The State of Our Industry With Guest Caroline Hipple

Interior Design with Kandrac and Kole

Today we are thrilled to have a very close friend on the show for the second time. Caroline Hipple is a force to be reckoned with in the furnishings world and today we are going to tap into her wisdom and get her insights into the state of our industry as we head into summer.

For those of you not familiar with Caroline Hipple, let us fill you in. Caroline is an industry strategist, adventurous merchant, culture advocate, and fearless problem solver, who currently serves as the Chief Creative Officer of Hooker Furnishings. Hooker celebrates its 100th year anniversary this year as a leading supplier for furnishings for the total home.

Key Takeaways:

1. The more you can solve problems, the more successful you will be as a woman in business.

2. Good creative decision making comes from understanding the financials of your business FIRST.

3. Good business is win-win not win-lose.

Watch today’s episode on YouTube: https://bit.ly/InsideDesignYouTube

SPONSORThis episode is sponsored by Currey & Company. Currey is an Atlanta-based, second-generation family-owned producer of beautiful residential and contract lighting, in-stock case goods and upholstery, and a broad range of statement-making accessories.

If you are attending the Atlanta or Las Vegas markets, Currey & Company is an absolute must on your agenda. They debuted around 300 new products this Spring, including lighting, furniture and accessories AND their first-ever bath vanities will be on display as well.

Most importantly, Currey has a brand-new website with a lot of new features! Just a few that we will be using are the true freight calculator, a configurator for the multi-drop pendants, several ways to search, and also the ability to make project boards. Live inventory and shipping within 48 hours on in-stock products makes last-minute pieces easy to get.

So check out our dear friends at curreyandcompany.com or visit at market!

KANDRAC & KOLE BIOVoted one of “Atlanta's Top 20 Residential Interior Designers” by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, Kandrac & Kole Interior Designs is an acclaimed design firm with two decades of experience serving residential and commercial clients. Their work has been featured in leading publications across the US.

Since 2005, Joann and Kelly have built a respected partnership. They are renowned for their dynamic personalities, distinctive use of color, and unique custom designs. Frequently invited to share their insights at industry events and on design panels, they are recognized as diligent business operators who remain approachable and genuine, radiating constant positive energy.

In 2018, they used their infectious energy to launch their podcast, “Inside Design with Kandrac & Kole.” This lively, weekly conversation, where Joann and Kelly share design and industry insights, became so popular that they introduced a series of bonus episodes, “The Inside Scoop with Joann and Kelly,” in 2024.

Their dedication to the power of interior design also extends to their charity work throughout the U.S. and Guatemala.

CAROLINE HIPPLE BIOCaroline is an industry strategist, adventurous merchant, culture advocate, and fearless problem solver, who currently serves as the Chief Creative Officer of Hooker Furnishings. Hooker celebrates its 100th year anniversary this year as a leading supplier for furnishings for the total home.

Prior to Hooker, Hipple served Norwalk Furniture for 16 years with business partner, Dixon Bartlett as consultants in its reinvention and as president culminating in paying the investors through the creation of an 100% ESOP in which the employees now own the company. Norwalk Furniture is a leading custom upholstery specialist.

A confessed textile nerd, she and her partner travel the world in search of the best palette of designs and colors and resources that suit the moment, while surprising and delighting the customers they serve. With partner, Dixon Bartlett, she has headed up textile programs for four companies over several decades.

Prior to Norwalk, Caroline and Dixon founded the industry consulting practice, HB2 Resources which helps clients grow their businesses through innovative start-ups and turn-arounds, making invisible strategies, well, visible. Creating and reinventing brands has been HB2’s specialty and the projects have been wide reaching, including retail concepts in China, case-goods concepts in the US, as well as working with artists and celebrities like Jaclyn Smith, Isabelle de Borchgrave, Dana Gibson and Joanna Aranha at Bunakara to expand their home furnishings brands in the US.

To accomplish the work of HB2, Caroline and Dixon drew upon their experience in reinvigorating the 72-store chain, Storehouse as its president and growing the 250-store retailer, This End Up as its EVP of Stores, Marketing and Merchandising. A passion of culture development and change management enabled the success of those ventures.

Caroline, along with three executives from This End UP and Storehouse, documented the lessons they learned in culture building and shifting in their 2014 book, A Pathway to Profit (available at Amazon). The theme is empowering employees and putting people into the profit picture as a recipe for success.

In addition to serving her workplace, Caroline is passionate about supporting the industry and women’s role in it through board service past and present in numerous associations.

FUNNY QUOTE “Thoughts and prayers because I just ate a chickeny chicken nugget and now I can’t finish my Chick Fil-A or eat chicken for a least four months.” – @Stash_Bham

SERIOUS QUOTE“Speak positive words into your life every single morning. Think big. Think healing. Think success. Think peace. Think happiness. Think growth mindset. Always start your day with positive energy. You deserve it.” – @sylvestormcnutt/Twitter

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