Trend Spotting – Advice from Experts

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Trend Spotting

Los Angeles, CA

$100.0/min N/A 0 $1.67/min

Founder of Citizens Of Culture. Creative strategy, content, events. Social media and culture marketing consultant with expertise in Twitter.

Michael A. Nanni

Miami, FL

$400.0/min N/A 0 $6.67/min

Michael A. Nanni President / CEO Master Motion Studio 54 (jiashan greata furniture co ltd) • 2017 - Present: Master Motion Studio 54 President / CEO • Developed my own motion furniture line for the Top 100 retailers in the US, Asia, S. America, Mexico & Caribbean • Develop products from the concept stage through sampling and represent and sell these products at market • Work with fabric and leather manufacturers to secure the best material at the best price • Developed special motion line for millennials/younger populations for the US, Asia, S. America, Mexico & Caribbean • 2017 - 2019: Era Nouveau / Ennouvation International Consultant & Designer/Product Development • International Consultant designing products for the US market and working with factories across the world • Designed products from the design stage through completion for the US High Point Furniture Market • Work with fabric and leather manufactures to secure the best material at the best price • Designing products and tailoring to the Top 100 Retailers in the US, Europe, Asia, S. America, Mexico & Caribbean • 2011- 2017: Man Wah Holdings (Cheers) Vice President of Sales & Marketing • Developed & maintained a profitable sales territory of over $100 million to Man Wah Holdings as VP of Sales • Implemented online sales training and marketing procedures for top 100 retailers • Trained Chinese Customer Service Supervisors on how to lead their team of customer service representative in China • Traveled to China quarterly to work with customers, customer service, R&D, production and the IE department. • 2003 – 2011: Man Wah Holdings (Cheers) Territory Manager-Sales, Florida • Started with Man Wah Holdings at their first US market in Las Vegas and developed customer service procedures for other business areas, such as Parts Order Reports, Open Order Reports and Payment Reports • Built the Florida territory from zero to over $35 million in annual sales within 6 years • Developed an in depth 2-hour leather training seminar and provided ongoing training sessions for 100% of sales, warehouse and customer service personnel for City Furniture, El Dorado, Baers and Carls Furniture • Certified all of El Dorado’s sales associates labeled as “Leather Specialists” • Vendor of the Year for El Dorado from 2006 -2015. First time a leather manufacturer was ever given this award • Provided quarterly leather training sessions for all new sales associates at Baers Furniture • 2002 – 2003: Interline Italia Leather Territory Manager-Sales, Florida • Developed the Florida Territory from zero to over $3 million in sales in the first year • Built a contemporary leather training course for Kanes, Baers, Scan Design and other retailers in Florida • 2002 – 2011: ALF Contemporary Case Goods Territory Manager-Sales, Florida • Grew the Florida territory from $2 million to $8 million in sales in South Florida • Opened Room-to-Go, Scan Design, Baers Furniture, City Furniture and 15 independent contemporary retailers • Developed a 2-hour contemporary polyester wood training seminar for ALF Corporate Office and for US retailers including wood samples and developing an ALF factory training video • Traveled to Italy to work with customer service, R&D and the production department • Represented ALF at the Milan Market to work with US customers and developed US designs • 2002 – 2007: Kemp Enterprises Case Goods Territory Manager-Sales, Florida • Worked on Product Development for Rooms-to-Go, Haverty’s, City Furniture, El Dorado and Badcock • Assisted Executive VP of Marketing on product development with overseas factories • Worked with outside designers in Florida to tailor products specific for coastal customers • 2002 – 2006: Samuel Lawrence Case Goods Florida Territory Manager-Sales, Florida • Developed the Florida territory from 5 million to 18 million in 4 years • Named as City Furniture’s largest vendor in 2005 and 2006 • Vendor of the Year 2005 and 2006 City Furniture (First time award was ever presented) • Developed in depth 2 hour & 4-hour training seminar and trained 100% of sales, warehouse and customer service personnel for City Furniture, El Dorado, Baer’s and Carl’s Furniture. • 2000-2002: Morikami Park Elementary School, FL • Taught 3h Grade and 5rd Grade • Clinical Education Certified • FPMS Certified for Administration • Certified in the Preparing New Principals Program • 1999-2002: Margate Community School English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Teacher, Florida • Program Coordinator • Developed classroom strategies and small group instruction for ESOL classroom teachers • Worked on developing ESOL learning strategies for students who were illiterate in their primary language • 1996-1998: IKON Office Solutions, Florida • Executive Sales (Key Accounts) Downtown Miami District • Worked with Dade County School District on implementing and updating their current office paper flow • Analyzed company paper flow and recommended the appropriate integrated systems to improve their productivity • 1995-1996: American Union School / Food For the Poor, Haiti • Taught 3rd Grade and served as Director of Curriculum • Developed the Curriculum for Food For The Poor Orphanages in Haiti to teach English to children 5–10 years of age • Learned to speak Creole and taught in both English and Creole • 1993-1995: Ultra Tool and Plastics, New York • Director of Marketing and Advertising and Sales Manager • In charge of Key Accounts (General Motors, Saturn, Rubbermaid and other major accounts) • Developed Marketing Strategies and newspaper articles about our company innovations • Worked on product development from the tool and die stage through finished parts using CAD CAM • 1992-1993: Stovroff & Herman Real Estate, New York • Earned my Brokers Degree and was training manager for new sales associates • Opened multiple Satellite offices for the company • Worked with the owner of the company to strategize new markets to open new satellite office • Awarded “Rookie-of-the-Year” out of 26 offices • EDUCATION • Buffalo State College, NY Bachelors Degree: Applied Clinical Psychology (Magna Cum Laude) • Bachelors Degree: Education (Magna Cum Laude) • Florida Atlantic University Masters Degree / (MBA): Leadership (Suma Cum Laude) COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT • Ran a Toys-For-Tots program during the holiday season throughout all of our offices • Served as driver for the National Cancer Society for cancer patients in need to weekly chemotherapy treatments • Lector at Sunday Mass and prepared sandwiches for the homeless through St. Vincent DePaul • Coached 5th and 6th Grade basketball and was a youth soccer and football coach • Ran the “Adopt-A-Grandparent” program where we took children from summer camps to local nursing homes PERSONAL I am married and a proud father of 3 children. I focus on teaching my children a strong work ethic and involving them in community service. I come from a very close family and focus on keeping my children aware of their family roots and values by running an annual reunion for 200 family members and maintaining an in-depth family tree dating back to the 1700’s. I believe in working in an organization with that same closeness and compassion for each employee, while holding the employees to accountability and to the company values. I played competitive sports throughout my childhood and in college and learned the meaning of teamwork, leadership and setting goals for success. My innate sales skills combined with a background in Psychology, teaching, and leadership has helped me tailor training modules for companies as well as retailers. This unique skill set has also helped me to lead organizations and run multiple departments successfully. I believe all of my personal and professional attributes will help successfully guide and lead any team I am associated with.

Jessica Richardson

Bali, Indonesia

$200.0/min N/A 0 $3.33/min

Current founder of Upcycled Consulting in Bali, Indonesia. Former Director of Merchandising at Pottery Barn. 15 years total corporate & retail experience including Smith & Hawken, BCBG Max Azria, and Tumi. Furniture, Outdoor Furnishings and Lighting expert. Passionate in eco-conscious products and sustainable manufacturing. www.upcycledconsulting.com

Jeffrey Hirsch

Los Angeles, CA

$500.0/min N/A 0 $8.33/min

Jeff is the Founder & President of The Right Brain Studio and Adjunct Professor in the graduate communications program at the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School. His business development strategies and new product ideas are responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues for some of the world’s top brands such as Pepsi, Colgate-Palmolive, General Mills, Johnson & Johnson, Brown-Forman, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Anheuser-Busch, Walt Disney and many others. A former executive with DKG Advertising, Brown-Forman, Campbell-Mithun and Chiat/Day, Jeff knows how to find the emotional core of a brand’s identity. An avid reader, golfer, filmgoer and music lover, Jeff enjoys performing solo – or joining his band – at local clubs and events. He also maintains his availability, should the team need his talents, to play center field for the New York Mets. Jeff has an M.S. in Advertising and a B.S. in Communications from Northwestern University.