Hot Takes with Michelle Warren of The Collaborative Network

The workplace is changing faster than the conversations guiding it. We’re stepping up with a sharper plan for Season Seven: weekly episodes designed to spark action, challenge assumptions, and give you practical tools to build spaces and businesses that actually work.

Selling contract furniture used to feel straightforward: manufacturers made, dealers sold, and the office looked more or less the same everywhere. That playbook is cracking. Sid sits down with Michelle Warren for a fast, unscripted Hot Takes round where they share their honest answers about where the industry is headed, what workplace design is becoming after COVID and the rise of hybrid work.

First up: should manufacturers sell direct? They dig into the real-world difference between selling direct and simply holding the paper. Specifically in public sector and federal procurement where the manufacturer contract and GSA-style buying can change the rules. 

They also chat about why smaller and newer brands may need direct-to-customer momentum to get noticed, even if a strong dealer network is the long-term engine for scale, service, and project success.

Then they tackle the open office question. Instead of arguing “dead or alive,” they look at what employees actually need now: choice, spaces for heads-down work, and better settings for collaboration and community. 

They close with a practical trade show strategy discussion, including NeoCon realities, regional alternatives, booth traffic tactics, follow-up that stands out, and how to track your success so you know what worked and what didn’t.

Now a question for you: Should the industry move closer to direct sales or double down on dealer-led value?

In this episode: