The state of our business is strong
By Joe Lonardo
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Joe Lonardo, ACSP president
It is hard to believe that I am writing a note looking back on 2018 but it is already that time of year. I’ve had many opportunities over the past few months to attend events and meet with professionals and am left with the take away that the state of our business is as strong as I can recall. I have seen much growth in my own endeavors and am hearing similar success stories across the board. It is great to be able to make note of another healthy year, where our industry continues to thrive and grow.
 
Early in the year, I made a commitment that I would begin to diversify my product offerings. Looking outside the norms of standard closets, laundry rooms and pantries, I discovered endless possibilities for garage organization, Murphy beds, home offices and perhaps most interestingly, wine storage. While these new product lines haven’t begun to comprise a significant portion of new sales, it is very clear to me that they have gained traction and I expect to see this trend continue.
 
These types of offerings are easily promoted via social media. The pictures are captivating and enticing and are almost too tempting to pass up. I have had a lot of fun creating campaigns, generating buzz and word-of-mouth referrals. Quite simply put, they are easy to talk about, they are lead generators and they tell an interesting story. In some ways, it has given me a new level of energy. They are just so excited to talk about and photograph. I encourage everyone reading this to look outside the proverbial comfort zone and look for new and interesting ways to create content. It is truly invigorating. 
 
And now onto one of my favorite topics, the upcoming expo. I am absolutely thrilled that we will be returning to Charlotte this year. Scheduled for March 6-8, 2019, we are co-locating with the Wood Pro Expo at the Charlotte Convention Center. I am looking forward to having both of these events occurring at the same time and all of the various content and networking opportunities that will be available. We’ll also be offering our certification workshops:  Level I “Registered Storage Designer;” Level II “Certified Storage Designer” and Level III “Master Storage Designer.” It promises to be a jam-packed few days, some of my favorite of the year. I look forward to seeing you all there.
 

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