Career, Community, and Creativity in High Point (Jane Dagmi)

Well, Jean, welcome to the Creative Genius podcast. It’s so nice to have you here today.

I’m glad to be with you. Thank you.

Yeah, do you want to just introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about what you are all about?

Okay, so I am presently the managing director of High Point by Design, also known as HPXD. But for many years before that, I was editor in chief of designers today, and that’s really what afforded me to meet a ton of designers. So that’s what I’ve been doing for the last seven years, magazines and now HPXD.

I remember when we first met, were doing designers today and you were an editor. So you have such a fascinating background as an editor, also an artist and a creative. And I’d love to hear about your journey and how it led you to High Point by Design.

Okay, I’m gonna do the very abbreviated journey and I’m happy to have a glass of wine with anybody that wants to go deeper. But like many people that we hang out with, I was a room rearranger early on, so I had the bug to make my environment feel better, feel fresh and new. And I did that in a tiny room with three pieces of furniture a lot.

I didn’t ever really thought about interior design until after I graduated from college and I did study interior design at Parsons. I went back after I got my BA. So I got my associate’s degree at Parsons and I did a job here or there, but I never really became a design assistant or worked in a firm. I did try. I did try. It was a recession in New York in the early nineties and I only got one interview and that kind of scared me.

But magazines also held a fascination for me because I really discovered a love of writing. And so I found that loving to write and tell stories and loving to decorate was the perfect combination for the magazine world. And I got my foot in the door at Country Living Magazine. So that was really my first industry experience, my first time going to High Point. I loved my job at Country Living. I traveled so much.

met so many people photographing homes around the country with great photographers. And that lasted for 13 years. then I had a kind of yucky time for a while. I was living in Florida and I’d say I was not making the most of who I was. But I think sometimes we all kind of have those years where we hide a little bit. And then came back out and in 2018,

I knew there was a, or 2017, there was an opening at Designers Today. And I found this out through some of my editor friends. And I thought, you know what, I really want to get back in print. And I was very persistent and I got the job and it was awesome. I loved my four years at Designers Today. And then, you know, the pandemic came and this little…

thing called High Point by Design was forming and they were looking for somebody to lead it. And I just, it’s like, my God, just said, you have to do this. And now that was 2022. So I’m three years into it.

It’s crazy how fast time passes by, right? Because I remember, gosh, if you were just starting with designers today in 2017, I think we had maybe met just maybe a year or two prior to that.

Yeah, probably when I was at Steel Yard, we probably met and would have conversations at Las Vegas Market.

Yep. then fast forward to today. It feels like you’ve been doing high point by design for a while now, which three years is a while, but you know, also blazes by so quickly. So, well, so from editorial desk to leading a design movement, let’s talk a little bit about your creative skills or your philosophies that you’ve that have kind of stuck with you throughout your career.

Well, I’ll tell you one thing that I didn’t mention, but it really has helped me in everything that I do. I worked in a PR firm for a while when I got out of school and I was the administrative assistant to one of the principals and PR just really afforded me the opportunity to learn how to create win-wins and to collaborate. And I love marketing and I love branding. So there was that, which was just sort of the beginning of understanding.

What those worlds were so i really look at my peer world is like being a great jumping off point for everything that i did afterwards it help me so much in the magazine world and now you know as we create events and things that htxt. Just being mindful of other people’s needs and follow up and all that good all those good skills that you learn working in a corporate environment so it was really really good and then in terms of.

creative skills. I know that a lot of people see me as an artist and yes, I am creative and I have done things in public that are arty. And I think I just have that kind of arty hippie vibe. But I think it’s the way that my mind works. It’s the way that my mind connects the dots. We’re all unique in that way. And then I just,

want to be out there talking to people. So one person’s idea, my idea, like it just builds. So I think it’s being open and I really think that where I excel is just the way that my mind is wired. It’s, you know, it’s mine.

And I love that about you. think that, you know, I certainly have an attraction to creatives and artistic and even that kind of hippie vibe people as well, where it’s just like, this is how we think and it’s how we do and it’s how we live. And that is something that’s very special that I’m learning not everybody thinks and lives that way.

You know, I’m attracted to art. I mean, I see it everywhere. You know, I see beauty, I see possibility and leaves on the, you know, on the sidewalk. It’s just, and I think that, yeah, I think a lot of people that we surround ourselves with also their minds just sort of wandering and create. When you’re creative, you’re just like, it’s just what you do. You’re just compelled to, know, whether it’s a painting or an event or, yeah, just brainstorming.

So let’s talk about a little bit about what inspires you outside of work. And how does that actually feed back to some of the things that you’re building here with Highpoint by Design?

You know, I was like, outside of work. Do I have an outside of work? I mean, I am so guilty of blending the two. And it goes back to like, kind of what I said about creativity, because I just can’t let an opportunity go that I think I can use in my livelihood.

From the very beginning, when I started in magazines, I discovered that the people that I was interviewing were so fantastic. I wanted them to be my friends and they were. So, you know, I’d spend a couple of days photographing somebody’s home. And then I’d end up seeing them when I, you know, casually went to that same town and we’ve just built relationships like that. So, you know, I just I’m very good at mixing business and pleasure.

and I could teach a class in that. But like we went to the Netherlands on a trip. So, you know, going to Europe, it was amazing. We went with John Muldoon from Cohab Space, organized a trip. It was myself and my boyfriend, Frank. It was Cyril Jefferson, who is now the mayor of High Point and his wife, Raven, who is very active in the High Point school system.

And it was two gallery owners from Asheville, Michael and Hannah, can’t think of their last name at the minute, but they own Blue Spiral Gallery, who are now very active in High Point. And this is just an example. John organized this trip. He wanted us to go and see a city that was built around design and a design academy. And, you know, when we think about High Point and High Point by design, we have this legacy of manufacturing, plus we have the market.

And so, you know, just to sort of see other cities that take design very seriously. And it was an incredible trip where I got all the inspiration that I normally get on just a fun trip. But, you know, it’s I have this bank of knowledge and images that I can now apply into what I do at HPXD.

What an incredible opportunity. I mean, just some of the people that you named, I know as well. And what a great crew of creatives to just go and learn. And what a great way to come together and like, you know, kind of build on your creativity together for what you’re creating for High Point and High Point by Design.

Definitely, because now, mean, Cyril is our mayor, you know, and our city, and I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but our city has pretty much declared that they want to be a world-class design destination.

I didn’t know that.

And our destination, it’s in our strategic plan. And so they’re very serious about expanding that whole creativity, you know, beyond what everybody knows us for, which is market. And there’s very good reason why they know us for market. mean, it’s the most successful event produced in North Carolina, you know.

incredible when I tell people that I go to High Point or North Carolina twice a year they’re like why on earth are you going there and then I start explaining and they’re like yes this is it seems like this is a really big deal for you and it’s a big deal for our entire industry actually

Yeah, so anyway, it’s fun. It’s fun. Design applies to so much that I think any trip, any fun thing, you know, can easily go on to the be also counted or attributed to what I do for my livelihood. So.

Love that. Well, let’s dive into High Point by Design and I want to better understand what it is and, you know, it’s a vision and how it functions. So can you walk us through what High Point by Design is and how it all started? I think maybe at like a teak table back in 2020.

Yes, legend has it. Well, yes, I think that’s on our website. So, well, I remember I was at Brown Truck Brewery when we got the email that market would be postponed for the April 2020. And there are a whole bunch of people that live in High Point that own, that are the heads of brands or that own manufacturing facilities and showrooms. So,

You know we were alarmed what are we going to do because once preserve our employees you know and ourselves and we’ve said everybody sitting on real estate and then of course designers became busier than ever so we wanted to open for them. But that’s a conversation about high point opening up year round that’s been happening for a very long time there have been lots of iterations of the same. Why are why are we.

you know, why can’t we be open more than two weeks out of the year? Right. So this was the newest iteration of that. And it’s stuck the longest because I just think the time is right for it. Finally. But it’s our motto is design never goes dark. And that really says it so well. It’s just High Point is a town of creative resources. It’s an ecosystem from the raw materials.

to the finished product, to photography of the finished product. Like everything happens here. And HPXD is kind of connecting all of those steps along the way of the ecosystem and promoting it and uniting those people year round because the market authority is so strong at promoting market, you know? And of course they care about Highpoint, you know, throughout the year and they have interaction, but like there’s no body that really just

cares for the everyday design scene here and a city that’s sort of built on design. So that’s pretty much our role. I mean, we’re just looking at what naturally happens here every day, packaging it through our lens of design, and then promoting people, hopefully bringing designers to experience what it’s like to shop, to source, to visit with vendors year round and do events.

We’re just, that’s what we do. We support High Point year round. know, market’s just as important for us as well.

Right. Well, and I think that that’s so important to just finally kind of be, it sounds like it’s just kind of this golden thread that you’re just pulling through all of the different things that are happening in High Point, especially the markets and just making it this kind of day to day like flip ring design back to the daily and High Point.

Yeah, I love what you said, golden thread. mean, I, I, and I know I’m not everybody, but I leave market going, I can’t believe I didn’t see this, this and that. Right. Or I know people that say, you know what, I can’t come this market, you know, I’ve got a soccer thing or whatever. Or they just, you know, and there’s so many, there are reasons why people cannot make it to those, you know, five, seven days where you can shop and see the showrooms at their best.

So do we want to penalize them because they couldn’t come? You know, they can still come and they can still experience the showrooms. mean, a lot of showrooms stay intact for a while. Not not everybody does. They can bring their clients, which is really fun. had this past year I had two designers. It’s funny, designers went their first time coming outside of the market. They kind of they’re a little bit lost. You know, they don’t know what’s open and that’s understandable. So.

I asked them, you know, let’s connect. I asked them about their project and sort of the vibe, the style. I say, look at our member list and tell me, you know, just are you working with any of them or if, and if you’re not, there brands on that list that you want to experience, you know, that you want to get to know? So we start there and then to see how far we get. And then, you know, there’s a ton of companies that aren’t our official partners, but I still have relationships.

And I want that designer, if that designer is investing and coming here, and especially if they’re bringing a client, I want that designer to have the best time ever in High Point so that she is like, I want to do this again, you know, and it’s I’m like, you can have your cake and eat it too. We’re, you know, like it’s just a different shopping experience here without, you know, throngs of others doing it with you.

And sometimes I’m like, have high point all to yourself. And that might scare some people, know? For others, it’s a luxury. But you have presidents of brands, creative directors of brands that work here every day. And you can really deepen those relationships. And anyway, I’ve had great experiences helping designers with their itineraries when they come here in January or July.

Right. Well, one thing that I hear from a lot of designers is that when it comes to high point, because we’re always asking designers that they’re going to high point, mean, to not only for the better buying and opening up accounts and the relationship building, but also just to have a little fun and really get their kind of creative juices flowing again. But a lot of designers that are they never quite cross the finish line to getting to high point market is because they’re like Aaron, it feels like one designer explained it.

Like I’m invited to a wedding and I’ve got the tux and I’ve got the gift but I don’t have the date. Or I’ve got the date and I’ve got the tux but I don’t have my hotel room. Like they always feel like they just don’t quite have everything in their toolkit to go and know what to do and how to get there. And then of course once you go, then you get it figured out and you know, and it’s repeatable and you look forward to it.

I do feel like High Point Market does a really good job of kind of trying to prep people for their first time at market. But I also think coming, you know, if you get overwhelmed easily or, you know, maybe you just, you’re not a crowd person, you know, and you don’t know the lay of the land, come, I mean, come for a few days. Like I’ll show you how to get around. I’ll point out places that you’ll want to go back to. just kind of, it’s, you know, it’s like a dress rehearsal in a way.

But we just want people to know that we’re open. Highpoint’s accessible.

Yeah, do you have a lot of designers that reach out to you throughout the year, kind of looking for that guidance?

I wouldn’t say a lot, yes, a lot yet, you know, to come for sure. it’s like, you know, one designer comes, they tell their friend and, you know, we still have a lot of amplification of our message. know, I three years into it, sure, a lot of people know us, but a lot of people have never even heard of us. But hopefully when they,

You know if they do come to market they see our flags out and they can kind of start asking like what are these flags are you know.

Now, I’ve been referencing this as high point by design, but do you prefer HP XD?

I like them all and I even crack up when people like totally get it wrong. I mean, I’m like, I wish I had a blooper reel for, know, HPDX, HPD. I mean, it’s, you know, I don’t care. It’s like, just call us, right? Just be recognized. Yeah.

Okay, well, let’s talk a little bit about what makes High Point by Design a unique experience for interior designers compared to other trade shows or design.

I think one of the experiences that is different is that we are very client friendly. when I, I don’t know if know Sharon Sherman, but she was here in July and I enjoy Sharon. And so she brought her client for a couple of days and they were on a mission and I followed them around and took pictures. And now Sharon’s there in American leather, spreading out her plans everywhere. And they’re, you know,

They’re testing out the furniture and we went to hooker and I mean, we were like the only people there. You know, it was just like we were just we had to show him, like I said, all to ourselves. And and then Sharon relayed this to me. Her client went back to New York or New Jersey and told a friend of where she had just been, you know, and the friend was like, I want to go like I want to do that. You know, so.

I think there’s something there and I know, you know, we understand designers wanting to protect their resources, but they’re, you know, we’re not saying open up everything, have, you know, every door open to consumers, but there is a way to do it where clients can come and learn a little bit and kind of feel like their designers are the coolest people on earth.

Hey!

because they have access to this and one of the women that I used to work with who used to work at iCold said to me, let’s do a bring your client to work day event, know, but to bring your client to work event, which I would still love to do. So that’s one big difference is there’s no, you know, you don’t have to register. I mean, there’s no gate, you know, there’s no gatekeepers when you come here to High Point any time of the year.

Nobody’s scanning your badge. You can just walk in places. So that’s another difference. We’re just a city, a city of design, and there’s plenty of parking, of course. And just another day in paradise.

You don’t have to necessarily plan your day based on the rain and that you’re going to be in IHSC for the day.

No, no, you can park, you can have an umbrella, can, yeah, it’s just, it’s easy, you know, no set dates to, it’s when you’re available, so.

So what are some of the core values or guiding principles behind High Point by Design as a movement and a platform?

Well, we did a strategic plan exercise last year, which was good. So we, you know, we worked on those values and one is inclusivity. So we really want everybody to feel like they can come to High Point and experience a bit of it, whether they make it to market or not, you know, but just experience the city and the design. We also, that works also for our community, which

So we operate on two levels, Erin. We have a 501c6 nonprofit, which is a membership organization. And that’s where like our list of showrooms, those are our members. And then we have a 501c3 foundation that’s just kind of getting off the ground. But the efforts there are really to make pathways from our community into the industry to show, you know, middle and high schoolers, like what this, how great.

This industry has all the different facets about it. So we want the community to proud in that we have this market here and how it really impacts the world. So inclusivity is real important to us. And then learning. most of the, you know, I do a ton of events. So just getting that education is really important and being a vehicle for that. And again, that works both ways. That works in the designer realm and it works in our community.

So in fact, we’re involved in at market. We have some classes coming on the last day. We have marketing, interior design and entrepreneur students that are coming and we’re working with with it and hypermarket authority and some of some showrooms to greet them and teach them a little bit about the industry. Yeah, so it’s good. And creativity is a big value of ours.

It’s exciting.

Yeah, and that’s just kind of obvious. It’s, you know, who’s part of our organization, what we want to thrive and yeah, so those are three of our key values.

Okay, well let’s talk a little bit more about specifically interior designers and how to engage with high point by design. So I’m sure that we’ve got some interior design business owners that are listening that have never experienced high point by design. And so what can they expect and how can they get involved?

Well, they can always reach out to me. So I’m just going to say, you know, I am a point person. So if you’re thinking about coming to High Point, you want to know like, you want to kind of just have a more personal discovery. I’m a great first point person. But what can they expect? mean, it’s quiet. It’s really quiet.

It is a good idea when you come here outside of the market to call ahead. know, we have people’s numbers and people have their reps that they work with, but to call ahead and make sure that the places that you definitely want to go to are open because even, you know, with our members, we have like a dozen that are open every day. But, you know,

It’s not like they have teams there every day. And if somebody has to go to the dentist or their parent, you know, they might, so it’s always good to just call ahead and say, you know, I’m thinking of coming to High Point this week and I really love to see your rugs or whatever it is. Let’s make a date. So we encourage that. We are looking at some kind of designer membership with HPXT because we get asked a lot. I want to join.

And so those are conversations that we’re having with our board right now. What is that? What would be the perks? And it’s interesting. We have a designer on our board and he’s like, yeah, I would totally join. For me to be a member and have access to what’s happening right there and be able to bring clients to these showrooms, that’s a big deal. For his clients, that’s impressive.

We’re looking into a designer membership, Love this. Stay tuned.

I’m all about more access for interior designers at the heart of where it’s all happening.

Well, you’d be great to brainstorm then a little bit, think about this just because of course, what I learned in PR, you you got to create these win-wins. Like I do not want to pull the wool over anybody’s eyes. I want people to wholeheartedly want to engage because it’s bringing them joy. It’s good for their business. And yeah, so yeah, I’m like, I was thinking that like I am just

I don’t want to sell anything that I don’t believe in.

Amen to that. Amen to that. That’s big one when it comes to the, you know, your integrity and your authenticity and how you show up and in business as well. And I think that that always goes a long way as a value in business. So, okay. So are there opportunities for designers to host events or collaborate with showrooms or build their brand through Highpoint by Design? So I know you mentioned the idea of this membership.

for sure.

but what’s currently at their fingertips?

That’s so interesting. love that question because like, yeah.

I mean

I tell our brand partners, I’m like, you can think of things too. You like you all have ideas, you put on a ton of panels at market, know, just, you know, who’s something we’ve had business coaches like asking, you know, could I do something in high point? Of course you can. mean, we’ve got, we’ve got showrooms, we’ve got, you know, conference rooms for rent or for free. We’ve got,

You know we can help you with those arrangements we did last last summer erica sorrette creative she. What’s coming you spend time between france and high point and so we work together frequently but i said why don’t you do like. What are your marketing schools live you know and high point and she’s like i’m gonna love it she just ran with it and created this great.

two day event, which then we kind of peppered in like showroom visits and after hours. it was just like, and it was about 30 of us, which was a beautiful size group. And there was a lot of good networking. And you know, like, so there’s just there’s plenty of room and space and hotel rooms. When you’re there. Even, you know, Pandora’s Manor, which

off market time.

You know, there’s six rooms at Pandora’s Manor, but we’ve had lots of guests stay there. we did. I have to tell you this because this was also awesome. So we have two sales a year and we decided that that just makes sense. Our, you know, most showrooms have samples that they want to get rid of. They have returned product in the warehouse that they want to get rid of because they’re bringing new things in for market. So we have sales in February and in August. And before the August sale this year,

Do know Kelly and Joanne from CanDrak and Cole? They had never been here. They had never been to High Point outside of the market. And they’re like, we want to do it. Brave women. loved it. I love their desire to come. So they gathered like eight to 10 women that they’ve just accumulated over the years, like trusted kind of friends. And they booked themselves at Pandora’s Manor.

Mm-hmm.

My friend Jessica came, Amy Fleury came from Athens. had a couple locals, Jill Seal from Charlotte. And we hung out at Pandora’s Manor. And we had like a whole day of sort of, you know, just everybody got to bring up something in their business or personal life that they would like their colleagues, their friends to weigh in on. And so, you know, that was just designers creating something.

You know before the sale so you they also got to do that but it was like so really anything is possible. mean we have great resources. It’s not Palm Springs. We don’t have you know we don’t have desert. We don’t have a beach. You know it’s not the Hamptons but it’s high point.

It’s high point and there’s incredibly creative people and great business people there. So, gosh, to think about going to Pandora’s manner and getting to stay there, during an off market time when you’re not, you know, just getting to stay there in general sounds exciting to me, but to go in almost like a retreat feel where you can just kind of cozy in and enjoy all the elements of in Pandora’s manner, plus, some, some girlfriend time and some business.

grow up, run time is some.

Yeah, it was very retreat-like and yeah, it was so much fun. So yeah, there’s lots of different opportunities.

So tell me a little bit more about how High Point by Design helps designers deepen their product knowledge and their industry relationships or their client offerings. So I know you’ve kind of touched a little bit on the client offerings of like, I’m a designer that can bring you in during an off-market time and have this incredible experience. But tell me a little bit more on that product knowledge and industry relationship piece.

Sure. Well, I think what you’ll find in High Point and, you know, Southern hospitality is sort of woven into the brand of High Point, but you can get behind the scenes very easily here. if you whether you’re working with brands, you know, there’s tons of upholstery that is, you know, created just five, 10 minutes from the main hub of of market. So.

whether you’re working with brands or thinking about it and you want to go see what their operations are like, that is totally open to you. Again, you just have to make an appointment, you know, and I’m happy to introduce you to who you need to know. So that’s, there are a lot of young design associates trying to sell luxury in their design firms that have never seen a quality sofa being made. it would behoove design teams to like,

bring their teams outside of market, you know, when it’s affordable to not just be the two principles that come. Bring your team, you know, we’ll create a nice little behind the scenes, some nice surprises, you know, for you. But let them learn so that they know what it, you know, what goes into selling quality furniture and the making of it. So that’s, think, a really great benefit. And, you know, I’m, yeah.

I think that’s a really great benefit. And then of course, the people that are there, you’ll get the ear of the president, the vice president, the creative director, the marketing. mean, it depends where you go. Varelin is made here, Lancaster is made here. Everybody’s here. They might be off on a business trip, somebody, but basically everybody’s here. And they appreciate the visits and they appreciate the interest and they’re gonna let you know that.

Well, and understanding that difference in quality and, you know, want to say the customer service that comes along with that quality. Yeah, there might be a higher price point like you’re not just going to go buy it off the shelf, you know, the next to every other sofa that’s out there. understanding that quality and can pets be on it as a, you know, is it kid friendly? Is it, you know, is it going to stand the test of time?

I think is really important and to understand the different parts of the upholstery. Making rain the makers and how they think about it when we’ve gone through a few different factory tours of our designers and it’s been incredible to talk about the nail heads and talk about some of these like very I guess for lack of a better term like old like ways of doing these things that are.

are not out there on every type of piece of furniture.

For sure not. mean, watching somebody tough to sofa, forget about it, you know? And so it’s just, yeah, it’s, there’s really, it’s great to go behind the scenes and see how it’s made. Yeah.

incredible.

Okay, well, let’s talk a little bit about some of the stories. I’m sure you’ve got some great stories from your community at High Point Design. So you must have witnessed some inspiring collaborations or personal breakthroughs in this past three years with High Point Bright Design. Can you share one or two standout stories?

Well, there have been some definite, some high moments where, you know, it’s just like, wow, we actually did that. I would say one thing that I didn’t mention at all is we have universities coming. So design students, furniture design. And the first time I hosted a university, was SCAD Atlanta. They wanted to come. Well, I had many discussions. Should we come at market? Should we not come at market?

And I said, if you want to come at market, I’m not sure how you can get all the rooms for your people unless you, you know, come Tuesday or whatever. And then you could, you could go around Tuesday, Wednesday, but if you want to show them how things are made and if you want to, for people to have some time with them, you might want to consider coming another time. Well, they came the weekend after market. So it was late October and they came right before Halloween.

So I begged many of our members to bear with me and please host these students. So it was two and a half days. And it was amazing. They rolled in on a Sunday and they rolled onto Wren Street. And so we had Lancaster and Oley were both open. Cause remember, you know, we’re kind of jaded. We were in showrooms all the time, but most of these students

I mean, maybe they’ve been to market before, but they haven’t been to showrooms like we’ve been to showrooms. So it’s still very new. And of course, everything was very fresh because it was just market. And there’s an artist in town, Sabrina Tillman. And because it was Halloween, we had like an icebreaker activity. We went there and I had bought all these half masks and we got fabric samples and trim samples. And the students made these amazing masks.

It was just the coolest thing. And then we had dinner at Red Egg. Carol set up tables on her lawn. let me tell you, we get scrappy, we get it done. But like I was cooking, we ordered Italian food, but I had to make gluten free pasta. You know, you have to ask everybody about their diet. Making gluten free pasta Sunday afternoon. It wasn’t very good. But but anyway, that was like our first day. And then, you know, a whole other day of just like

to see that these days.

in the showrooms, in the veneer companies here, in the resin makers. Like we just, we show them so many different places in different showrooms. And the last night, this was so fun. We went to Cohab space. at that time, because Cohab is always changing, but they had four street facing windows and we did a visual merchandising contest. So we divvied up the students in four groups.

They had all this sort of stuff in a room and they could and the windows were empty and they had an hour and like 15 minutes to do their windows and then tell us about them. And we had a jury, of course. And I mean, that was just like, Erin, that was so great. It was the first big school event, multi-day. And I tell you, it went like it went off so well. So that was a real high point. And then, I mean, the first Vacation Rental Design Summit, you know, that’s a big deal for us.

What year was that?

2023. And I just remember like packing up, you know, it went off. It was great. We had like 185 people and I was packing. It was Friday and everybody was already at market, you know, and I’m packing with with Emily and a couple of people. And I went home, took a quick shower and then I walked out to market like feeling like I just

Okay.

Like, I felt so good about what we had just done, that our little team created this incredible event that people loved. And it was the talk of market. mean, people were like, I heard from everybody that they heard such great things. So that was, that was a big deal. That was a big deal.

Well, I I got I did get to experience the very first one, but I went last year and it was it was I walked in. I’m like, oh my gosh, like, what is this? This is amazing. And, you know, I’m still in contact with some of the people that I met at that event, which

Yeah, yeah, like Robin de la Cruz.

yes, I actually talked to him last week. We got all caught up on the puppy and business and all of the things.

Yeah, he’s awesome. I mean, we created some incredible friendships like he and his design besties pals that met at the summit.

They’re doing amazing things.

So they’re doing something, they’re doing a project here in High Point. So we’re excited about that. yeah, so this 2024 was great and now we’re gearing up for 2025. So, and it’s going to be different because we’re not doing it at market.

Tell me a little bit about this.

Yeah, so we decided with HPXD and our mission to use and celebrate High Point year round, we just thought we have enough credibility. Let’s take the summit to the summer when we can really have more time, more focus, go behind the scenes if we choose and just treat it like a summer escape to High Point. Still with the.

Education that people rely on for us, you know, and we’re getting really serious and we had such a good meeting today about just the kind of level of education, but with more a little bit more time. We have three days really devoted to active learning and experiences. We just feel like we can some of the sessions that we’ve had in the past. I wish we had another half hour for so we’re going to really give people time to explain, give people time to ask questions and then mix that with.

just some good fun, which we’re working on the itinerary and partnerships right now. So. Love that.

We’ll definitely have to catch up on that after this. But going back to what you were sharing about the design schools coming in and really having, know, experiencing a high point in the makers and the way that you did. I mean, I would have just given anything for that when I was in design school. I we have a lot of great teachers and a lot of great classes, but there are a couple of things that they didn’t really teach us. We didn’t have that firsthand experience and we didn’t also have the actual business of design.

Which you know obviously is where Pearl Collective comes in and we have a lot of designers that come to us going, okay, I need a little bit more guidance and help with this piece of it when I’m starting to grow and scale my business. But gosh, I would give anything for that if I was back in design school back in those days.

Definitely. Yeah, I think it’s really important if we can help provide that and, you know, even when schools come to introduce them to working designers and have, you know, a panel. Like we did the ASID student chapter, like the local Carolina student chapter, we’ll do a day with them usually in January or February. And last year I said, I try and give them value. yes, we can go to so many showrooms and this and that, but I also want to just

let them see how the real world works. And sometimes I think we’re focused so much on like the presidents of firms at a certain level, but I was like, you know what, these are like mostly kids and people that will go into those first jobs. Let’s talk to the design assistants and associates because, right? Like, what are you doing? You know, how did you get your job? And, tell me something exciting about what you get to do. you know, I just,

I want to meet people where they are, of course give them, you know, aspirational hopes and everything, but also just really introduce them to people like them that are in the positions that they’ll probably be in. So.

That is so powerful, I think, to just meet people where they’re at and, you know, especially at these kids that are fresh out of school or they’re in school, just being able to see like, my gosh, like I could be that or, you know, what steps do I need to take to get there? And of course, some of them might have the goal of owning a company or being the president or the CEO of a company at some point in time, but we all have to start somewhere. So that’s excellent. OK, well, I know that you talked about

kind of one of your passes of like that was such a huge impact was after your first vacation, Ronald summit. But what’s one memory from early high point by design days that still gives you chills and makes you smile?

Hmm. gosh. I’m feeling the pressure, It’s been a lot of work, let me tell you. I mean, the first day that I joined this organization, I was at Design Edge in Seattle. I didn’t even really know what I was doing. And I guess we were slated to be there sort of with high point market.

and I was just like, go. Right. Yeah, I felt a little bit like a fish out of water, even though I’ve been in this industry forever, you know, I just. Right. It was a new thing, so I don’t know if that gave me the chills or that was like scary chills, but.

So,

Yeah, this is real. I have the High Point by Design badge on and I’m here and this is how I’m representing and every, you probably knew most of the people that were there besides the designers.

But Seattle, it’s interesting. mean, they’re in one of the great things about design edge is, know, Lee takes the show to places where there’s a lot of designers and there’s quite a few that have never been to High Point. So, you know, Washington State, it’s far away. It’s a big commitment for those designers to come to High Point. And so, you know, I knew a couple, but there were so many there that I didn’t.

No, at all, and that didn’t know me either. You know, it’s funny when you go to certain shows, know, people know you and then you go to other places and like nobody knows you and you feel like, knows me, wah. But yeah, that can play with your ego a bit. Yeah, I don’t know. I just, think I’d have to look through my phone pictures and see, but I just, I still.

kind of think the first getting through that first summit and I mean that was a year into it for me. But I think that was just my my first real feeling of like wow you know like this was powerful and just the friendships that it what it took to to pull that off was yeah gives me the chills just thinking about it.

So back to design edge, was just a design edge, Scott Stale, it was incredible Lee and his crew always do such a great job. you know, I kind of explain design edge is like market on the road. So you’ve got high point by design that’s keeping market open year round, essentially.

point open. We do want to distinguish because like we, know, like on steroids, right? It’s the showrooms on steroids. We’re like, we like to say like unplugged, without your makeup. Yeah, you know, kind of like, that’s how it is. As you are like, do you don’t have to, you know, plan your wardrobe, you know, just come.

point open.

Come on in.

And then you’ve got design edge is kind of market on the road and then you’ve got high point market authority that is just like you said, it’s just that steroids like a couple of weeks a year that like everything is at your fingertips. And you do plan a few more outfits and a few more pairs of shoes during that as well. Well, do you mind if I share what I think one of the defining moments that gives me chills? Okay, well.

would love to hear it.

You and I stay in contact throughout the year. Sometimes it’s a text message. Once in a while it’s a phone call or getting to meet in person or working on an event together. And I remember just seeing the excitement in your eyes when you were just lighting up talking about your office. You actually landed. And not that you were flying around before, but you had a home base. You figured out where that home base was going to be. You had an office and then you were

in the search of the perfect desk and how to and how you wanted to design it and decorate it. And I just saw you light up because it was like getting it was almost like you you got to scrapbook your whole design world into this space that was going to inspire you to keep this whole high point by design kind of thriving and going beyond what you’ve already done.

Yeah, well, I mean, having it having an office, having an office on the street, not just working on my home, even though I’m talking to you from my home today, but that that has that was pretty monumental for us. And we have a we have a really good relationship with our visitors bureau visit high point and, you know, where we think we’re aligned like, you know, I love the term design tourism, whether that is design business tourism.

for designers, design tourism, for design enthusiasts that want to learn more, want to rub elbows with designers, want to just take it in at a higher level than they take in perhaps on watching HGTV on airplanes, but something a little more real and meaty, and design tourism for students. So I think, of course, our visitors bureau wants heads in beds. They want people to come here and have a great time, so they come back and they tell their friends. And we’re the same thing.

doing, you we just stay in our lane of design. But yeah, so I get to work in their offices and I got to furnish it, you know, with a mix of vintage and from some of our members, some of my favorite things. And I love having that and people can come and see me.

Yeah, I know I’m gonna have to come see the finished product and what you’re.

It is a container. It is a container. And I don’t have a window, it’s, you know, that’s what it is.

I’ll have to stop by sometime. Okay, well, let’s talk a little bit. I know you touched on the vacation rental summit and it’s coming up this summer. What can attendees expect this year? Do you have anything that you can share with us that gives us a couple little morsels to get excited about?

Well, when we have a recent call, know, Jessica Deuce, is there are three co-founders of the summit, myself, Jessica Deuce and Erica Sort. And so Jessica is the designer. And she said, you know, I can tell you from last year’s summit to this year’s summit. I have changed my business so much like the times are changing.

rapidly. The industry is faced with a lot of challenges. And so there’s a lot new information to take in. And so we’re going to have some people that have never spoken at the summit before. Obviously, mean, bringing new speakers in is always a good thing. And we’ll have returning people as well. I don’t have I wish I had more details for you. And by the time, you know,

It’s very soon we will, but it’s just gonna be, I mean, you know, we’ll have some yoga in the mornings. Love that. I’m trying to pull together a little pickleball event. So it’s learning, but it’s also fun. It’s a summer, you know? So we want people to see a different side of High Point. And if I get my way, one of our showroom partners will have a sound healing. Ooh!

I mean, is there a better way to discover the comfort of furniture than to lay on it for more than a minute during a trade show? this is great. No, lay on it for 20 minutes and sleep in it. And think of the photo opportunity for that brand. I mean, to have, you know, 50 designers sacked out in their showroom with singing roles. You know.

Yes.

is great. I got to spend some time with her when I was in Scottsdale. So again, another way that we all just get to come together multiple times throughout the year. So

One of the best things that’s happened to me over the last few years and definitely since Highpoint by Design is that Jessica is in my life as is Erica in my life. mean, when you do an event like the summit, you really get close and they’re both really inspiring. yeah, as I get older, I’m like, am I gonna really get more friends? I do.

The ones that you’re attracting with the vibration and the intelligence and the gifts that you’re bringing to the world, they’re the ones that are wanting more of that and they’re wanting to help accelerate that as well. So it’s fun to see women, friends coming together in business, but especially I love seeing really strong business women coming together and doing incredible things.

Me too. Me too. I want more of that in High Point. I want more of that. Just, know, when we can actually have the time to chill and hang out and hang out more. Yes.

That would be very nice. Okay, so you have, I think you’ve touched on this a little bit, but you’ve been leading the charge to make High Point a true city of design year round. And so, and you’ve talked about your strategic vision for that. What’s that vision look like in action? I’m sure that you’ve kind of got a little bit of a stair step approach or overlaying circles when it comes to that strategy, but kind of what’s next for what that looks like in action.

So I am one piece of the puzzle. I mean, I am boots on the ground, designer relationships. That’s kind of my strength and education as a lore to bring people here. But I cannot do this alone. This is a city-wide strategy and initiative. And that’s why I’m so happy that the city’s actually…

is talking about it and actually, I mean, we’ve had brainstorming sessions, like this is really happening. But what I want to say is that to me, so when you’re at market, you see this beautiful, sparkling town with the lights on, there’s this beautiful amber glow. Once the lights go down, you can look into showroom windows and see things, you know, it’s like, it’s like,

New York’s fashion windows, but it’s our design windows. And when you all go home, the lights go off. So the city is very dark. A lot of people will cover their windows. So for me, yeah. So for me, one of the hallmark of success will be when companies that have street facing.

showrooms, the majority will understand, please keep your lights on, make this look like a city that knows it’s, I was going to say a work that, you know, that is really committed to design. Like we are a design city. We don’t have to hide in between, you know, like let’s show people. So to me, that’s something that would be like incredible is that we are really moving together to change the city.

Well, and it goes right back to your design never goes dark theme, right?

Yeah, true. mean, literally, yes, it does. And then, of course, I’m sure you’ve noticed, you know, and again, this is this is it’s bigger than it’s so much bigger than HBXD. The Red Lion or former Radisson Hotel in the middle of town, you know, nobody’s staying there. It’s just a big empty building. There are some there is some movement with Showplace West, which is the the one that Nobles used to be in with the little Lou. You know, there’s some movement there.

But until some of these, until the downtown is a little bit more activated and there’s more life, it’s a challenge. But that’s why you have these designers, these situations, they one by one, I’ll take you one by one, come in and have that experience, whether it’s you and a client, whether it’s you alone, whether it’s you and your team, we’ll do some, you

education in between and that’s just that’s what I do. That’s and then hopefully others you know do their part too and then we can all celebrate together.

Well, I think they absolutely have the right person charged with the boots on the ground because you’re doing an incredible job with that. And how do you see other local businesses and creatives getting involved as kind of this activation has been happening?

It’s funny today. like there’s a paint. There’s a guy that bought a paint company. He was a bio bio engineer and he decided he wanted to be a little bit more of an entrepreneur and he bought a paint contracting company. So I met with him and I told him I dropped a little something and he’s like, I would love to get involved with that. like, you know, it’s a more on the philanthropy foundational side. And so

I think that people want to belong to something and HP XD gives those people in the community, especially if they have something to do with the design or making a home or making, you know, the built environment like a network, a network to, we know we do things, we have like mixers and things year round. So the community likes to likes to get involved.

So yeah, that’s one way. And we’ve done sip installs where the showrooms are open on a weekend. And there’s Prosecco and some refreshments. And there’s a little map. And they can go and sample some of the showrooms that are open to all. So we’ve done that in terms of just sampling a little bit about what the design scene is like here.

Excellent. Well, it’s fun to see how it’s getting activated. And so, you know, my next question is going to be the future. Where do you see High Point and High Point by Design in five years as a design destination and your strategy and your vision coming to life?

Now, I think there will be some key events that happen here. North Carolina has a very big concentration of mid-century modern architecture. There’s modernism events around the country, notably Palm Springs used to be one in Sarasota.

That’s like that or something similar to that could happen. There could be an antique. We’ve got great antiques. You know, there could be something I’m actually working on something around that for 26. But, you know, like it could start with antiques and there could be, you know, combination of art, design and music and food. So I think, you know, collaborating with other organizations in the city to bring about.

more like a festival atmosphere. I would love to, when I was in high school, I went to a model United Nations in Boston. I would love to have a model market and bring students, but not just one school at a time. I would like to bring a lot of schools at a time and have a real model market where there are speakers and like it’s like market.

It’s like sort of

market, of course, but it’s really like, you know, students, maybe I don’t know if it’s for high schoolers. I don’t know if it’s college. I don’t know. But I think could we do a model, you know, a model market and students, you know, networking with other students, too. So those are some things that I think would be fun to have in the future. But again, you know, working interdisciplinary with other organizations and

Yeah

Just yeah, these bigger collaborations. We do have like a 10 year dream, is to have a design academy of sorts. And that is something that we’re not alone in thinking that High Point should have some kind of focused school. You know, here, David Blair with ISFD is also very much interested in that, what that looks like. So we’ve got a couple of people that are, you what could that look like? So we’re just,

Right now, that’s just entertaining an idea, but why not? I mean, it makes sense. So those are some things.

I love how you are kind of this incubator of ideas that, you know, it’s not that just, you know, we’ve got to focus on the now and we can’t focus on the future. It seems like you do a very good job of kind of bringing in ideas and letting them set and then going and working on them and into what they can become. And sometimes I’m sure you get started on an idea and it’s almost like fuel to the fire too of making something come across the finish line a little more quickly than maybe what you thought.

For sure, for sure. mean, you know, there’s a lot of ideas and some of them will end up in the dead ideas pile. But yeah, I mean, I’m excited. I’m really excited for the future of High Point and the people that, you know, I get to do this with that really care. I mean, there’s a lot of passion here.

Well, this is an incredible industry and high point. It’s like I call it, you know, high point market almost like I’m coming home for homecoming. And so I would love to be there more often throughout the year, just as your vision has been painted.

You’ve never been here outside of the market.

I have actually. I’ve come, I guess, three different times for the Home Furnishing Hall of Fame Leadership Institute. And it was a great time and I got to see parts of High Point that I hadn’t seen before, specifically High Point University and the Khan Hotel. And man, that is an incredible campus. And so I got to see all of that and meet a lot of people that live and breathe High Point on a daily basis, but kind of in a different way.

Yeah, but say you have you have been to high point. Not not just at market.

Yeah, it definitely is different, you know, and it’s, you’re right, it’s not as lit up. And maybe I’m just so used to having like my schedule full of events and commitments and people and dinners and champagne and all of that when I come. But that was a really special experience to be able to be a part of that and see Highpoint in a different way and learn so much more about my industry.

I have friends that will be forever friends from that experience because I got to know more people in the industry and about these different manufacturing companies and retailers. It was very informative.

Yeah, that’s cool. That’s a great program. Yeah.

Okay, well, as we finish up here, we love to always ask our podcasters to share three ideas that you’d like to share with our listeners today. And those can be ideas that they can take back to their business, to their life. And so what would those three things be for you today, Jane?

Yeah, I was thinking about this and I want to be like, I want to say something good. so whenever I head up an activity and there’s a bus, I always tell people, please sit next to somebody different on the bus. Don’t sit next to somebody who you see every day at work. And that can be applied in different ways, but just sit next to somebody new.

I also believe that real life is so much more interesting than fiction. And I feel like in so many interviews that I’ve had, just, I’m like, I could never make that stuff up. And I say that because, you know, in the, in the PR world, the pitching your story, the, are people gonna, what are gonna people gonna, you know, buy? It’s not always the hero move. It’s sometimes there’s just so much beauty in the mundane. And I just think people should think about that.

Sometimes just the way you are living your life is just simple and beautiful and there’s a story there and you don’t have to tell it, but it might be very noteworthy. So that’s something else. And then more to HVXD, reframe High Point as a year-round resource. We offer more than you might know. And so just think about reframing it.

Excellent. Well, thank you so much, Jane, for being on and I look forward to seeing you very soon and hopefully at your vacation rental summit.

I hope you can come to it and thank you so much for having me on. hope that your listeners take something from this and I hope it makes them smile.

Well, I know I certainly have and it’s always a pleasure to spend time with you.

Awesome. Thank you.