The Trunk Show with RW Elephant

Allison Howell
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The Trunk Show with RW Elephant

Join RW Elephant co-founder Allison Howell as she connects with leaders in the event rental industry about their rental adventures.

  1. 0306: Growing Through Unexpected Changes with Party at the Moontower

    09/25/2024

    0306: Growing Through Unexpected Changes with Party at the Moontower

    Christie Zangrilli is the Co-Founder and CEO of Party at the Moontower, an Austin based boutique event rental company specializing in modern-eclectic furniture and custom build backdrops and decor. Christie holds a BA in Communication Design from New York University and a MFA in Design from The University of Texas. What’s in this episode: Studying design, and moving to AustinThe seed idea, fundraising, and launching with 3 partnersThe five factors in setting your brand apart from the packDiscovering your core values with frameworks for operational guidanceNavigating relationships and buying out partnersManaging growth from the post COVID boom and customizable buildsThe importance of Lend & Gather Conference in the business’s growth Quotations: “Another thread that I see through the people who have that sticktoitiveness, that longevity, are really just people who can see the bigger picture. They see, oh, I'm not just dropping off stuff at a wedding or not just renting tables and chairs. You recognize hey I'm creating culture here. This is the stuff of celebrations. This is what makes up these milestones and memories for people. ” – Allison Howell “And so I think what I learned from you, Allison, which you've always said is like more inventory doesn't mean more money. And so we've really taken that to heart and that we don't just buy things that we think are cool. There are exceptions. I would like to say we're more intentional and focused and super planned out on what our collections are, but they are largely driven by what the market is asking for and what also feels on brand to us.”  – Christie Zangrilli “Tomorrow, this big box company could literally go buy every single thing that you have. So inventory is never going to be your unique differentiator and so I was like, oh man, like that's super scary but made us realize how important all of the brand pieces were and how that goes into operations. So again, what are the things that you are winning?” – Christie Zangrilli “We are going to reevaluate once a year, it is planned. Let's stick it on the calendar. We will hire somebody to do it. It becomes less uncomfortable because it was pre planned versus a reaction to something happening that seems more confrontational.” – Christie Zangrilli “You're liable for them as the business owner. I personally am liable for their well being. And I'm also personally liable for keeping them paid. I was at the point where I was like, if I'm going to shoulder all the additional stress of having all these employees and also the business was growing and doing really well, I want to be responsible for all of its successes.” – Christie Zangrilli Resources: The Lend & Gather Conference The RW Elephant mailing list features more event industry resources and happenings—including announcements about new Trunk Show episodes! Thank you to our sponsor: RW Elephant: Mighty inventory management software designed to help you conquer chaos and reclaim your creativity! Website | Instagram  And our guest: Christie Zangrilli of Party at the Moontower Website | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok

    38 min
  2. 0305: Creatively Consistent with England’s Venue Stylist of the Year “Locate to Create”

    09/18/2024

    0305: Creatively Consistent with England’s Venue Stylist of the Year “Locate to Create”

    Holly and Charlie are owner/operators of Locate to Create. Their mission is to “Locate” items to “Create” bespoke events and experiences. They use props, furniture and styling to tell people’s stories with an underlying theme of sustainability. Their diverse portfolio features an eclectic array of items and furniture pieces curated to cater to various personalities and styles.  Partners Holly and Charlie couldn’t be more different but that’s what makes them work so well. Charlie loves logistics and operational efficiency while Holly is the creative mind and driving force that clients can’t get enough of. Their combined strengths and work ethic earned them the national award for Venue Stylist of the Year in 2024. They operate just outside of London, England. What’s in this episode: How Holly got started right out of Uni with the help of mentorsCharlie joins the business and roles are definedUsing Instagram and styled shoots to increase social media reachWinning Venue Stylist of the Year Award and leveraging it for growthSourcing inspiration and finding creative options for storageCan you believe this is our job? Quotations: “How can we take that and display it creatively? Or come up with a prop that is useful for that, but also looks great. It creates a photo opportunity and then all the guests are taking pictures. That is what couples love. Practical and pretty I always say, and that's why we really try and focus on that as a company.” – Holly “One of the benefits and beauties of working with your partner, business partner, romantic partner. She's at one end of the desk. I'm at the other one. It's not a particularly difficult task for me to say, “Oh, Holly, I think she might want styling.” – Charlie “We know now that actually seeing couples on our Instagram page, for example, real couples is fantastic, but actually styled shoot couples like models doesn't work as well. People just want to really see our products. So we don't post that much of our couples as much as we love them. But it's the products that we're trying to sell and the service.” – Holly “Sometimes when we get an award or we achieve something in our business, we say, okay, check that off onto the next thing. But it can be so valuable for us to say, okay, I got this thing, or I achieved this thing or I have this thing in front of me, how can I squeeze more out of it so that I can get all of the benefit or value out of this thing that I already have before I move on to the next marketing opportunity or before I move on to the next thing or before I invest in the next phase, right?” – Allison Howell “We never want to be the sort of company where we're doing thousands of events every year. So it's very important to us to identify very strategic venues to try and penetrate into a high proportion of their yearly total events. And as you say, having that leverage to get in there and actually capture those for us, that's a far more valuable way of doing business and expanding business.” – Charlie Resources: The Lend & Gather Conference The RW Elephant mailing list features more event industry resources and happenings—including announcements about new Trunk Show episodes! Thank you to our sponsor: RW Elephant: Mighty inventory management software designed to help you conquer chaos and reclaim your creativity! Website | Instagram  And our guests: Holly and Charlie of Locate to Create Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | TikTok

    40 min
  3. 0304: WOW Factors and Family with the Greenhouse Picker Sisters

    09/04/2024

    0304: WOW Factors and Family with the Greenhouse Picker Sisters

    Holly and Amanda are the Greenhouse Picker Sisters. They’re fifth generation pickers with a love for all things vintage and unique. Greenhouse Lane is their family’s street name and hosts some of their dearest memories; ones of love and southern tradition. When they’re not on the hunt for their next amazing piece, you can find them spending time with their husbands and children. What’s in this episode: Why and how the sisters were lead to the industryGrowing the business, running the family and enriching the community The separation of roles and resolving conflicts between foundersCurating and pricing an eclectic, customer driven collectionThe rule of 3 wow factors guaranteed to make clients happyCarving out their market and maximizing margins Quotations: “We would get money, we would pour it back in. We would get money, we would pour it back in. We were very passionate about not going into some crazy debt for this business where we couldn't walk away. So we would load, we would unload the trucks. We were everything. We were marketing. We were labor. We did that for years. We got your software, which was amazing.” – Holly Barton “...this is just a little plug for Lend & Gather. We have to go to that this year because we have gotten as far as we have by the grace of God, by hard work, sweat, blood, tears, and a great industry. Our industry is awesome, but we still have so much to learn on the business side.” – Amanda Cox “There's always more to learn. There are always ways that you can improve. There's always lessons that you can learn and things that you can do differently next time. Because that’s what entrepreneurship is about, right? Recognizing and celebrating our successes and then saying, ‘Okay, what's next?.’” – Allison Howell “When I had a baby three years ago and obviously that pulled me a little bit away from the business. She stepped up. She's had personal things where I've had to step up and that did create conflict. But I think we have worked through it and ultimately when we started this business, we knew and it still stands true. If she's ever out of it, I'm done. If I'm ever out of it, she's done. If it's coming between us, then we're done. ” – Amanda Cox “The term in our marriage is fight fair. And my husband is my business partner. So similarly to you being sisters and business partners, the relationship is super complicated because you develop a dynamic and then there's a pattern that happens, right? And whether the pattern’s in your kitchen or the pattern's in your office, that happens whether you're intending for it to or not, because that's what you practiced and it's the roles you've gotten into.” – Allison Howell Resources: The Lend & Gather Conference The RW Elephant mailing list features more event industry resources and happenings—including announcements about new Trunk Show episodes! Thank you to our sponsor: RW Elephant: Mighty inventory management software designed to help you conquer chaos and reclaim your creativity! Website | Instagram  And our guest: Holly Barton and Amanda Cox of Greenhouse Picker Sisters Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

    34 min
  4. 0303: From Mom and Pop to One Stop Shop with HotHouse Design Studio + PropHouse Rentals and Styling

    08/21/2024

    0303: From Mom and Pop to One Stop Shop with HotHouse Design Studio + PropHouse Rentals and Styling

    Over the last 18 years, Mandy Majerik has turned her mom and pop flower shop into a key player for floral production in the southeast. She also founded and operates PropHouse which offers boutique prop rental to her clientele. Mandy has both her AIFD and PFCI certifications. She has a custom build shop, a custom paint shop and is opening a custom print shop. She’s got the heart, the hustle, the history and the headspace to successfully operate her growing businesses of 30 employees. What’s in this episode: What Mandy does after taking over her family’s flower shopBreaking into the rental market with PropHouse How she manages multiple businesses and dozens of employees The logic behind her collection and approach to purchasingThe importance of safety nets and icebreakers when hiring Milestones and giving back! Quotations: “I think when I made the decision that I would raise the minimum for floral and really push towards the props. I wanted to be a leader in that market in our area. Being able to do the whole event design and incorporate or push new ideas on people. That was the avenue that I saw as an opportunity because I was really doing it anyway.” – Mandy Majerik “I was very driven to make it something that was distinct and different. And I think I've just been riding the wave going in that direction.” – Mandy Majerik “There's some things that I buy just because I personally think this will do well in the market. Or someone doesn't have it to offer where we are. And so that gives us a leg up sometimes of something different that we have that can be that little pivot point tipping the scale to rent from us versus someone else.” – Mandy Majerik “I think you have to be organized and have a plan. I think you have to be a person who sets goals. Because if you don't set them, you're not going to be able to reach them. ” – Mandy Majerik “Bringing me joy is being able to give back to the people who I think dedicate themselves so much to the business, the crazy business that we're in. ” – Mandy Majerik Resources: The Lend & Gather Conference The RW Elephant mailing list features more event industry resources and happenings—including announcements about new Trunk Show episodes! Thank you to our sponsor: RW Elephant: Mighty inventory management software designed to help you conquer chaos and reclaim your creativity! Website | Instagram  And our guest: Mandy Majerik of HotHouse Design Studio + PropHouse Rentals and Styling HotHouse | Facebook | Instagram PropHouse | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

    54 min
  5. 0302: Rising from the Ashes with Borrow Curated Furniture + Design

    08/07/2024

    0302: Rising from the Ashes with Borrow Curated Furniture + Design

    Ann started Borrow out of her garage in 2012 with the belief that people need local art and design in their lives. Borrow provides modern, made + antique furniture for the events and homes of the community she lives in. She has a BA in Creative Writing and a childhood history in theatre. When she's not at Borrow, you'll find her at home with the people she loves.  What’s in this episode: How Ann started borrow with only $7,000A tragic event that destroyed nearly everythingAn efficient and effective system for furniture repairHer method for keeping herself and her team accountableLearning how to “chill” as a boss and fostering cultureBeing a role model, reaching milestones, and more! Quotations: “You're not starting over. You're gonna go in and rebuild as an absolute expert. When you first started this business, you were not an expert. You didn't know what the hell you were doing. ” – Ann King “We always have kept good records. So I was literally able to just press that button on RW Elephant and spit out exactly how much stuff we had.” – Ann King “I'm way less attached to the collection. It's stuff. And probably the biggest takeaway is, you think it's about the furniture. It is not about the furniture. Not at all. It is about the people. It is about the people that you work for, that you work with. It's about your community.”  – Ann King “When you call OSHA in and you say, I want to do this the right way, can you show me how to do it? They love you for that. They understand that you're just trying to do things the right way. So it's not scary at all. It's very, very informative and helpful.” – Ann King “One thing we did invest in, and actually it was a company that we found at Lend & Gather. We hired Upright Labs to come in and give us a 150 page deck of how to reset the warehouse for primal efficiency. So that was massive and a big investment, but totally worth it.”  – Ann King “I didn't realize that like management was about empowering and supporting. It's not about telling and teaching.”  – Ann King Resources: The Lend & Gather Conference The RW Elephant mailing list features more event industry resources and happenings—including announcements about new Trunk Show episodes! Thank you to our sponsor: RW Elephant: Mighty inventory management software designed to help you conquer chaos and reclaim your creativity! Website | Instagram  And our guest: Ann King of Borrow Curated Furniture + Design Borrow | Instagram | Facebook

    48 min
  6. 0301: Empowering Your People with Nüage Designs

    07/24/2024

    0301: Empowering Your People with Nüage Designs

    Brazil native Pablo Oliveira founded Nüage Designs in 2004. Based in Miami, the company has become a leader in couture linen and furniture rentals for events, renowned for its quality and service. Oliveira's innovative, hands-on approach and commitment to sustainability and community drive Nüage's success and reputation globally. What’s in this episode: How Pablo got started in the industryDiscovering a niche and growing organicallyExpanding the sales team to different locationsFinding the right talent and empowering themThe freedom in learning to let go Quotes: “I just took it day by day and just grabbed every opportunity that was presented to me and met every single designer that referred me to another one. It was just like one thing leading to the other. And before I knew it we weren't just doing business here in Miami, we started shipping.” – Pablo Oliveira “I think that referrals have been the best way for us to find the right talent, especially because I think that someone that is already working with us, they want to have the best people joining the company.” – Pablo Oliveira “I think the magic really happens when other people believe in your passion and become as passionate as you are for the business and they take ownership in everything that they do and every day that they come to work.” – Pablo Oliveira “You have to start and risk failing and then after you've worked so hard, you have to let go in order for it to grow. I don't know, which is harder, but that part takes a lot of courage too.”  – Allison Howell “When I realized the potential that I had with placing salespeople across the country, that obviously allowed us to grow exponentially compared to just doing business locally.” – Pablo Oliveira “I am freaking essential. Or we are freaking essential because, what is life if we don't make memories, right?”  – Pablo Oliveira Resources: The Lend & Gather Conference The RW Elephant mailing list features more event industry resources and happenings—including announcements about new Trunk Show episodes! Thank you to our sponsor: RW Elephant: Mighty inventory management software designed to help you conquer chaos and reclaim your creativity! Website | Instagram  And our guest: Pablo Oliviera of Nüage Designs Nüage Designs | Instagram | Pinterest

    36 min
  7. 0207: Finding and Filling a Gap in the Market with Flock Events

    01/19/2022

    0207: Finding and Filling a Gap in the Market with Flock Events

    Alice Sip joined the event rentals industry in North America. Then she took her expertise back to her homeland of New Zealand to build Flock Events. Today, it’s one of the top rental, styling, and event planning businesses in that country.  What’s in this episode: How Alice discovered a gap in the market... and filled it effectivelyWhat it’s like to manage multiple locations under one businessHow Flock Events schedules and pays staff in a mutually beneficial way (and avoids seasonal hires)How Alice is building a brick-and-mortar shop which ties into her larger business Quotes: “I guess whenever there's a gap in the market, you say “Is the gap there because there's no demand? Or is the gap there because the demand's not filled?’” - Alice Sip “I’ve learnt to be very very specific about every single detail [...] I think the more specific you can be, the better.” - Alice Sip “I always look at demand before I just buy. I would never look at a piece of furniture and say ‘Oh, that’s nice. We’ll add that to the collection.’ We’ll always say, ‘Well who have we got that that’s going out for?’” - Alice Sip “I also don't believe in money over relationship in terms of what we take on in our business.” - Alice Sip “I’ve realized the importance of delegating and realized the importance of my time and that paying someone an hourly wage to do something actually is worth it because it frees up me.“ - Alice Sip Resources: The Lend & Gather Conference The RW Elephant mailing list features more event industry resources and happenings—including announcements about new Trunk Show episodes! Thank you to our sponsor: RW Elephant: Mighty inventory management software designed to help you conquer chaos and reclaim your creativity! Website | Instagram  And our guest: Alice Sip of Flock Events & Kindred Road Flock Events Website | Instagram Kindred Road Website | Instagram

    40 min
  8. 0206: Branding & Marketing an Event Rental Business with Lily & Cane

    01/12/2022

    0206: Branding & Marketing an Event Rental Business with Lily & Cane

    Before starting her event rental business, Sherine Iskandar was a marketing professional. Now, with years of experience and a personal rebrand under her belt, she’s the perfect pro to talk to about the nuts and bolts of branding and marketing an event rental business. What’s in this episode: Building a new brand in a new marketHow Sherine plans her purchases around pieces that fit and further her brandThe strategy behind rebranding Modern Vintage Rentals as Lily & CaneLessons learned commissioning custom piecesThe endless battle for work-life balance Quotes: “A brand embodies so much more than just the look and feel. The client experience is a huge thing.” - Sherine Iskander “Some people give up after attending once or twice at one of these networking groups and then they say, ‘ph, that doesn’t work for me.’ But what I’ve found is that you really have to stick with it for six to nine months before anybody with any kind of great reputation will give you a chance because if they recommend you, then their reputation is on the line.” - Allison Howell “This was important for me to explain to myself or to keep repeating to myself: ‘I can’t be all things to all people.’” -Sherine Iskandar   “I decided I’m not going to wait for perfection to start promoting a product.” -Sherine Iskandar “My name was doing a disservice to the brand, and I had to change it.” - Sherine Iskandar   “It was a big goal when I quit the corporate world. My goal was to be a healthier person – mind and body. And I am a healthier person now because I’ve allowed myself the balance of work and life.” - Sherine Iskandar Resources: SITU Creative Agency The Lend & Gather Conference The RW Elephant mailing list features more event industry resources and happenings—including announcements about new Trunk Show episodes! Thank you to our sponsor: RW Elephant: Mighty inventory management software designed to help you conquer chaos and reclaim your creativity! Website | Instagram  And our guest: Sherine Iskandar of Lily & Cane Website | Instagram

    49 min
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Join RW Elephant co-founder Allison Howell as she connects with leaders in the event rental industry about their rental adventures.

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