WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — As the custom storage and organization market goes through expansion and shifting competitive lines, business owners are looking for more strategies to keep up. To address these challenges, the 2026 Closets Conference & Expo will feature a keynote panel on July 1, "Closets 2026 State of the Industry — Economics, Challenges & Opportunities," moderated by Closets & Organized Storage editor Michaelle Bradford. 

This session brings together leaders from three major sections of the market, featuring Joe Bergamo (president, ClosetPro Software), designer Carlissa Montoya (founder, CM Closet Design), and Karen Hendrix (Senior Market Custom Spaces Sales manager, The Container Store).

Following the retail giant Bed Bath & Beyond’s acquisition of The Container Store, attendees will get a look at how large-scale retail shifts, franchise models, and traditional cabinet makers entering the custom closet storage space are impacting the industry. 

The panel will also discuss how pricing, technology and leadership drive profitability: 

Pricing: Carlissa Montoya will talk about the industry's tendency toward defensive sales tactics.

"Most pricing challenges start earlier in the appointment," noted Montoya. "People are still spending, but more selectively. Discounting is often a process issue, not a market issue." 

3D advantage: Joe Bergamo will share metrics on how virtual visualization is no longer optional for high-ticket projects. 

"Jobs with renders had a 39% higher price tag than those without," Bergamo said, noting that 89% of all sold jobs on the ClosetPro platform now utilize 3D renders. "The opportunity isn't just more leads; it's better execution." 

Workforce development: Bringing a corporate training perspective, Karen Hendrix will tackle workforce development—a top challenge identified in the 2026 State of the Industry report. Hendrix will outline strategies for successfully managing and training high-performing design teams to capture whole-home storage demands across diverse geographic markets.

The 2026 Closets Conference & Expo, co-located with Wood Pro Expo Florida, takes place June 30 to July 2 at the Palm Beach Convention Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. Register now at closetscon.com.