Jessica Smithson, The Dufresne Group

Don’t be afraid to take the leap.

When Jessica Smithson first applied for a manufacturing job in the home and furnishings industry, it’s unlikely she thought she’d be in the same industry over 23 years later, but that’s exactly what happened. The Senior Category Manager for seating with The Dufresne Group quickly found she loved the close-knit industry and the work.

Jessica joined WithIt shortly into the start of her career journey and has even served on the board a few years ago. She’s been a champion for the organization in Canada, encouraging others to join and get involved. We sat down with her to ask about her love for the industry, lessons she’s learned and how WithIt has helped connect her with others.

Q&A

How did you find yourself in the home and furnishings industry? 

Right at the start I was simply interested in the company that I had applied for – a manufacturer. I wanted to get in the door and I started at a fairly entry-level role in their product development department. I was fortunate to have been promoted to various positions and departments in my time there. Being on that side of the “life of a sofa” with manufacturing, I found a void in the connection with the end consumer so I decided it was time to make the move to retail. Now being on the buying side I’ve acquired a different perspective, and I’m looking forward to continuing in that direction professionally. I have manufacturing and retail experience and I’m a customer already so I feel I have a solid professional foundation. That said, I will continue to absorb, and ask questions and grow.

What’s the biggest difference between being on the manufacturing side of the industry versus the retail side? 

I think the biggest difference is being so closely connected to the customer. There’s invaluable information we can pull from our own sales performance, versus the manufacturing side you’re at the mercy of receiving that performance data via your retail customers. Retailers have the direct ability to drive change, trend and interest for products. Although manufacturing may experience a wider separation with the consumer, as retailers our manufacturing partners are vital to help us bring those products to life and into the consumer’s home.

One of the coolest things about the furniture industry is how connected everything and everyone is, right? 

With home furnishings the six degrees of separation from people you know and the networking availability and support you get is unbelievable. If you need support or a new role or need feedback, there’s so many ways to get that, and it’s a global network at your fingertips. Being Canadian and my start in Canadian manufacturing and over to Canadian retail, I’ve always been involved with WithIt and the global manufacturing community. In the furniture industry, there’s a great mix of longevity, history, and fresh people coming in daily. It’s ever-changing but offers a wealth of experience and knowledge at every turn.

It really does feel like everyone knows everyone in this industry sometimes!

I think that’s where everybody gets their level of respect and kindness. It’s unwise to burn your bridges because you aren’t that far away from knowing the next person or needing something from them. For the majority, it’s such a common, supportive network. WithIt specifically has always been fantastic at neutralizing the professional and personal side of the industry, bringing people together as a whole is a crucial belief. 

What’s some advice you might give to someone just entering the industry?

I would say make sure you’re allocating some time in your day to ask questions and learn things that may not be relevant to your current position. At the start of my professional journey, I was so focused on doing whatever job I had at the time and doing an excellent job of it within those parameters. However, if you have the type of position where you can find time to dig into other areas of the industry like logistics or fabric production, you build your knowledge bank that can help you either right away or down the road. It’s a way to open your eyes a bit more about what’s going on in the industry. You can do that on your own, or that’s why WithIt is so great, because you can connect with others who are part of a different field of the industry. 

How did you get involved with WithIt?

I discovered it through a well-known member, Lorri Kelley. I was in manufacturing and working for a Canadian-based business. Lorri was amazing, she brought me to my first WithIt conference a long time ago. WithIt was very new to me, it wasn’t something we had in Canada that was home furnishings-based, but I was open to it. Word of advice number two: just be open to things as you not only learn about others but you can also discover new features about yourself. I immediately gravitated to WithIt and found my place within it. It was contagious and I, of course, very quickly wanted to take that back to whatever company I was working with.

There are so many people that I look forward to seeing at every market. I keep in contact with some peers outside of the market as well. I am also energized when I get to expand my network and add others to the roster. It’s so important, because you’re creating a foundation of support, that at any given time you know that someone might reach out for help and that I have a direct line to do the same. Who wouldn’t attend a market that’s for the purpose of work but is enhanced with a layer of camaraderie, and community. It makes the home furnishings industry at its core…fun.

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If you’re considering WithIt membership for your professional journey, find out more about WithIt’s mission here or join today.