Hey friend, and welcome to the Trend Report. I'm glad you're joining me today for a very special episode of the Trend Report and I got to say I'm actually a little bit blown away by this episode. Before I tell you about it, I just want to remind you that I'm Sid Meadows. I'm a business leader and a coach and innovators and others that are making an impact in their business and our industry. But my guest today is not from the industry, but he is a friend and I think what he's going to do today is share something pretty insightful with you. So I'm really happy to welcome my friend, Dominic Lawson, to the show today in a unique and different way.

Now, Dominic is a podcaster. He is actually a 22-time award-winning podcaster. His podcast is called Black is America and Dominic is one of the people that I hang out with on Monday through Friday at 6 am Central Time on Clubhouse in the Empowered Podcasting Room, and all we do is talk about podcasting. And a few weeks ago we were talking about niches, and what kind of niche was our podcast in and was it really that important of a niche, if you will? And so we got to me and I'm like well, office furniture. Who does a podcast about office furniture. Now, really, what my podcast is about is the people in the office furniture. Who does a podcast about office furniture? Now, really, what my podcast is about is the people in the office furniture industry. But nonetheless, Dominic actually said you know what? I'm going to take that on as a challenge and he surprised me. A few weeks after that conversation was had, he sent me a note and said I got a surprise for you and he sent me a podcast that he had recorded. Dominic is a master storyteller and he used the power of storytelling in the office furniture world to tell a story about, of all things, a chair.

Now, this episode is called the Silent Partner, and this is Dominic. He recorded this, he created the graphics for it, he created the story for it, and it's about 11 minutes long, and I know that you're going to enjoy it as much as I do, because it's going to give you this little insight, I think, to a bit deeper about what it is we do when we sell office furniture. So, Dominic, thank you very much for this amazing episode. I'm so excited to share with my audience today what you created, and we will be sure to drop all Dominic's information down in the show notes so that you guys can go and follow along with him. I'm not going to do a wrap up after this one, because I think this ends perfectly the way Dominic did it. So, guys, I hope you enjoy the Silent Partner.

In the glowing aftermath of the Second World War, amid a surge of prosperity and newfound hope, George Anderson ignited the flames of his ambition by establishing a business. I stood by, a shining beacon of new beginnings, a chair untouched by time, in the humble confines of an office bearing silent testament to George's relentless pursuit. Ah yes, the first day. I remember the excitement, the anticipation. George had a gleam in his eye and so did I with my brand new upholstery and unworn casters. I wanted to do my part and help George build a company that would stand the test of time. But little did I know I would also be a recorder of a family's history. I still remember George's proclamation this chair this space. It's the seed from which our dreams will grow. George was a visionary, a steadfast resolve, and that would make sense. After all, he was a captain in the United States Army. I remember seeing his folded flag every day on that file cabinet over there in the corner. His leadership was a beacon corner. His leadership was a beacon Often the last to leave the office, working under a small lamp he purchased at the same time. He brought me into the business. He was the pillar of a growing team. Our infancy was marked by the rhythmic dance of typewriters, the aroma of ink still wet on paper and the thrill of each new contract and handshake agreement. 

In addition to George being in the office, I also remember young Edward. He would come into the office after school and sometimes during the summer He'd climb onto me, bouncing up and down with boundless energy and youth, and even then there was a light in his eyes, a reflection of the future he might one day shape. I still remember when he bounced a little too high and knocked over a vase of flowers that his mom, George's wife, left for him. You know she was trying to spruce the place up a bit. Edward thought his father would be so mad, but he wasn't. He sat Edward down on me and said this son, mistakes happen and sometimes in life things are going to happen that you can't control. Adversity comes for us all. I want you to remember something One day this will all be yours, and not every day is going to be a good one. But when that happens, I want you to sit in this very chair like you're doing right now, take a deep breath and say We'll adapt, we'll overcome. That's what we do. 

And as the eras passed, the world transformed around us, as did the business. The 1970s ushered in a now older Edward Anderson. Fresh from business school and on the cusp of George's retirement, he is now thrust into the forefront of the family business. Under Edward's stewardship was the unfolding of a new era characterized by evolution within the business and the world at large. See, during this era of transformation, I too was again refurbished, my appearance updated to reflect the changing times, standing as a symbol of continuity and adaptability. I remember when he was on the phone with one of the board members we're on the cusp of a new age. Edward said We'll pay homage to our roots while striving for innovation and expansion. 

Edward was different, more calculated, and it wasn't long until we met our first success together. He struck our first major deal in this very office. I can still feel the pressure of his grip on my arms as we leaned in to sign the contract. But I wasn't just there for the victories. I was there to bear witness to the company's hardest times. See, in the 1970s were times of economic uncertainty, marked by an oil crisis and shifting market dynamics. Under Edwards' leadership, the business faced a downturn. The office was filled with tension, the air thick with uncertainty. Yet those times were pretty bad. I felt every ounce of Edwards' weight as he sat head in his hands, deciding who would stay and who would have to go, deciding who would stay and who would have to go. It wasn't just the fabric and foam that absorbed those moments, it was me, all of me. But I remember what Edward's father, George, said to him all those years ago when he broke the vase in the office. So in my own little way, I spoke to Edward as he shifted his weight. I creaked just a little louder than normal and I think I got the message across, because Edward jumped up, walked to the office door and he called everyone over. He had something to say and I could hear him and he really did sound like his father from all those years ago. He said listen, I know things are rough right now. These obstacles are mere milestone. We'll rise with greater strength and resilience. We'll adapt, we'll overcome. That's what we do. 

Edward, inheriting his father's fortitude but facing a distinct set of trials, steered through the decade's economic unpredictability and shifting markets with strategic agility and an unwavering commitment to quality. Edward now has a family of his own. I recall little Sarah accompanying him to the office, nestled all snugly in her car seat, which he placed upon me as he worked. Even in those early moments there was a sense of continuity, a passing of the torch. He said to her you're in good company, Sarah. This chair has seen it all, and now so will you. 

Then came the 1990s and with it a new leader. This time it was Sarah Anderson, poised to lead the company through the digital frontier and beyond. The groundwork laid by George and built upon by Edward was indispensable, enabling Sarah to catapult the business into unprecedented realms with the dawn of the Internet and online commerce. This was wild to me. I still remember her grandfather typing up contracts on a typewriter before he hired her secretary, and now we're selling things through the computer known as the World Wide Web. My how things have changed. 

But before Sarah took the reins, I received my most significant refurbished yet. I was restored to honor the past while civilizing our leap into the future. Sarah was a whirlwind of change. Under her I felt rejuvenated, ready for the new age. We launched the most ambitious project yet, right here, with me providing support, as always. Reflecting on the journey from George's pioneering spirit in the 50s through Edward's adaptability in the 70s to Sarah's leap into the digital future, I'm reminded of the timeless virtues of vision, resilience and adaptability. But now, as the family enterprise prepares for a new chapter, it's under different ownership. It's now 2024, and Sarah is preparing for retirement. She sold the business to a big e-commerce company here on the last day. 

I spend time alone with Sarah, both of us reflecting on all we have accomplished together, and we get a surprise knock at the door. It's her father, Edward. I still remember that last conversation. Dad, am I doing the right thing? She said. This company has been in our family for almost 75 years, but I think our employees are going to really benefit from all the things we negotiated in the deal. 

Edward looked at Sarah in those big brown eyes. Honey, looking out for people is what we Andersons are all about. You may not believe this, but it's what he would have done. And they both glanced at a picture of George that was on top of that same file cabinet that was once the place for George's flag. And as they both left the office, I wondered what would be my fate. And as they both left the office, I wondered what would be my fate. 

Usually, chairs like me don't stick around this long, but luckily the Andersons kept me around replacing parts, fabrics and more. And as the moving people came and grabbed me, I knew my time was up. I mean, I'm pretty old for an office chair. It would make sense to set me out to pasture. As they rolled me down the hall, I was not afraid. I was proud of myself. I did good work, I cheered when the times were good and I supported when the times were bad. Over the decades I've absorbed much. I've witnessed the peaks and weathered the storms, offering silent support to the aspirations and trials of those who rested upon me. But now my time was up. 

But right before we go through the front door we take a sharp right turn into a nice space marked by a velvet rope and there was a sign. It said the Silent Partner, see unbeknownst to me, Sarah. While selling, the company added one final detail that I was not to be sold or thrown away but to be put on display as a sign of endurance, longevity and strength, all the things I tried my best to be for the Andersons. And as I bid you farewell, allow me one final piece of wisdom. Good office furniture, like life, isn't about the material it's made from. It's about the stories it holds the comfort it provides and the resilience to stand the test of time. Keep me well and I'll keep you through every challenge and victory. And now I take my final rest, thank you.