conversation shifts even further.
Because if people have the option to work from home, it raises a simple question: why come into the office to do work you could do alone? The office, increasingly, is becoming a destination for connection. For collaboration. For the moments that don’t happen on a screen. And that shift is forcing all of us to rethink how we design space and where products fit into that experience.
That same sense of perspective showed up when we talked about the role of dealers in today’s market. Are they strategic partners, or are they simply order takers? Like most things, the answer depends on where you sit. Michelle pointed out that dealers have always had the ability to be strategic partners, especially when they’re deeply connected to their clients and bringing real value to the process. But there are still scenarios, particularly in certain segments, where the role can become more transactional.
From my perspective, the distinction often comes down to how projects are sold. With large, national accounts, many of the major brands are leading the sales effort and bringing dealers in at the right time to execute. In those cases, the dealer plays a critical role in managing complexity, even if they’re not always leading the conversation from the start.
But in the broader market, the everyday projects happening in cities across the country, dealers are absolutely strategic partners. They are the front line. They build relationships, guide decisions, and ensure that everything comes together the way it should.
And if we’re honest, that role is more important than ever because as our industry continues to evolve, the need for alignment, trust, and execution doesn’t go away. It becomes more critical.
We wrapped up the conversation with a question that always seems to spark debate this time of year. Are trade shows still worth the investment? The answer, again, is not as simple as yes or no.
Michelle made a point that I think often gets overlooked. Trade shows are only valuable if there’s a strategy behind them. Showing up isn’t enough. Having a booth isn’t enough. If you don’t know why you’re there, who you’re trying to reach, and what success looks like, it’s very easy for the investment to fall short.
And that strategy goes beyond the booth. It’s about how you attract the right people. How you engage them once they’re there. And maybe most importantly, what happens after the show is over. Because a follow-up email that looks like everyone else’s is not a strategy. It’s a habit.
What also stood out was the idea that not all opportunities at a trade show are obvious. In many cases, the people in the booths around you, the other exhibitors, can be just as valuable as the attendees walking the floor. Especially in adjacent markets like the public sector, where relationships and partnerships often drive long-term growth. In other words, if you’re only working your booth, you’re only seeing part of the opportunity.
What I appreciated most about this conversation with Michelle is that it didn’t try to force definitive answers. Instead, it highlighted the importance of context. Our industry is full of smart, experienced people who see the world through different lenses. And when you create space for those perspectives to come through, without over-polishing them, you start to uncover insights that feel a lot more real.
What stayed with me after this conversation is how often we look for simple answers to complex questions. Should manufacturers sell direct? Is the open office dead? Are trade shows worth it? The reality is, it depends. It depends on your market, your customer, your strategy and your willingness to adapt. And maybe that’s the real takeaway.
In a rapidly changing industry, the companies that win won’t be the ones with the most definitive answers. They’ll be the ones asking better questions, staying open to different perspectives, and adjusting their approach as the market evolves.
In the end, progress doesn’t come from having all the answers. It comes from knowing when to challenge them, when to adapt, and when to admit that the right answer might be “it depends.”