Expert Talks Conference to Feature Industry Leaders at NHS Concept to Commerce

NHS Concept to Commerce is set to host impactful expert-led sessions covering the industry’s most talked about topics and practical application from leaders on the front lines of retail at the event’s Expert Talks Conference. Spanning two days and accessible through a conference badge, these are the sessions you don’t want to miss:

Tuesday, March 31:

The State of the Industry kicks off the Expert Talks Conference on Tuesday, March 31, with Grant Farnsworth, president of The Farnsworth Group; Marine Sargsyan, head of economic research at Houzz; and Scott Wright, president and publisher, North American Hardware and Paint Association (NHPA) bringing an inside look into the new realities of the home improvement industry. Farnsworth will paint a picture of the broader economic environment shaping housing, remodeling and overall market performance and will be followed by Wright’s focus on marginal pressure and operational factors influencing home improvement retail. Sargsyan will close with the latest renovation and remodeling trends that are hot in the industry.

Stefanie Couch, CEO and founder of Grit Blueprint, leads the next session highlighting how AI is changing the landscape of procurement, pricing and demand forecasting in the retail industry. Donald Hicks, original head of sales for Ring, will discuss building a global brand from the ground up, sharing practical lessons for brands and private label leaders.

The Main Stage will host a leading big box retail buyer at 1:45 to share a learning session for suppliers, outlining how to evaluate suppliers, products and long-term partnerships. Continuing branding talk, Michael Preus, senior director of product development at LaunchpadX and Carissa Finan and Paul Tyson of RingoFire will discuss how to support retailer-owned brands within hardware and home improvement.

Tuesday’s Expert Talk Conference will wrap up with multiple industry professionals, including leaders from The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company and Intertape Polymer Group (IPG), discussing how to use brand licensing as a revenue engine for your company.

Wednesday, April 1: 

The second day of the Conference begins with Harvard Business School professor Feng Zhu, bringing a hands-on workshop on how to use Generative AI to launch a new snack foods company. Cody Grandadam will take the Main Stage at 12:15 and share key lessons learned throughout his career as a product innovator in the home improvement and consumer goods industries.

As a woman leader in the industry, Stefanie Couch will empower women in hardware, manufacturing and building products to make themselves known and position themselves as someone who cannot be overlooked in male-dominated fields through multiple afternoon sessions. Joining Couch, Gina Schaefer and NataLee Callahan will share their unique stories of founding their businesses “from the floor up.” To close the Expert Talks Conference, Marianne Thompson and Couch will discuss buying, sourcing and shelving products from a woman’s perspective, hearing from multiple women in the hardware industry.

Conference badges are required to attend the Expert Talks Conference. To upgrade your badge to include this aspect of the conference, click here.