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In this episode of Design Nerds Anonymous, we ask the question "How to Keep Gen Z from Leaving the Design Industry." In the past two years, the interior design industry has faced significant changes, with firms struggling to retain and attract talent. But what are the reasons behind this trend, and how can we address them? Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with two industry leaders, Cheryl Durst, CEO of IIDA, and Khoi Vo, CEO of ASID. Together, we'll explore the calls to action for the industry on not only attracting but retaining talent. These organizations have had a somewhat tumultuous history, but today they're coming together to explore the calls to action for the industry on not only attracting but retaining talent. Key Takeaways: ·      Discover why the interior design industry is struggling to retain and attract talent despite firms reporting record-breaking backlogs and new project workloads. ·      Learn how lack of work-life balance and communication challenges are the two main reasons that prompt young talent to leave the industry, and what firms can do to address these challenges. ·      Find out why today's students believe that three years or less is an appropriate amount of time to spend on their first job, and how this trend is impacting the industry. ·      Explore how firms can invest in their employees and prioritize their well-being by offering flexible working arrangements and clear communication channels. ·      Learn why promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion is crucial to retaining and attracting talent in the industry and providing opportunities for young talent to grow and develop their skills. ·      Discover how collaboration between industry organizations, educators, and practitioners is essential to address the talent challenge and ensure the industry's long-term success. Thank you for listening to our podcast episode on "How to Keep Gen Z from Leaving the Design Industry." We hope you found these insights engaging and helpful. Don't forget to subscribe to our channel for more industry updates and join us next time for another exciting topic.

In this episode of Design Nerds Anonymous, we pass the mic to the newest generations in the industry to learn what they need most from product manufacturers and distributors. You’ll hear about how their workflow has changed, their biggest issues with websites, how to inspire them with your product, and more. If you’re a product manufacturer or distributor, this episode is a must-listen. Hear directly from Gen Z designers at Interior Design’s “30 Under 30” events about what they need most from your brand, and how you can solve their biggest challenges to become their preferred go-to. In this episode: ·     Workflow changes in 2020: Learn how the next generation’s workflow has changed when it comes to product selection, and how you can adapt to meet their needs. ·     Website issues: Discover the biggest issues designers face when using manufacturer and distributor websites, and how you can make yours better. ·     Inspiring with your product: Hear about the best ways to inspire the next generation with your product, and how to stand out from the competition. ·     What designers need from reps: Get surprising insights into what the next generation needs from their reps, including their preferred balance between digital tools and personal connections. ·     Big opportunities for leading brands: Learn how leading brands can go above and beyond to get noticed by the next generation. Key quotes: ·     “It’s really hard to get in front of us designers because of this virtual world. We’re trying to do things outside of the office, like events, or they’ll do specific events for our team specifically. Like, we have a book club with some reps, which is really nice, and it really allows us to pull in other vendors into the mix as well.” ·     “We’re becoming more digital in the way that we design, and we want our clients to be able to visualize what the project will look like.” ·     “Sometimes too much is not good, so cut to the good stuff.”   Design Nerds Anonymous is a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Nerds Anonymous was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group, with music from Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette, and Samantha Sager.

In this episode of Design Nerds Anonymous: “The Gen Z Confessionals,” you’ll hear the anonymous voices of top design talent under the age of 30, as we dive into the world of design through the eyes of Gen Z. From what attracted them to the industry in the first place to their take on the most puzzling norms in the field, we’re exploring where Gen Z designers see the biggest opportunities for improvement that could benefit all generations in the design ecosystem.  Discover valuable insights from ThinkLab’s industry-specific data, what Gen Z is looking for in the work models of the future, and what they wish their clients knew.   Highlights from this episode:    Find out how Gen Z designers are pushing for more equality in the industry and what they’re doing to break down traditional hierarchies.  See what Gen Z designers say is a major client challenge — and how they’re addressing those constraints.  Discover why Gen Z designers are feeling burnout more acutely than previous generations — and why they’re calling for a better work-life balance in the design industry.   Find out how hybrid work models are becoming the new norm in the design industry and why individual workers prefer them over traditional office models.  Learn how designers and real estate professionals can work together to achieve better outcomes for everyone involved.  Discover why sustainability is more important than ever in the design industry and what designers are doing to create more environmentally-friendly solutions.    Did you know?     ThinkLab research shows that in general, individual workers still have about a 12 percent higher preference for hybrid work, while companies have about a 15 percent higher preference for more time in office.     This episode of Design Nerds Anonymous is brought to you by Allsteel.    Design Nerds Anonymous is a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Nerds Anonymous was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group, with music from Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette, and Samantha Sager.

Welcome to Design Nerds Anonymous: “The Gen Z Confessionals,” a miniseries dedicated to exploring the impact of Gen Z’s entrance to the workforce and the ways they are making waves in the design industry. Each episode includes unfiltered, anonymous insights from top Gen Z talent who participated in a “design confessional” hosted by ThinkLab at Interior Design’s 30 Under 30 networking events for 2022.   In this episode, we discuss how Gen Z designers are changing the way we communicate and collaborate in the workplace, the biggest shifts shaping the future of work for the good (and bad), and what post-pandemic grads are overcoming to learn the ropes in a hybrid setting. We’ll also hear from Brett Shwery, director of interiors for AECOM, on his research about college graduates transitioning into the corporate world (see white paper here). He shares the latest findings, explains how corporations can take cues from collegiate design to ease that transition into workspace, and shares what firms like AECOM are looking for in the next generation of talent.   In this episode: ·     Discover the ways Gen Z designers are using technology to collaborate with colleagues and clients. ·     Hear why the physical work environment is still important — but may not be the most important factor for recent graduates entering the workforce. ·     Find out how why Gen Z designers have a more inclusive and collaborative approach to work, and how this is reflected in the way they design and work with others. ·     Learn what our experts think is the key to navigating career shifts in the future. ·     Discover the one thing and designers should focus on when building their career paths — and why it’s NOT future-proofing their work.       Connect with our interviewee on LinkedIn:     Brett Shwery    This episode of Design Nerds Anonymous is brought to you by KI.   Design Nerds Anonymous is a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Nerds Anonymous was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group, with music from Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette, and Samantha Sager.

Get ready to hear from the freshest voices in the design industry! In a new four-episode miniseries, we’re putting the “anonymous” back in Design Nerds Anonymous, gathering unfiltered insights directly from the next generation of designers. These talented designers share their perspective on the industry, their career paths, and what they're looking for from the design ecosystem. These fascinating interviews took place at Interior Design’s “30 under 30” networking events in 2022, as part of a “design confessional” hosted by ThinkLab, the architecture and design industry’s premiere market research firm.    Join us as we continue to unpack the feedback from these talented young designers and explore what it means for the future of the design industry. Whether you're a firm looking to recruit and retain talent or a product manufacturer trying to connect with this powerful new generation of designers, there's something in this design podcast mini-season for you.     Key Takeaways  Hear from up-and-coming Gen Z designers on what they love – and what they don’t  Discover actionable advice on work shifts in the post-pandemic world  Gain valuable insights on how to engaged with Gen Z designers   Recognize the importance of connecting with the next generation of designers for firms and product manufacturers – and what they want the most from each    Tune in to our trailer for more, and subscribe so you don’t miss our upcoming episodes.    Design Nerds Anonymous is a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Nerds Anonymous was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group, with music from Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette, and Samantha Sager.

In this episode, ThinkLab holds a roundtable discussion with Shelley Rosetta, consultant at dealer organization Solomon Coyle, and Meredith Campbell, host of ThinkLab’s The Learning Objective podcast. Both discuss the benefits of treating dealer designers as partners and vital members of your project team. In this episode:  [10:33] Shelley explains live design, how it works, and why it’s unique to the dealer designer. [18:00] Meredith and Shelley name what they see as the biggest benefits of working closely with a dealer designer. [27:35] Meredith explains ThinkLab’s research findings on dealer designers and their preference for self-serving. Shelley Rosetta, consultant at Solomon Coyle, and Meredith Campbell, who is part of ThinkLab’s research and content development team, dive into why it’s worth moving beyond the historical view of dealer designers — away from thinking of them as someone who simply puts the order together. Instead, they urge designers to consider dealer designers as a useful knowledge resource that can serve as guardrails.   After all, as Campbell mentions, designers in ThinkLab focus groups have said what they value most from manufacturers and distributors is someone who can save them from themselves.   Connect with our interviewees on LinkedIn:  Shelley Rosetta Meredith Campbell   This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is brought to you by Mannington Commercial, THEMART, and NeoCon, companies doing big things to move the design industry forward.    Download our leading-edge playbook: 5 Personas and 50 Ways to Design Their Phygital Journey.   Design Nerds Anonymous is a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Nerds Anonymous was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group, with music from Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette, and Samantha Sager.

We're so excited to introduce you to a new podcast from the SURROUND podcast network called Barriers to Entry. The show will feature the leaders, the designers, the early adopters, and the influencers who are helping to shape what web3 will mean for the architecture and design industry. Along the way, Barriers to Entry will cut through the hype cycle and attempt to demystify all things Web3, while laying out the real-life implications and applications for our world. Hosted by SANDOW DESIGN GROUP’s Bobby Bonett, and Digby co-founders Andrew Lane and Tessa Bain. Barriers to Entry is a member of the SURROUND podcast network. Check out other architecture and design shows at surroundpodcasts.com.

In this episode, ThinkLab interviews Ryan Jenkins, Wall Street Journal best-selling author and keynote speaker, author of The Generation Z Guide and Connectable and Bobby Bonett, Executive Vice President of Digital and Strategic Growth at SANDOW Design Group, about what makes GEN Z different and how their preferences may have a “ripple up” effect across the design industry. You’ll learn what younger generations expect from brands who are trying to recruit, retain and connect with them, and how to get ahead.    In this episode:   [8:00] Learn about why there is tension as we come to terms with GEN Z and even millennials.  [10:00] Ryan discusses how Gen Z is approaching the job hunt and the surprising platform that they rely on the most when searching for their next career step.  [20:00] Bobby highlights how younger generations prefer to interact with brands today, and how that will likely evolve     Connect with our interviewees on LinkedIn:  Bobby Bonett  Ryan Jenkins    To hear more from Ryan, register here for his highly anticipated 2023 Design Hackathon Keynote titled “CONNECTABLE: HOW TO RECRUIT, RETAIN, AND CONNECT WITH GEN Z”  This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is brought to you by Mannington Commercial, THEMART, and NeoCon, companies doing big things to move the design industry forward.    Design Nerds Anonymous is a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Nerds Anonymous was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group, with music from Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette, and Samantha Sager.

In this episode, ThinkLab holds a roundtable discussion with Byron Morton, VP and co-head of leasing for THEMART in Chicago, and Amanda Darley, VP of marketing for Mannington Commercial. Both bring their perspectives on how brands, events, and even buildings can be leveraged to create and customize experiences — and why creating these experiences matters more than ever for our industry as we move into 2023.    In this episode:  [0:23] Amanda references a new blog post about ThinkLab’s Five Buyer Personas. You can read it in full here.  [6:28] Amanda explains Mannington Commercial’s Samplify program, which provided digital printed samples to showroom visitors.  [13:34] Byron discusses the ways that THEMART has expanded its digital presence.  [25:27] “With all of the social complexities that we have been facing, having some remote options has been a leveling of a playing field in some ways.”  In this roundtable, Byron Morton and Amanda Darley discuss the current state of affairs for the industry and what lies ahead. Byron describes the new programs and enhancements being put into place at THEMART to create experiences for clients in the building, such as expanding access to the members-only club and focusing on events. Amanda explains how Mannington Commercial has been finding new ways to interact digitally with specifiers, by creating content via the firm’s blog as well as through one-on-one videos and other online elements. These efforts are intended to position the brand as a knowledgeable resource for any questions.    Connect with our interviewees on LinkedIn:  Byron Morton  Amanda Darley    This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is brought to you by Mannington Commercial, THEMART, and NeoCon, companies doing big things to move the design industry forward.    Download our leading-edge playbook: 5 Personas and 50 Ways to Design Their Phygital Journey.  Design Nerds Anonymous is a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Nerds Anonymous was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group, with music from Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette, and Samantha Sager.

In this episode, ThinkLab interviews Zappos chief experience officer Stacey Wagner on what B2B companies can learn from the retailer’s renowned customer service model, which has won them legions of superfans. We also speak to two residential designers — Mark Woodman and Andrea Goldman — about what they look for in a brand partner and the new roles that innovative brands are creating in response to recent disruptions.    In this episode:  [8:00] “If you’re truly continuing to try to raise the bar for your customers, getting it right the first time and making it as seamless and as easy as possible on that first go-round is paramount.”  [11:27] Stacey details a number of challenges retailers are currently facing.  [23:42] Mark describes how supply chain issues have changed expectations for immediate results.  [26:05] Andrea explains the new procurement role her design firm created in response to the pandemic.    Our first guest, Stacey Wagner, chief experience officer for Zappos, explains the retailer’s driving ethos as a service company first and foremost. He shares four key insights for inspiring brand loyalty, such as empowering employees to personalize their interactions with customers. He also stresses the need for collecting data during these interactions to learn what customers are having trouble with and to continue to innovate.   In chapter two, this episode explores brand loyalty in the design industry in a mini roundtable with Mark Woodman, an interior designer and trend forecaster based outside Washington, D.C., and Andrea Goldman, a luxury interior designer located outside of Chicago. For Mark, product brands earn his loyalty when they demonstrate their own loyalty, both to designers and to their own employees. For Andrea, she seeks consistency over all else: consistency in the quality of the product and in the communication with the main point person.    Connect with our interviewees on LinkedIn:  Stacey Wagner  Mark Woodman  Andrea Goldman    This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is brought to you by Mannington Commercial, theMART, and NeoCon, companies doing big things to move the design industry forward.    Download our leading-edge playbook: 5 Personas and 50 Ways to Design Their Phygital Journey.    Design Nerds Anonymous is a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Nerds Anonymous was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group, with music from Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette, and Samantha Sager.

In this episode, ThinkLab interviews David Schwarz, founding partner at HUSH, about the design firm’s innovative approach to sustainability, and Rebecca Best, head of sustainability at Material Bank, on how the world’s largest material aggregator is helping designers make more sustainable decisions.   Our first guest is David Schwarz, founding partner at HUSH, an experience design firm. Schwarz shares forward-thinking ways HUSH is leveraging design to connect the occupants of a space to how their own daily microdecisions affect the sustainability of a building. To that end, he describes an award-winning project, designed in partnership with United Therapeutics, which sought to make a building’s cutting-edge engineering visible and able to be appreciated by workers and visitors.   Our next guest, Rebecca Best, is vice president of sustainability at Material Bank. She explains that sustainability is so complex — requiring designers to balance climate, human health, and social justice concerns — that it can’t really be simplified. She counsels design firms to focus on making the decision-making process more efficient and shares strategies for how to empower clients.     In this episode:  [4:12] David details the two-part mission behind HUSH’s memorable project with United Therapeutics.  [15:55] “We don't want to require that our clients become sustainability and energy experts.”  [24:17] Rebecca describes the most pressing sustainability concerns by sector.  [28:56] Rebecca speaks to the importance of celebrating small wins as a way to encourage collective action.  Connect with our interviewees on LinkedIn:  David Schwarz   Rebecca Best    This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is brought to you by Mannington Commercial, theMART, and NeoCon, companies doing big things to move the design industry forward.    Download our leading-edge playbook: 5 Personas and 50 Ways to Design Their Phygital Journey.    Design Nerds Anonymous is a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Nerds Anonymous was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group, with music from Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette, and Samantha Sager.

In this episode, ThinkLab interviews Julia McClatchy, an associate partner at McKinsey & Company, on how and why hybrid selling is becoming the dominant B2B sales role. We also share an excerpt from an episode of ThinkLab’s new podcast, MPowered, which gives practical advice on what design specifiers are looking for on brand websites. Our first guest, Julia McClatchy, explores detailed research findings on how the B2B sale is evolving. She also shares four pieces of advice for brands trying to prioritize their investments and supercharge their hybrid selling strategy. Next, we share an excerpt of a recent episode of MPowered, ThinkLab’s new podcast, created in partnership with Material Bank. The clip discusses what designers need from a website at different points of their specifying journey.   In this episode:  [13:26] Julia details what outperforming hybrid sellers are doing to get ahead. [16:00] “Let’s listen truly to what our customer preferences are. OK, they’re different than they used to be. Therefore, we have to change, too.” [19:25] Julia explains why offering more personalization leads to more sales growth. [23:40] A clip from MPowered discusses the website features that most appeal to designers when they’re seeking inspiration. Connect with our interviewees on LinkedIn:  Julia McClatchy   This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is brought to you by Mannington Commercial, theMART, and NeoCon, companies doing big things to move the design industry forward.    Download our leading-edge playbook: 5 Personas and 50 Ways to Design Their Phygital Journey.   Design Nerds Anonymous is a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Nerds Anonymous was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group, with music from Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette, and Samantha Sager.

In this episode, ThinkLab interviews Colleen Stanley, author and leading sales expert on emotional intelligence, and Meena Krenek, global practice leader of interiors for HKS, about the insights and advantages you can gain from using your EQ and tapping into your clients’ perspective.    Our first guest, Colleen Stanley, author of Emotional Intelligence for Sales Success, discusses why harnessing the power of your emotional quotient (or EQ) is more important now than ever. She also describes how our instinctual “reptilian brains” influence how we sell and our clients buy. And our second guest, Meena Krenek, shares what she's looking from product reps in terms of supporting her architecture and design teams.    In this episode:  [2:42] Colleen explains the difference between IQ (intelligence quotient) and EQ (emotional quotient).  [10:49] Colleen names three common complaints she hears about incorporating EQ into sales models and shares how to overcome them.  [13:46] “So the decision I made was to change self-limiting belief that I couldn’t be as good virtually as I was in person.”  [19:29] Meena shares four insights to get ahead as a rep today and to truly empower those designers to influence their clients.    Connect with our interviewees on LinkedIn:  Colleen Stanley  Meena Krenek    This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is brought to you by Mannington Commercial, theMART, and NeoCon, companies doing big things to move the design industry forward.    Download our leading-edge playbook: 5 Personas and 50 Ways to Design Their Phygital Journey.    Design Nerds Anonymous is a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Nerds Anonymous was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group, with music from Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette, and Samantha Sager.

In this episode, ThinkLab interviews two experts on the importance of buyer personas and how these profiles can help guide brands on how they go to market, as well as ease frustration with the specifying process in a phygital world.  Our first guest is Jim Kraus, president of the Buyer Persona Institute, who defines how these personas work by walking through what he calls “the five rings of buyer insights.” Kraus also discusses how the wider world leverages personas for sales and marketing and explains ways that companies commonly fail to get the most out of persona work.  Our second guest is Meredith Campbell, the host of The Learning Objective podcast and part of ThinkLab’s research and content development team. She shares an inside look at ThinkLab’s most recent design hackathon research, which explored the desired balance between human and digital interaction with brand reps today. From this proprietary research, ThinkLab identified and developed unique specifier personas specifically for the commercial interior design industry and captured each persona’s distinct preferences throughout the specifying journey.    In this episode:  [6:58] Jim explains “the five rings of buyer insights,” which includes desired outcomes and the buyer’s journey.  [9:45] “If you just have demographics on a buyer persona, you’re not going to be able to get that deep. You’re not going to get to that layer of trust with them.”  [17:28] Meredith explains the roots of the persona research drawn from ThinkLab’s hackathon sessions.  [22:00] Meredith identifies the one key success factor shared by all personas and describes how each persona defines it differently.     Connect with our interviewees on LinkedIn:  Jim Kraus  Meredith Campbell    This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is brought to you by Mannington Commercial, theMART, and NeoCon, companies doing big things to move the design industry forward.    Download our leading-edge playbook: 5 Personas and 50 Ways to Design Their Phygital Journey.    Design Nerds Anonymous is a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Nerds Anonymous was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group, with music from Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette, and Samantha Sager.

In this episode, ThinkLab interviews three design industry pros: Anya Ostry, head of a multi-market tenant representation team at CBRE; Shannon White, district manager for Mannington Commercial, covering the Colorado territory; and Meena Krenek, a global practice leader of interiors for HKS. These three women participated in one of ThinkLab’s earlier hackathons, and here, they share their current concerns and advice on how to adjust to the emerging “new normal” as sellers.    In this episode:  [5:15] Meena explains why there’s a greater need from clients for data, and what sellers can do to help meet that need.   [11:41] Shannon describes her difficulties in identifying a decision-maker as designers shift to different roles, companies, or industries.  [14:26] “What can we do different to bring a studio together so they see us as being valuable, and we're a partner to them?”  [22:45] Anya discusses the importance of being aware of your digital presence.     Connect with our interviewees on LinkedIn:  Meena Krenek  Anya Ostry  Shannon White    This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is brought to you by Mannington Commercial, theMART, and NeoCon, companies doing big things to move the design industry forward.   Download our leading-edge playbook: 5 Personas and 50 Ways to Design Their Phygital Journey.  Design Nerds Anonymous is a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Nerds Anonymous was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group, with music from Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette, and Samantha Sager.

What do design clients want most right now? Where should I focus my efforts to amplify my impact? How can I engage the next generation of designers? Join ThinkLab’s Amanda Schneider for a series of impactful conversations with visionary leaders as we answer all of those questions and more to navigate what’s next for today’s ecosystem of B2B interior design clients – welcome to season 4 of the Design Nerds Anonymous podcast! This season, we’re sharing data-driven insights from our groundbreaking new research on buyer personas that represent the future of the design industry. Listen and subscribe for informative findings from six months of ThinkLab research + sage guidance from our experts to help shape your projects and equip you with actionable ideas about understanding and connecting with humans: from buyer personas to how we engage in physical space. This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is brought to you by Mannington Commercial, theMART, and NeoCon, companies doing big things to move the design industry forward. Design Nerds Anonymous is a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Nerds Anonymous was produced and edited by SANDOW Design Group. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Hannah Viti, Wize Grazette, and Samantha Sager.

We are thrilled to welcome MillerKnoll's podcast, Looking Forward: Conversations about the Future of Work to the SURROUND Podcast Network by SANDOW! Host Ryan Anderson takes time to share some highlights from Season 1 and set the stage for Season 2 by answering the two most frequently asked questions he gets asked once people find out what he does for a living: What is the current state of return-to-office? And what does it mean for the future of the workplace? Check out more episodes at surroundpodcasts.com/looking-forward

In this episode, ThinkLab interviews Byron Morton, vice president of sales and leasing for NeoCon and theMART, and Avinash Rajagopal, editor-in-chief of Metropolis. Morton discusses the changes that are coming to NeoCon 2022 and beyond, as well as sharing details about MART 2.0, a renewal and renovation project of theMART that will expand on its amenities and sense of community. Rajagopal touches on three hot-button topics currently influencing the interior design industry and which will drive conversations at NeoCon: technology, sustainability, and DE&I (diversity, equity, and inclusion). In this episode:   [3:01] Byron describes what kinds of products he expects to see at NeoCon 2022 now that the purpose of the office has changed. [14:34] “A showroom anywhere other than at theMART is just a showroom in an office building. You don't get that sense of community.” [17:45] Avinash discusses how developing hybrid experiences is becoming more central to interior design. [24:09] Avinash explains the importance of considering the impact of interior design beyond just the occupants of space. “Every interior that you design, through the products and materials that you put in it, touches the lives of hundreds of people around the world.” Connect with our interviewees on LinkedIn: Byron Morton Avinash Rajagopal This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is brought to you by Mannington Commercial, Keilhauer, theMART, and NeoCon, companies doing big things to move the design industry forward.   Download our leading-edge playbook: 100 Ways to Create a Phygital Sales and Marketing Strategy.   Finally, thanks to Hannah Viti, our audio producer, and Blue Dot Sessions for providing the music for this episode.

In this episode, ThinkLab explores disruption in commercial real estate and the sector’s entrée into design services. We focus on JLL’s new solution to simplify the design process and accelerate the time from design to build. First, we speak with Thales Teixeira, former Harvard professor and co-author of Unlocking the Customer Value Chain: How Decoupling Drives Customer Disruption. Drawing on his work in consulting and his book, Thales shares his advice on how to avoid disruption, including staying vigilant for trends outside your own industry. Then, we discuss JLL’s latest product offering with its head, Lori Louis, and global product lead Christine Hong. They explain how coming up with the new service actually led them to reconsider the traditional design buying process. They realized that JLL serves two different user groups — economic buyers and end users — whose needs diverged during the pandemic, and described to us how they tailored the service accordingly.   In this episode: [14:01] Thales explains how and why the buying habits of consumers and B2B customers are converging. [23:54] Christine describes JLL’s human-centered approach to design, focused on the end user.  [24:40] “What people say and what people do are very, very different things. And we're trying to design for what we think people will end up doing.” [31:24] Lori discusses how the new offering helps companies test and pilot design solutions during this time of uncertainty. Connect with our interviewees on LinkedIn: Thales Teixeira Lori Louis Christine Hong Bill Wittland This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is brought to you by Mannington Commercial, Keilhauer, theMART, and NeoCon, companies doing big things to move the design industry forward.   To take part in the conversation, we invite you to join us on Clubhouse in our club, Design + Data w/ThinkLab, on Fridays at 9 a.m.   Download our leading-edge playbook: 100 Ways to Create a Phygital Sales and Marketing Strategy.   Finally, thanks to Hannah Viti, our audio producer, and Blue Dot Sessions for providing the music for this episode.

In this episode, ThinkLab explores the changing landscape of events in the design industry, whether they’re digital, physical, or hybrid. Our guests each provide a unique perspective — from how manufacturers, distributors, and event producers should create events to how architects and designers should leverage them.     First, Chuck Saylor, principal at Designvox, speaks about tailoring events to the current moment so that designers will be inspired to attend in person. Marco Giberti, entrepreneur and co-author of Reinventing Live: The Always-On Future of Events, draws his experience with B2B marketing to explain how events are changing across industries. Finally, A.J. Paron, design futurist at SANDOW Design Group, shares some tactical ideas for how to adapt to the hybrid era and use events to build stronger connections between designers and manufacturers.    In this episode:  [6:00] Find out the #1 thing that compels people to attend design industry events  [8:00] Chuck discusses how creating meaningful content for a local audience can build community.  [16:10] “Disruption is happening faster than ever before. You can deny this potential disruption, or you can engage disruption and be prepared for the next generation of events.”  [19:30] Marco explains the need to develop “digital headquarters” to extend the life of physical events.  [27:48] A.J. shares 3 ways organizers can prepare to pivot their plans in the face of shifting COVID-19 restrictions.     Connect with our interviewees on LinkedIn:  Chuck Saylor   Marco Giberti  A.J. Paron    This season of Design Nerds Anonymous is brought to you by Mannington Commercial, Keilhauer, theMART, and NeoCon, companies doing big things to move the design industry forward.    Download our leading-edge playbook: 100 Ways to Create a Phygital Sales and Marketing Strategy.    Finally, thanks to Hannah Viti, our audio producer, and Blue Dot Sessions for providing the music for this episode.