A shift is happening in the office furniture industry, and it's being led by four passionate veterans who have banded together to champion the small business manufacturers. In this conversation, Rex Miller turns the tables on Trend Report host Sid Meadows, interviewing him and his partners in The Collaborative Network – Michelle Warren, Julie Dillon, and Erin Torres – about their mission to empower small business manufacturers.

The numbers are staggering: while just 20 major manufacturers dominate the market, there are over 3,400 small business manufacturers struggling to gain visibility and traction. After doing the research and finding out about this huge gap in the market, Michelle knew she wanted to address it and help small business manufacturers. 

Each member of this powerhouse team brings specialized expertise – from marketing and branding to sales strategy, independent rep management, and public sector knowledge – creating a formidable resource for companies that typically can't afford dedicated specialists in every discipline.

Born from conversations at NeoCon where frustrated manufacturers shared their frustrations with the overwhelming options and limited guidance available, The Collaborative Network has created three distinct programs to serve different segments: a structured CEO peer group, an emerging business incubator for newer companies, and a sales director peer group. 

Through extensive market research, they've identified five core challenges these manufacturers face: market access difficulties, sales strategy gaps, technology adoption confusion, strategic planning limitations, and perhaps most surprisingly, a profound desire for community with like-minded leaders.

What makes this initiative unique isn't just the team's century of combined experience, but their genuine passion for lifting others up. As Sid puts it, their vision is nothing short of "small business domination" – creating an ecosystem where these forgotten manufacturers can finally compete on a more level playing field with the industry giants.

Ready to connect with the team behind this game-changing initiative? Find them at thecollaborativenetwork.com or connect with any member directly on LinkedIn.

In this episode: