What happens when an upscale cookware and kitchen accessories company acquires a visual transformation and technology company? If you're Outward Inc., you become one of the premier visual storytelling companies for retailers across the globe. Outward Inc., started in the typical Silicon Valley-esque fashion before being acquired by Williams-Sonoma and added into their portfolio of brands. On today's episode, the Co-Founder and Vice President of Development Gaurav Sethi, and Leah Kirkland, Senior Director of Sales, join Quinn and Kinsley to discuss the story and platform behind the innovation Outward brings to the marketing industry. They discuss the Aperture Platform — what it is, how it works and how it is different than other technology on the market; inconsistencies in digital marketing; how Outward interacts with major brands; and how they are empowering brands to control their marketing destiny and achieve their dreams. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

Trent Ranburger is no longer the President and CEO of Trent Bedding. The rumors are true. Trent Ranburger, the founder of Trent Bedding, located in Bowling Green, Kentucky, is stepping down from the business he built. And in doing so, he's showing the industry that you can still be a part of your business without working in your business. In today's episode, Trent discusses the factors that led to his decision to transfer the reigns of the business he built from the ground up, how his initial plans changed and what's next on the horizon for him. He also imparts some golden nuggets of wisdom that only blood, sweat and entrepreneurial tears can produce. If you missed the episode filmed in Orlando, where Trent discussed the battle with cancer his girlfriend has endured and the impact that it has had on his family, check it out here. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

Do you prefer boxed wine or boxed beds? No, it's not a trick question because we hear both are making a comeback.  On today's episode, Quinn and Kinsley are chatting industry disruptor: Bed in a Box, or more informally, mattresses in a box. King size behemoths compressed to postage size boxes and shipped to eager consumers. They discuss: - the benefits,  - the economics,  - how other major players are responding - how far compression technology can go, and  - are shippable mattresses the future? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

Would you rather be laid off with severance or receive a reduced work schedule and a reduction in pay? Most would likely choose the reduced work and pay, but is that always the smartest decision? On today's episode, Kinsley and Quinn dissect the recent restructure (aka: headcount reduction) of Nectar and compare it to the Sequoia Capital strategy: in the face of downward trends, react hard and fast and plan to recoupe slowly. Is the Sequoia approach better for long term growth or does it signal the inevitable for which there is no return?  Plus, what does the future hold for Nectar?  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

Are Mark and Mark breaking up? No, but Mark Kinsley is co-hosting a new show and Mark Quinn isn't his trusty sidekick. In this episode, the guys chat the launch of the new FAM Marketing Show. It's a snackable, 15-minute-or-less podcast designed to give retailers and brands marketing tips and tricks they can enact right away. They discuss the concept of the show, introduce a few co-hosts that have already been on the show (some familiar faces and some new friends of the industry) and talk about what it means to give small business owners ideas that won't break the bank, but can show ROI. Curious for more? Check out the FAM Marketing Show here. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

Today on the Dos Marcos Show, we chat with Justin Trombo, President of BedTech Midwest, about his journey from being an RSA to becoming the founder of a premier adjustable base company. We chat about the struggles of entrepreneurship, how Justin and his consulting company are helping others build strategies and visions for their business, and how BedTech works with their partners to help retailers achieve profits on commodity items. "The hardest thing to do in any business is add value to a commodity [item]...so how do you add value to an adjustable base? You sell it as a part of a sleep system." --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

Picture this scenario: you're a successful furniture and mattress retailer with a thriving staff and you're well known in your community. Life is good. Then you get the infamous diagnosis you weren't expecting. Cancer. Maybe it's you, your spouse, or your child. What do you do when real life interrupts your business? Today, we sat down with Trent Ranburger, owner of Trent Bedding in Bowling Green, Kentucky, at the Furniture Today Bedding Conference to talk through this exact situation. We discuss how your worldview shifts and how you're forced to rely on the staff you built and hope you have invested in them well. We discuss how day-to-day activities change and in the days after how your focus as a business owner changes. "People don't connect with us in the good times, they connect with us in times of adversity and challenges and when times are toughest for us. ...We can't lose sight of that." --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

Inflation. It's now a household word. Whereas, pre-2020, few people knew or understood the ramifications of "supply chains." Now, it is a common response to every backlog in every industry worldwide. Add in increased gas prices, energy prices, grocery bills and now, formula shortages, and people are understanding just how much quickly rising inflation can impact their day to day lives as well.  In today's episode we discuss how to tackle inflation, while increasing your overall ticket price. We applaud the Dominos pizza tactic of re-thinking how to reward your customers in an inflationary environment, we talk about the need to over communicate the how and the why of inflation on present day purchases and we drop a foot traffic driver that's sure to turn some heads (think: the inflation negation sale). Also, our heartfelt condolences to the family of Harry Cornell on his passing. He was a veteran of our industry and helped to shape and make it what it is today and we're forever grateful.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

Are you dying a slow death by being caught in the muddy middle? The middle. It's the space between no one walking in and foot traffic so fast, your door never has time to lock. On today's episode, we're chatting being consistent (with a special shoutout to Nick Quinn for giving us the best example of how hard work and consistency pays off), measuring your value add and how to communicate effectively. When we teach people to value sleep, they value their sleep space and accessories more and we want to make sure your hard efforts reflect in your bottom line. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

Are you prepared for the summer slump? You know the one we are talking about. The one where summer sales slow to a glacial pace because everyone is spending money on vacations, summer activities, and not on their home or their sleep. In this episode, we are tackling the slump head on, and challenging you to do things you have never done before. We're pulling ideas out of the Amazon bestseller Come Back to Bed (authored by yours truly) and discussing why the summer slumps happen and problems in our industry that perpetuate this cycle (hint: if our products and services are not adding value in people's lives, they won't view sleep as a priority). We are shaking up summer 2022, and making it the year of new adventures and new experiences for our customers! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message