Dos Marcos

Do you prefer boxed wine or boxed beds? No, it's not a trick question because we hear both are making a comeback.  On today's episode, Quinn and Kinsley are chatting industry disruptor: Bed in a Box, or more informally, mattresses in a box. King size behemoths compressed to postage size boxes and shipped to eager consumers. They discuss: - the benefits,  - the economics,  - how other major players are responding - how far compression technology can go, and  - are shippable mattresses the future? --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

Would you rather be laid off with severance or receive a reduced work schedule and a reduction in pay? Most would likely choose the reduced work and pay, but is that always the smartest decision? On today's episode, Kinsley and Quinn dissect the recent restructure (aka: headcount reduction) of Nectar and compare it to the Sequoia Capital strategy: in the face of downward trends, react hard and fast and plan to recoupe slowly. Is the Sequoia approach better for long term growth or does it signal the inevitable for which there is no return?  Plus, what does the future hold for Nectar?  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

Are Mark and Mark breaking up? No, but Mark Kinsley is co-hosting a new show and Mark Quinn isn't his trusty sidekick. In this episode, the guys chat the launch of the new FAM Marketing Show. It's a snackable, 15-minute-or-less podcast designed to give retailers and brands marketing tips and tricks they can enact right away. They discuss the concept of the show, introduce a few co-hosts that have already been on the show (some familiar faces and some new friends of the industry) and talk about what it means to give small business owners ideas that won't break the bank, but can show ROI. Curious for more? Check out the FAM Marketing Show here. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

Today on the Dos Marcos Show, we chat with Justin Trombo, President of BedTech Midwest, about his journey from being an RSA to becoming the founder of a premier adjustable base company. We chat about the struggles of entrepreneurship, how Justin and his consulting company are helping others build strategies and visions for their business, and how BedTech works with their partners to help retailers achieve profits on commodity items. "The hardest thing to do in any business is add value to a commodity [item]...so how do you add value to an adjustable base? You sell it as a part of a sleep system." --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

Picture this scenario: you're a successful furniture and mattress retailer with a thriving staff and you're well known in your community. Life is good. Then you get the infamous diagnosis you weren't expecting. Cancer. Maybe it's you, your spouse, or your child. What do you do when real life interrupts your business? Today, we sat down with Trent Ranburger, owner of Trent Bedding in Bowling Green, Kentucky, at the Furniture Today Bedding Conference to talk through this exact situation. We discuss how your worldview shifts and how you're forced to rely on the staff you built and hope you have invested in them well. We discuss how day-to-day activities change and in the days after how your focus as a business owner changes. "People don't connect with us in the good times, they connect with us in times of adversity and challenges and when times are toughest for us. ...We can't lose sight of that." --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

Inflation. It's now a household word. Whereas, pre-2020, few people knew or understood the ramifications of "supply chains." Now, it is a common response to every backlog in every industry worldwide. Add in increased gas prices, energy prices, grocery bills and now, formula shortages, and people are understanding just how much quickly rising inflation can impact their day to day lives as well.  In today's episode we discuss how to tackle inflation, while increasing your overall ticket price. We applaud the Dominos pizza tactic of re-thinking how to reward your customers in an inflationary environment, we talk about the need to over communicate the how and the why of inflation on present day purchases and we drop a foot traffic driver that's sure to turn some heads (think: the inflation negation sale). Also, our heartfelt condolences to the family of Harry Cornell on his passing. He was a veteran of our industry and helped to shape and make it what it is today and we're forever grateful.  --- Se

Are you dying a slow death by being caught in the muddy middle? The middle. It's the space between no one walking in and foot traffic so fast, your door never has time to lock. On today's episode, we're chatting being consistent (with a special shoutout to Nick Quinn for giving us the best example of how hard work and consistency pays off), measuring your value add and how to communicate effectively. When we teach people to value sleep, they value their sleep space and accessories more and we want to make sure your hard efforts reflect in your bottom line. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

Are you prepared for the summer slump? You know the one we are talking about. The one where summer sales slow to a glacial pace because everyone is spending money on vacations, summer activities, and not on their home or their sleep. In this episode, we are tackling the slump head on, and challenging you to do things you have never done before. We're pulling ideas out of the Amazon bestseller Come Back to Bed (authored by yours truly) and discussing why the summer slumps happen and problems in our industry that perpetuate this cycle (hint: if our products and services are not adding value in people's lives, they won't view sleep as a priority). We are shaking up summer 2022, and making it the year of new adventures and new experiences for our customers! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

Do you know how to tap into the buying power of the bride? If you don't, this is the season to learn. It has been said that 2022 will see more weddings than have been held in a single year since 1984! Why? Covid19. Weddings have been on hold for the past two years and bank accounts have been stacking up. Now with an endemic in site, people are making good on their long-overdue weddings and the mattress industry should get in on the action. The average wedding hosts around 200 guests. If furniture and mattress retailers could get 1 person from each wedding to make a mattress purchase for the bride and groom, it would total over $1 billion in revenue. This begs the question: how should you position a mattress at the top of a registry list? 1) Wedding Expos. Get in on the action. Be in the place where the people are. Along with DJs, wedding bakers, and florists, book a spot at your local wedding expo and set up a mattress on display. 2) Market To Parents. Parents are likely the largest gift-givers at a

Does the interior of your home affect your health? For better or for worse? Today on the Dos Marcos show, we are joined by Mike Peterson, President of Visionary Design Marketing and Linda Kafka, Co-Founder of Livable Environment, who are the founders behind the Science in Design summit happening in ten locations across the United States starting on April 21st, 2022.  In this episode we're discussing how our industry is the curators and creators of "aesthetic experiences" and how the interior of our home has scientifically been proven to affect our overall wellness. We cover: How nature affects are overall well being;  Physical health benefits of good interior design and how interior designers play a vital role; a scientific partnership study conducted by Google and John Hopkins University; and  Biophilia and Neuroaesthetics. Want to attend the Science in Design Summit closest to you? Check out the exclusive seminar tour dates and locations here.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anc

Today's episode of the Dos Marcos Podcast is a special one highlighting the service of Mark Quinn in the mattress industry. The now-former Vice President of Sherwood Bedding has been hired as the new Vice President of Merchandising for Mattress Firm. In this episode, we discuss Quinn's history in the industry, pay homage to his achievements, and talk about the transition from private brands to a national brand. We also head-on address the elephant in the room of going in-house to a major player in the industry. What does this mean for this show, The FAM, and the international support generated by the galaxy's greatest mattress podcasters? Simply, The FAM is getting a whole lot bigger, and the depth of knowledge we all gain by having a friend on the inside is even deeper. Join us for this very special episode and help us congratulate Quinn on his new role and wish him success in this endeavor! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

He's bringing sexy back....financial sexiness that is.  This week, Dos Marcos hosts Vice President of Sales for Koalafi (pronounced like "qualify"), Craig Leffew. A company set on delivering simple financing options that are not only innovating, Koalaif is striving to offer a stress free financing option for both the retailer and the consumer.  In this episode, they discuss the origin of the Koalifi name and how spelling (it's the most epic dad joke that lives on), their "never say no" motto and how every customer who wants furniture, should be able to get furniture; the biggest mistakes retailers make (hint: offering too many options and not discussing financing early and often throughout a transaction) and the footprint they are leaving in the industry. Plus, if you want to see what all the interest is about, visit Koalafi at the following link and they are going to give you $50 to keep just for taking a meeting. They value your time and are willing to pay you for it! --- Send in a voice messag

When you walk into a store to buy a mattress or a piece of furniture, who is ultimately the one in charge?  Is it the store owner? The consumer? Would it shock you to know it could be the manufacturer?  As the supply chain issues continue to cause disruption in the pipeline, and as we see spending start to slow down as the world shifts from a pandemic to an endemic state, the roles of consumerism may shift as well. In this episode, we strategize how this affects you and your business, and how can you be sure you are getting quality service from your suppliers that you can pass on to your customer. Also, we touch on how the ecosystem varies between furniture and mattress industries, and we consider what role does a brand play in price negotiations when it comes to suppliers and in developing a customer base.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

ISPA is over, and now the real work begins. Manufacturers are busy fulfilling orders, retailers are busy finalizing their spring and fall offerings and people are eagerly looking ahead to what the seasons bring. As we close out this year's #ISPAEXPO, we wanted to bring you a "sounds of ISPA" episode. If you weren't able to attend, we're bringing the ISPA to you. It's an abbreviated combination of some stellar elevator pitches and additional insights into some of the industry's most exceptional products being offered. We hope you enjoy it and look forward to seeing you at next year's ISPA Expo! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

What happened at ISPA Expo? Ask the Marks! It's been four years since mattress industry nerds and execs alike convened together in person and they made the most of it. Quinn and Kinsley went live from Orlando, Florida and covered everything you are curious about. From foot traffic and exceptional products to trends in foam, fabric and technology, they covered it all in real time on today's recap! Special Thanks to our friends at  Hickory Atlanta Attachment Culp Harrison Spinks Juna Talalay Global --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

Do you know your chronotype? Do you even know what a chronotype is? On today's episode, we chat with The Retail Doctor himself, Dr. Michael Breus. We connect on: What are chronotypes and how they work (hint: they're genetic and cannot be changed);  How to be transformative as an RSA; Answer the question on whether melatonin is good for you and your kids; and Discuss the benefits of CBD and address what is CBN and how it affects you. Whether he is providing advice to celebrities or retail workers, this episode has something for everyone and you can't afford to miss it.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

If we were making recommendation for must see booths are ISPA, Culp's showroom is at the top of our list. On today's episode, we sat down with Holly Fulton, Brand Awareness Manager, and Christina Pennant, Creative Director for Culp Industries--the largest fabric mill in North America--and discussed their strategy for brand awareness and their cutting edge customer experience. Starting with their thread-to-cover collection, Culp is offering an innovative design process that provides efficiency, sustainability and intentionality for their end user. From instant changes in fabric texture, color and pattern, designers will have the ability to completely customize their unique mattresses on the spot and get real time quotes and estimates. And that's just one element of the ISPA offering from Culp! Listen or watch today's episode and make plans to visit Culp at 2723! Did you miss our earlier episode with Culp? Check it out here! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

How do we fix the great resignation? It's the question major corporations everywhere are frantically trying to answer. One company at the top of their HR game is Tempur-Sealy International (TSI). In this episode, we chat with the Vice President of Human Resources, Drew Millar, about the mind shift in the workforce, what companies should be doing differently (hint: it's not always compensation!) and the work being done at TSI to reframe how employees view the role of HR. Millar is a labor and employment attorney-turned-HR professional who's shifting the corporate landscape one great employee at a time. Watch or listen for tangible insights from a top industry insider! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

Is retail your passion or was it an accidental career you fell into? Whether you set out on your career path to be in retail or it was something you did as a filler and it has consumed a decade of your life, Amazon best-selling author Ron Thurston is setting out on a roadshow across America to tell the stories of those of you in the trenches. With a background that spans more than two decades in retail, Thurston is anxious to hear the journeys of individuals on the front lines. From his conversations and analysis, people are rarely in retail for the products they sell. Rather, it's because of community, customers, and generational family ties. Join Thurston as he hitches his airstream up to his F250 and travels across the U.S. sharing gratitude, listening, and giving your voice and story to a worldwide audience. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message

When Bradley Siepp launched Lifeloom, people thought his sheets were a beauty product, not a medical device.  On his debut podcast, Lifeloom's CEO and Co-Founder of Lifeloom joins Dos Marcos to get "between the sheets" and discuss the FDA-approved product. They cover the backstory of Lifeloom; who they are (a former boy band dancer and sandwich connoisseur) and what Lifeloom is (a dermatherapy company providing sleep products).  They also discuss: How they achieved medical greatness through the FDA The wicking nature of the sheets  The science behind their sheets, and how they really do provide the coolest temperature How these sheets can help drive foot traffic to your store Listen or watch this episode to find out how you can get your own free Lifeloom pillowcase! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/mattresspodcast/message