High Point Market in High Point, North Carolina, is like the New York Fashion Week for interior design and home furnishings. Designers, retailers and media descend on the small town with big furniture clout, to the tune of nearly 80,000 from across the globe, to be the first to see the new goods and purchase them. The fact that this upcoming fall market has a huge fashion focus makes the anticipation for Oct all that much greater!

Decor Mentor is such a huge fan of market that we collaborate with High Point on several initiatives with a purpose of elevating our peers.

Pre market: Tues September 11, 2012 at 6pm ET we are kicking off the market countdown by sharing a preview of favorite items of some of our Decor Mentor team [ Kati Curtis, Erica Islas, Elaine Williamson, Jennifer Brouwer and Lisa Kahn ]. Join us for the Market Preview Twitter Chat and use #HPmkt hashtag to be in the know!

Saturday October 13

• Saturday at market: Long time market attendee Lisa Kahn and I will lead the Designer Orientation Seminar. A must attend for the inside scoop on how to work market and what not to miss! Saturday October 13, 2012 11-11:45 am at High Point Theatre, in the Transportation Terminal
• Saturday at market: The Mutual Mentorship Model: Peer Sharing for a Collective Win Seminar. A unique way to exchange tips, tools, and ideas with other designers and retailers through peer mentoring. Decor Mentor design pros Kati Curtis, Jennifer Brouwer, and Lisa Kahn will share best practices and case studies, showcasing how working with your competition can actually elevate your business. Saturday October 13, 2012 12-1:30 pm  at High Point Theatre, in the Transportation Terminal
• Saturday at market: Elevate your Business Workshop. Our team of mentors have over 100 years of combined experience and will offer proven, yet fresh, tips and tools to elevate your design business. This intensive workshop for design pros will show you how to work through top “pain points”. [ Panel  Lisa Ferguson, Elaine Williamson, Kati Curtis,Jennifer Brouwer and Lisa Kahn ] Pre-register editorial@highpointmarket.org. Saturday October 13, 2012 4-4:45pm at 22o Elm building in the Innovation Showroom Suite 300
• Saturday at market: Elevate Wall Kick off Party  We will kick off the interactive and educational installation titled ELEVATE. ELEVATE will allow design pros to post their business cards and take cards left by others in an exchange of expertise, encouragement, and inspiration. Saturday October 13, 2012 4:45-6pm at 220 Elm 3rd floor . The wall will be up through all six days of Market, Oct. 13-18

• 

And some of the great brands and people we work with came through with $18,500 worth of prizes. Most to help designers elevate their businesses!

• $10,000 Strategic Sessions & Communication Analysis Package from All Strategy’s founder Carla Wood  www.allstrategy.net @allstrategy
• $5000 Custom logo package from Joel Clements at Brainstorm Studios www.brainstormstudio.ca @brainstorm411
• $1500 worth of Gelaskins gift cards [ they made our fabulous ELEVATE iphone and ipad cases ] www.gelaskins.com @gelaskins
• $750 Social Media Consulting package from Social North’s founder, Julia Rosien www.socialnorth.com @SocialNorth
• $500 Innovation Set of 3 Grid Tables with solid wood tops with mocha maple finish and silky black metal legs [ showing at 220 Elm ] www.innovationliving.com
• $500 Staffing Coaching Package from Architect and Design Recruiter, Karen L Fisher [ 2 hours ] @KarenLFisher
• $250 Photography Consulting Package from professional photographer Stacey Van Berkel [ 1.5 hours ] on either “How to get your work published” or give you styling critique for your portfolio. www.StaceyVanBerkel.com @StaceyVanBerkel
• 100 Elevate iphone and ipad cases made by Gelaskins

And you thought market was just about new product! Wondering what other seminars we will be attending? Here is a peak at our seminar calendar:

• Saturday Oct 13
• Saturday Oct 13 10-11:30am Seminar: Design Dollars: Mobile and Social Commerce: Prepare To Win with Leslie Carothers–at Market Square – Antique & Design Center- Lecture Room on Mezzanine Level . We really wish we could attend this one, but alas havent perfect the art of being in two places at once!
• Sunday Oct 14
• Sunday Oct 14 7:30-9am Withit Breakfast with Kathy Ireland and Angelo Surmelis- Bootstrapping Your Brand in a Challenged Economy– at IHFC – Green Wing, 11th Floor, Ballroom A
• Sunday Oct 14 12-1:30pm Seminar: Using Social Media to Define and Establish your Presence as a Designer with the lovely Traci Zeller at 741 W. Ward Ave. – ZAAR Design Center
• Sunday Oct 14 2-4pm Seminar: Profit Mystery Solved: Simple Solutions to Reclaim Your Value and Your Money at High Point Theatre at the Transportation Terminal [ geared towards designers ]
• Sunday October 14 4-6pm Celebration of Sanctuary Party- The Lisa Kahn Collection for Chelsea House at 200 N. Hamilton St. – Chelsea House, Suite 104
• Monday Oct 15
• Monday October 15 11-12pm Seminar: Partnering With Interior Designers to Increase Volume & Profit with Mary Knackstedt at 414 North Wrenn – McKinley Leather Showroom
• Monday October 15 12-1:30pm Seminar: What Your Clients Want with VP of Marketing for Houzz at High Point Theatre, at the Transportation Terminal
• Monday October 15 2-3pm Seminar: Business Development and the Business of Interior Design with Mary Knackstedt at 415 W. High Ave. – Red Egg Showroom

High Point Market is from October 13-18, 2012 and is open to media, retailers and designers.