Avanto is on a mission to partner with disruptors in elevating the Contract Furniture Industry people, processes, and technology. While we focus on software, processes, and people that support the industry transition to a modern furniture transaction, awareness of what the industry ecosystem is talking about goes a long way toward moving things forward. Industry podcasts are a great way to listen and learn!
Here are some of our favorite highlights and take-a-ways from August 2023 podcasts.
Design Pop | August 7, 2023 – Crafting Expectations: A Designer Parent’s Guide | Ellen Gerovic BSI
Alexandra Tseffos sits down with Ellen Gerovic, VP Design at BSI-Milwaukee to discuss their experiences becoming parents while building design careers, including overcoming early misconceptions about motherhood in the industry.
Collectively, they share insights on setting boundaries and rules to keep work and home life separate, creative ways to manage workload, it is okay to ask for help, the importance of “No, but…” and the best way to start your day. (Spoiler alert – it is NOT checking your email!)
Favorite Take-A-Way:
“Manufacturers understand that a Dealer Designers role is a lot. And with the speed of technology, the expectation from our customers is that we can build things faster. But there is just more. More options, more expectation of the visuals, there is more. When you have more, there is an expectation of more.” Ellen Gerovic – 17.46 minutes.
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September Monthly Webinar – Why is it hard to get rid of surplus furniture? 9.11.2023 @ 1:00 PM CST
Imagine a Place | July 17, 2023 #LoveWhereYouWork: The Power of Culture | Tracy Hawkins, Grammarly
Hybrid work has been around for decades, but the chatter around hybrid has never been louder than within the current workplace environment. has never been more of a topic of conversation than the current workplace environment. In a July 2023 podcast, Doug Shapiro, VP of Research, and Insights with OFS, talks with Tracy Hawkins, Head of Workplace Experience and Connection for Grammarly, re their formula for hybrid work and how deeper levels of research and experimentation helped them create better outcomes for work and the workforce.
Key Take-A-Ways:
Feedback from the team after bringing people together and talking about what’s next.
- “When I come together, I feel like I’m getting less of my regular work done, but I’m really building relationships and getting some of the most important goals talked about and worked through.”
- “When I work remotely, I feel more efficient, but after time, I get a bit lonely.”
What We Love + Support…
- Tracy Hawkins shared the story of Lucy, a Twitter employee who was diagnosed with and passed away from cancer. Lucy was grateful to her coworkers to the end, and created the hashtag, #lovewhereyouwork, embraced and used by X (formerly Twitter) affiliates around the world to this day. (28.10 minutes)
- “Work shouldn’t be your whole life, but when you are working, it should be something you care about.” Tracy Hawkins (33.08 minutes.)
Follow Doug Shapiro + Imagine A Place on LinkedIn
TechBox Collective | August 8, 2023, Oh SIF!
This past month, Kari Anderson dove into the history, usefulness, and future of SIF within the contract furniture industry. SIF has been used in the industry for several decades to transfer data from one system to another for order specification and entry.
Key Take-A-Ways:
- Designers struggle with the multiple different files required to transfer from one spec tool to another. Difficult to maintain a source of truth.
- Designers prefer a direct link between spec tools and do not want to deal with the .SIF file.
- Defining Standards for SIF can also be implemented in XML as the new standard of data transfer.
- Ideally, whatever system is used to transfer the data, it should just work. Individuals must be trained and made aware of the functionalities that impact their required tasks.
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Coming September 12 – What to Know About XML. Register Here.
Like What You Saw / Heard? Recommendations for other industry podcasts we should summarize?
If you have a favorite industry podcast not listed above, let us know! We’ll take a listen and include them in next month’s summary!
Interested in learning more about what we do – check out our website www.goavanto.com or contact us to start a conversation. info@goavanto.com Interested in seeing what we’re talking about? Follow us on LinkedIn.