-
A Solitary Industry, Reupholsterers Find Comfort in Technology & Community
The daunting COVID-19 restrictions of social distancing and shelter-at-home have put immense pressure on businesses across the country. Musicians are playing concerts at home, veterinarians are providing TeleVet mobile appointments, and restaurants are offering modified food and cocktail menus for pick-up or delivery. Not all services, however, require high customer interaction–like reupholstering furniture. This ancient craft tends to be tucked away in basements or busy workrooms. So how is this behind-the-scenes industry coming to terms with the crisis? By harnessing technology, like everyone else. The first ever Upholstery Community Meeting was held on March 25, 2020. Hosted by the National Upholstery Association (NUA), around 40 upholsterers from across the country…
-
Creative Destruction and What to Do with What’s Left Behind…
Creative destruction often describes innovation and business cycles. How we buy and listen to music has undergone massive creative destruction over the last several decades: vinyl records lost to cassette players which lost to CDs which lost to digital files. As a result, record players are considered obsolete technology; however, what about this real wooden furniture? Is that obsolete? Should it be, just because it’s attached to a record player? What would a system look like that supported creating value out of what’s left behind? We need to focus on value creation, which leads to growing markets, jobs, reducing pressure on natural resources and more prosperity than burying things…
