More than half of 2023 is in the books. Another market in Las Vegas may give indications of how business is progressing. I suspect when it is all over we will hear the following:

1. Business is soft but improving.

2. So-and-so had the hottest collection.

3. Traffic was off, but those that were there were buying (why else would they be there?).

I don’t want to be a bearer of good or bad news. I have been through enough market cycles to know that when business is tough, we always try and put a good spin on it.

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But as a rep who needs to pay bills by generating commissions, I cannot afford to worry what the overall economy is doing. Money is moving around every day, and my job is to help my factories and retailers get a piece of it. That means matching the best offerings from factories with the needs of the retailer’s consumers.

If my factory is not offering value products for my particular retail store type, it is important to give them that feedback rather than moaning and groaning about the state of business. It means providing input and communication to both sides. If a factory doesn’t want to listen and its overall business continues to decline, then the problem may be with the factory.

Sales reps should invest their time where they generate the highest returns. That can be in certain customers, or that can be in certain factories. Sometimes that means big changes in the comfortable, but it opens up entirely new horizons.

A friend of mine just quit a sales position with a prestigious brand name that he had been with for five plus years. He were making progress growing the territory but clearly did not enjoy the work environment. I told him that getting out from something he didn’t like was challenging but would open new doors. I truly believe that.

Market is a perfect time to analyze your enthusiasm for your career direction.

Over the years I have tried selling lots of different things. Thankfully several have worked out for periods of time. But if I depended on the initial vendors I started with 30 plus years ago, I would not still be in this industry; I’d be broke.

My thoughts for reps at the Las Vegas Market is to be open to opportunities that new lines may offer. Pioneering is tough, but business in general is tough right now. Build your base with new lines. Expand into new customers with existing lines. And if your factory isn’t doing what you need it to be doing, move on and free up your time to pursue better moneymaking opportunities.

One final message as you sit around the breakrooms at market waiting for a customer to show up: Decide to have fun in this business.

Yes, it’s tough selling, but there are tremendous people on both sides of the aisle who enrich the work experience in the home furnishings industry. Hang out with them and meet others like them. Enjoy those relationships because, when business does pick back up, those that have figured out how to keep moving product will have more business than they know what to do with.

Our industry is going to be in huge demand due to demographics. You just have to decide where you can make the best contribution.

Good luck at market and for the rest of the summer selling season.