"Every Contract Furniture Rep Should Be At BDNY"
09/30/25 Edition Stephen Says Column

Dear Stephen,

I’m a salesperson in the office furniture industry. I sell office furniture in the New York tri-state area for a manufacturer, but I have also worked at a dealer. I’m thinking of going to BDNY in November at the Javits Center even though I am not sure it has anything to do with selling office furniture.

A lot of my design clients attend every year, however, and I hear a lot of positive talk this show. I wanted to dip my toe into hospitality, is it worth going to?

Signed, 
BDN Why?

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Dear BDN Why?,

BDNY stands for Boutique Design New York. It is “the” east coast hospitality trade show that brings the hospitality industry together, along with boutique and more unique design-led brands, architects, designers and even hoteliers.

BDNY is, given the title, more focused on the “boutique” and “lifestyle” segments of the industry. It has more to do with selling office furniture then you may realize, however. If you sell office or residential furniture, textiles, tile, stone, lighting, and especially if you sell hospitality – you should be at this show!

The sister show to BDNY is HD Expo which takes place in Las Vegas, which is a broader show. As an FYI, Emerald Expositions, the owner of the HD Expo show and the magazine Hospitality Design, have acquired BDNY. Here is why I think it is worth the trip if you live in the Northeast –

Everyone in office furniture today is selling resimercial. That’s the buzz word in the market. Resimercial actually took its cues from Boutique Hotels and Hospitality. Think about it, when was the last time you walked into an office building that didn’t look like a hotel lobby, or didn’t have hotel design elements. For this reason, designers will be looking at this show, for projects that may not necessarily be hospitality oriented. 

There is nothing better than running into an architect or designer (one of your clients) from a major design firm who is also walking and experiencing BDNY. Smart furniture dealers know this and will be there. Say you run into a designer who you’ve worked with the past on a hedge fund or a law firm; they want to see what’s happening in hospitality design, and so do you. BDNY is the place to learn the latest innovations, trends, products, and best practices in hospitality. It’s never bad to have extra facetime with your customers. As a salesperson in office furniture, it’s great for you to run into designers in an environment they wouldn’t expect to see you in. It shows you’re engaged, curious and forward thinking about the industry. There’s just no downside. You get the idea.

This year’s BDNY features a new category where exhibitors will be showing furniture and products appropriate for and geared towards Senior Living environments. As the population ages, globally, senior care is a growing industry and seniors want more lively, comfortable, living options. Furniture geared to this segment is becoming a more important category in furniture sales today. Senior-living furniture sales reps is one of our largest recruiting categories these days, here at The Viscusi Group!

Another reason to attend is maybe you’re simply tired of selling office furniture, and you’re looking for options for the next phase of your career. You might discover at BDNY that hospitality provides a new career path for you. There are endless sales opportunities as hotels, restaurants, spas, country clubs, all of which are being redesigned, and as our population ages, assisted living facilities are looking more like hotels these days too! This is why BDNY is the place to be this Fall.

Does that answer your question?

Everyone in the office furniture industry no matter where you are located should be attending hospitality shows today; that is the design direction most offices and workspaces are trending towards. Here’s a convenient link to register for the upcoming BDNY show in New York, November 9-10, 2025, at the Jacob Javits Center: https://registration.bdny.com/event/2025/.

The Viscusi Group team will be on site and we look forward to seeing you there, in person!

Signed,
Stephen 

Stephen Viscusi is the founder of The Viscusi Group, an executive search firm specializing in the interior furnishings industry. Hires made through The Viscusi Group come with a one-year free replacement guarantee. We invite you to share your story or comment on this article — please send your workplace questions to stephen@viscusigroup.com, or give us a call at +(212) 979-5700 ext. 101.

© Stephen Viscusi 2025


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