Next Generation-Now online discussion to explore retail, technology

Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, September 12, 2012

Giff Gates, left, and his son Nick Gates of Oregon’s Gates Home Furnishings took part in the Next Generation-Now online discussion on multi-generational businesses.

ROSEVILLE, Calif. — The first Next Generation-Now Huddle, an online discussion three weeks ago, provided advice for multi-generational businesses on handling issues that may arise in family businesses.

A second NGN Huddle will be held Sept. 26, at 2 p.m. East Coast time, and will focus on the topic of retail and technology. For additional information, sign up for the Next Generation-Now mailing list at http://tinyurl.com/NGNsignup.

In the first Huddle, a panel of two family-owned businesses, Gates Home Furnishings in Grants Pass, Ore., and Coconis Furniture in South Zanesville, Ohio, answered questions submitted by Next Generation-Now members through Twitter and the NGN Social Site. NGN advisory team members Lael Thompson of Broyhill Home Collections and Alex Macias of retailer Del Sol Furniture served as moderators.

"The first Next Generation-Now Huddle was amazing," Thompson said. "It was great to see the diversity and unity between multiple generations in the furniture industry. I am grateful to Next Generation for providing a place for young people to learn and network."

To watch the first Huddle, go to the Next Generation-Now social website at social.ngnow.org/page/education.

The group will also host a High Point Market Chatter Over Cocktails event on Saturday, Oct. 13, in Market Square, showroom 272.

Next Generation-Now is a hosted community of the National Home Furnishings Assn. and the Western Home Furnishings Assn. The group has an advisory committee of peers to provide direction. Advisory committee members include Macias, Gates, Thompson, Kevin Doran of R&A Marketing, Amy Schmidt and Sara Wedding of FurnitureDealer.net.