Welcome - Grace note

Five years from now, people will be remembering the crisis that took the world by storm. It will be one of the events that marks time—a reference to what came before and what will change after. We started out the year in great spirits. The economy was booming and most businesses were having a record start to the year. And in a heartbeat, everything changed. So what do we do now? When you get this issue, most of us will be waiting anxiously for the good news as to when we can resume our businesses as usual. But “business as usual” is not going to happen anytime soon. What are our options in the meantime? There is most definitely a silver lining to this situation, and we need to have the strength and courage to say to ourselves: Not why did this happen TO me, but, rather, why did this happen FOR me?

It’s time for a reboot and to look for alternative ways to do business.

This crisis will challenge us to rethink our businesses. For example, it's forcing many of us who thought we couldn’t sell products or design services online to learn that online opportunities are an indispensable part of doing business going forward—certainly not for each client, but as an alternative and a way to increase business in addition to inperson sales.

We have to look at this as an opportunity because we don’t have a choice. We were an industry before this crisis, and we will be the window covering industry again. It will

take a little time and we will be wiser on the other end. Take the opportunity to develop new skills and reflect on what is next on the horizon because we will get through this, as we have before. There is some good news out there. While your customers are working from home, they are noticing their environment more. Google searches for “window treatments” are actually trending across the country. What can you do to capitalize on this now?

Communicate with your customers. Send them a friendly note asking how they are doing. Remind them that you are here when they are ready for you. Give them a reason to visit your website and make sure your website is current and fresh. And please support the advertisers in this issue who are operating and looking forward to your business.

Here is what we are doing to help you. We are embracing change and taking a risk to connect suppliers with customers that wanted to be at the International Window Coverings Expo in Charlotte by launching IWCE Virtual on July 29 and 30. It is not likely that we will be able to hold a live event this year, but this event will be a terrific alternative. I’m excited about the possibilities it holds. Please visit iwcevirtual.com for the latest information about our virtual event.

Every week, we bring you a dialogue with dealers, suppliers, designers and others to discuss relevant issues and how to manage through uncertainty. You can tune in to the IWCE Business Forum on our Facebook page, facebook.com/ iwcexpo, and VISION Seat at facebook.com/wfvisionmagazine.

Let’s do this together as an industry—embrace change and move forward! Be safe and healthy.

Until we meet in person again,

Grace McNamara Publisher grace@wf-vision.com