A bedding outsider’s fast fall
“So you’re the great David Perry.”
That’s how he greeted me at his first market, this brash newcomer to the bedding business. He had a big job at a big
company. He also had big plans, a big ego and big problems, as it turned out.
No, I’m not going to name any names here, partly to spare the guilty, and partly because this guy is, unfortunately, more
typical than we might care to admit. He came into the bedding industry with an attitude of superiority.
How, I wondered, as we chatted at that market a while back, did this guy ever find success in the tough world of business?
Although he knew little about our industry, and even less about Furniture/Today, he proceeded to tell me how he expected me to do my job.
Well, that guy didn’t last long. His poor start with me typified the way he went about his business in our industry. He
quickly burned bridges and flamed out just months after he arrived. Bye, bye, Mr. Hot Shot Outsider.
I know the bedding industry isn’t rocket science, but please give us some credit, you outsiders with major attitude
problems. Yes, we can all benefit from fresh perspectives. Yes, outsiders can make significant contributions to our industry, even becoming insiders. But check that attitude at the door. Our industry is more complicated than you think. Give yourself time to learn the industry before you decide to remake it according to your brilliant designs.
Who knows? Maybe you could even learn something from us.
Dave Perry commented:
Thanks to all for those comemnts. Dale: Nice to hear from you. Midwestbedman: Good points. Former insider: I stand by my main point, that some of the outsiders who come to our industry have an attitude of superiority. But you are right that the insiders brought in the bankers and private equity guys. That may be a good topic for a future blog. Finally, to Lisa: Yes, bedding has its share of egos, but too much ego is often a bad thing in business, it seems to me. And yes, I'll have some thoughts on Vegas in the near future. Thanks to everyone for keeping the discussion going.
Lisa S. commented:
I would love to speculate, but will not do so in this paragraph. I think our industry attracts egos. We could have a list. Oh wait, I do have my Bedding Conference guide sitting right beside me from some earlier e-mailing. :) While I agree that people need to quit coming in like they're going to change the world, isn't that what we need in a leader? If I came in and made no impression, what would be the point of staying? I have often wondered how we get CEO's from places like Cadbury and Pepperidge Farms, but they're business people. Will you be doing a list on "Where you need to be for Vegas market?" Because I'm already getting confused! Tweetups and Texas Holdem. I'm almost done packing :) Thanks for what you do for this industry Dave.
Former Insider commented:
Dale - Do not say WE are all so grateful for David's most recent opinion column. You may be grateful, but I for one think it was just a way for David to get back at someone who treated him poorly. David, I have a tremendous amount of respect for the your work, but you are way off the mark here. I was a mattress industry insider for nearly 20 years and loved every minute of being a part of the business. I recently changed industries and hope that I do not often run into this us versus them attitude. Every industry has it's share of jerks like the person in your column, they can just as easily come from the inside as they can from the outside. I know plenty of "insiders" in the mattress world that I think we can all categorize in the same vein as the subject of your column.
Finally, to Dale's comment on "bankers", just remember it was the greedy industry "insiders" who sold the industry to the banks and private equity.
midwestbedman commented:
Amen to Dale's comment and to you David. Many of these outsiders are here because they got ran out of town in whatever industry they came from. I have nothing but respect for the many industry veterans who have spent their careers doing the hard work it takes to make it in this industry. They may not be as glamorous as some former financial guru, but most are honost and know our business.
Dale Read commented:
David,
We are all so grateful for this opinion column. Not sure which outsider industry executive you are referring to, but I had the exact same experience with the president of one of the largest companies...and this guy did not even have a clue about the Specialty Sleep Association, nor did he really care at that time about ISPA or any of the trade or industry journals. As you said, we can all learn from people who bring an outside or new perspective, but honestly these mattress/ bedding guys , who have done this (in some cases for decades), did not exactly just fall off the turnip wagon. Here is to more mattress/ bedding companies being managed by more mattress guys and fewer bankers!
