The ability to create and sustain strategic alliances across different fields is no longer a luxury but a necessity for continued growth and innovation. For designers, professional organizers, and manufacturers in the closet and home organization industry, collaboration is key to delivering the holistic, sophisticated solutions that modern clients want.

At the 2025 Closets Conference & Expo, held from June 11 to 13 in West Palm Beach, Florida, a keynote panel of industry experts explored how building cross-industry partnerships can unlock new opportunities and drive significant business results. Their consensus was clear: success is a team sport, and understanding the unique expertise of each collaborator is crucial for elevating projects from good to extraordinary.

Building a business on relationships

For Janet Stevenson, owner and designer at JBS Closet and Storage Design, the key to building a thriving business wasn’t found in traditional advertising. Instead, she discovered the effectiveness of strategic networking within professional associations.

“I found early on in my career as a closet and storage professional that advertising and marketing wasn’t working for me,” Stevenson said. “What I found was that if I went out into the association groups, interacted with associations, I was benefiting myself by meeting the people who are going to be the movers and shakers that are going to be able to give me business.”

Stevenson stressed that membership alone is not enough. Active participation, joining committees, attending meetings, and being present, is what builds the trust necessary for referrals. “You need to show up,” she urged. “You will find that the builders and the designers start to trust you. They know you as a person. You become friends with them.”

This approach has paid dividends; her business is now entirely referral-based, built on decades-long relationships that often started with a single collaborative project.

A critical component of her success is her philosophy on client hierarchy. When brought into a project by another professional, Stevenson’s focus is clear. “If I’m dealing with a designer or a builder... they are my primary client,” she explained. “I’m going to make their client extremely happy...so that that client repeats and refers the builder or the designer that they’re working with.” This approach ensures her partners see her as an asset who protects and enhances their own client relationships.

Building a foundation with functionality

While designers focus on aesthetics and structure, professional organizers bring an intimate understanding of a client’s daily life, habits, and inventory. According to Terri Stroble, owner of All About Organized LLC, involving an organizer at the very beginning of a project is a game-changer.

“Bring us in early because we’re actively working with the clients. We know their habits. We know their inventory so very well,” Stroble advised. Organizers conduct a thorough intake, touring the entire home to understand routines, identify clutter patterns, and assess storage needs before a single design is drafted.

This initial discovery phase ensures the final design is not just beautiful but sustainable and tailored to the client’s actual lifestyle. “If it’s a situation where they need to edit or part with some of their belongings, it’ll make the design so much more functional and effective for them, because you know what they have to store,” she added.

Stroble shared an example of a master closet renovation where she collaborated with Stevenson. After an in-depth inventory and lifestyle assessment, they designed a space for the couple. Late in the process, the husband, who had initially shown no interest, decided he wanted significant changes. Because a professional organizer was leading the client-facing communication, the pivot was handled smoothly, resulting in a design that thrilled both homeowners.

Bridging design and reality

For custom manufacturers, collaboration with designers and organizers is essential for translating a vision into a tangible, high-quality product. Harold Morantz, owner of Morantz Custom Cabinetry, emphasized that this partnership impacts everything from product development to final installation.

A key part of the process is managing expectations and ensuring designs are feasible. “Sometimes designers design things that can’t be built efficiently or... effectively in the price range,” Morantz noted. He shared an anecdote about a massive stone countertop that couldn’t fit in a condo’s elevator and had to be craned in through a window, a costly problem that better initial collaboration could have avoided.

Constant communication, especially with clients who may be remote, is paramount. Morantz’s shop builds and assembles cabinet boxes, then sends photos to the client and designer for approval before manufacturing doors. “It keeps them excited... they see what they’re getting,” he said. This proactive step prevents expensive changes down the line, such as when a client’s preference for a dishwasher on the right versus the left can impact an entire kitchen’s grain-matched veneer.

Morantz also relies on his vendors to keep him at the forefront of innovation. “My collaboration with my vendors is very, very important,” he stated. By staying informed about the latest materials and hardware, he can introduce new possibilities to his design partners, ensuring they can offer their clients the newest and best products available.

Strategies for successful collaboration

Building and nurturing these vital partnerships requires intention and clear strategies.

• Communication and Respect: Open, honest, and timely communication is the bedrock of trust. For Morantz, respecting each other’s time is non-negotiable. “Transparency and honesty... is really the way to go,” Morantz said.
• Defining Roles: Successful projects have a clear leader. Whether it’s the designer, builder, or organizer, knowing who is driving the process and managing client decisions prevents confusion and ensures a smooth workflow.
• Shared Risk and Reward: Ensuring collaboration is mutually beneficial is key to longevity. Stevenson builds a 10% commission into her pricing for the referring designer or builder, a practice that solidifies the partnership and incentivizes future work. “You’re always building relationships that are going to grow,” she said.
• Measuring Impact and Follow-Up: A project isn’t over when the installation is complete. Stroble makes a point to “review, refine, reflect” on every project to identify areas for improvement. Moranz follows up with clients 30 days post-installation to address any adjustments.

Perhaps the most impactful strategy came from Stevenson, who advocates for a personal touch. “I send them a thank you note, actually, in the mail,” she said. “It means you’ve really, really thought about them... It’s a little something that makes a huge impact.”