In episode 125 of The Trend Report Podcast, my guest Aaron Estabrook and I discuss all things contract furniture, and the possibilities and opportunities that exist in the industry. Aaron is the Director of Digital Marketing at OFS and he shines a light on this vibrant industry in this captivating conversation.

Aaron’s career trajectory is as unique as it is enlightening. His journey, which meandered from the music business to marketing and advertising, eventually led him to the world of contract furniture. He found his role at OFS, which he describes as bringing him immense joy, through this intriguing path. Aaron’s rich experiences, both in New York and Washington DC, have played an instrumental role in honing his skills in personal branding. 

The Trend Report, Episode 125

Aaron offers valuable insights into leveraging digital marketing to create engaging content. He believes that digital marketing can be an efficient tool to provide customers with content that they find interesti...

Understanding the role that personal, professional and industry specific growth plays in your success!

There is no doubt that the world around us is constantly changing, evolving and in most cases, moving forward.  Whether you’re a seasoned professional like me, a budding newbie to the industry, or somewhere in the middle, forward progress is critical for your continued growth and success. 

My journey of continuous growth started just a few short years ago.  In March of 2017, I entered a room of 25 other aspiring Coaches and my world changed forever.  

During this year-long program to become a Certified Professional Coach, I discovered what professional development and growth was all about.  It’s about me.  It’s about me doing the work, sometimes, really hard work, to understand who I am, who I want to be and how I am going to become the best version of me.  Because it’s about me, and it’s about you.  It’s about you doing the work necessary to reach your goals.  It’s about you takin...

In episode 124 of The Trend Report Podcast, I had an engaging conversation with Sam Richardson, the President and CEO of the Identity Group. His journey to the top is an intriguing blend of sports, international living, and a deep dive into the paper and print industry. His experiences, from his time on the college sports field to the aroma of paper plants in the southern United States and his international stint in Brussels, Belgium, shaped his approach to the contract interiors industry.

The Trend Report, Episode 124

In this podcast interview, Sam shares valuable insights into the evolution of the Identity Group, honed through years of hard work and strategic decisions. The company has undergone a transformative journey in providing signage services, experiential graphics, and branded environments. These services are a testament to Richardson's belief in seizing opportunities, learning from experiences, and maintaining a delicate balance between personal growth and family commitmen...

Debunking the myth that you can effectively do more than one thing at a time.

Almost everyday, my clients talk about how effective they are at multitasking and how they are getting so much accomplished. Well, I hate to break it to you, but guess what? Multitasking is a lie!

The only thing that multitasking does is give you the opportunity to screw up more than one thing at a time. You might think I’m being a pessimist, but science backs me up - multitasking is a hoax.

When you try to do two things at once, you can’t do either of them well. The reality is, our brains don’t work that way.  Our brains have channels and where there is channel interference, we aren’t able to process fully and focus effectively on doing either of the tasks we try to “multitask.” These channels are what allow us to walk and chew gum at the same time - because that activity is using different channels, not the same channel. 

Think about this for a minute - you’re on the phone with an important...

When most people think (or talk) about listening, they go directly to the actual act of listening in conversations between individuals — and they’re right we all need to be better relational listeners. In fact, I’d argue it’s the most underdeveloped skill we possess, and I could write multiple columns and do several podcast episodes about it — and still not convince people they needed to work on enhancing their listening skills.

But today, I’d like to direct your attention to a different form of listening. Today’s column is all about social listening. Over the past several months, I’ve heard this term used in a variety of places in different contexts, but I didn’t fully understanding the meaning — so, I started a quest to learn more about “social listening,” what it is, and how I can use it in my business and everyday life.

So, let’s dive into the most intriguing things I’ve learned about “social listening” so far…

What is Social Listening?

At this point, I’m sure you’re wonderi...

How Block Timing Can Help You Get More Done

It's no surprise that time management is a hot topic right now. Most of us feel like we don't have enough hours in the day to get everything done, and it seems like there will never be enough hours to complete our daily to-do’s again. 

But all this worry surrounding how little time there is available each day leads some people to spend more time on their tasks than they need — and for most people, this perpetual anxiety and overthinking means they do an average job, at best.

How can you manage your time better? One strategy to tackle time management systematically is with block timing! Block timing lets you give yourself chunks of focused work-time, so you can get through each task efficiently, without sacrificing the quality of your work or getting overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work left undone.

What is block timing, and how can it help me get more done in a day?

A question I am frequently asked by my clients is, "What can I do to ...

Relationship Selling: Developing New Business and Engaging Prospects

Most industries, including ours, are relationship based — but if you're a relationship-driven salesperson, you understand the challenges that exist in building new relationships, especially over the past 15+ months. You also know how important relationships are for your success.  

However, the new hybrid work model that is being widely adapted around the world creates a new set of challenges. The question for today's column is this: 

"How do we build new relationships when our prospects are embracing hybrid work?"

Before we dive into the answer to our question, let's make sure we understand relationship selling. According to an article published by LinkedIn, relationship selling refers to the sales technique that focuses on the interaction between the buyer and the salesperson, rather than the price or details of the product.

But what really is relationship based selling? In essence, the salesperson cultivates a ...

​​Why having a Mentor is Essential to your Career

Mentoring is a relationship between someone who has knowledge, skill, and experience in a particular area (the mentor) — and someone who wants to learn and grow in that particular area (the mentee). 

The word "mentor" comes from the Greek word for "advisor." A mentor can be anyone: a family member, personal friend, or colleague… you might not even know that person yet! 

The benefits of having a mentor are tremendous and ongoing, because they provide advice, connections, and support when you need it the most. Mentors help with career planning, teach you how to network effectively or negotiate work conditions, and provide timely emotional support when business (and life, in general) gets difficult. 

What is a mentor and why should you have one

A mentor provides guidance, support, and inspiration to help you reach your personal and professional goals. Without the consistent help of experienced, influential people — learning, growing, ...

The Biggest Hiring Mistake
Why changing the way you hire is an important growth strategy for your organization 

We’re in the middle of an economic downturn! We all know this, and we’ve all been impacted in one way or another by the current state of our economy. Companies are laying off employees and downsizing, and I’m over here writing a column about The Biggest Hiring Mistake you’re making right now. A bit off base? 

Perhaps at first glance, but we are not going to be in this cycle forever and as a business owner, leader, or hiring manager — it’s more important now than ever before that you hire the right talent at the right time for your company’s growing and ever-changing needs. 

I’ve spent countless hours over the past several months working with and coaching a lot of people that have been displaced due to the current economic environment. Some of them were employed with the same company for years, decades even, to loyally serving their company, only to be let go when the time c...

Understanding and Preventing Burnout
Where to start when it comes to stopping burnout in your life

Each and every one of us are going through something right now. We're all experiencing everything that life is throwing at us a little bit differently. 

Some of us are dealing with kids going back to school, in person or virtually, or maybe a combination of both.  There are those of us that are trying to figure out return-to-work strategies, if we’re even going back to the office at all. Some families are trying to deal with both adults working from home at the same time and deciding what the long-term work life balance looks like.

Some of us are trying to determine how to grow our businesses and thrive in crazy economic times, and I could go on and on, but you get the point — life has dealt us an unexpected hand of craziness and challenges right now. Our current circumstances create stress and anxiety for all of us, and all of these things and other, unspoken circumstances can all lead...