May, 2024

By Keaven Willa Hartt

Thank you to all of our members who completed this year’s Member Survey - so many of you participated and gave us valuable feedback, which will continue to help us grow as an organization.

Here’s where we stand today:

General Demographics

The National Upholstery Association consists of Professionals, Educators, Industry Partners, Students, and Retirees of the upholstery trade. Our current mix of member levels is as follows:

• 70% Professionals

• 4% Educators

• 4% Industry Partners

• 15% Students

• 6% Retirees

Compared to 2022, we saw a 50% growth in Retirees, while Educators decreased by the same amount.

Last year our membership grew by 46%, and we now have over 250 members country-wide!

Our members find us through Social Media, and join the NUA to support the upholstery trade, and for educational and networking opportunities.

• 44% of members find us through Social Media

• 83% joined for Educational Opportunities

• 73% joined to Support the Upholstery Industry

• 63% joined for Networking Opportunities

Sharing NUA posts, or talking about us on social media really helps! And did you know that we can help you host a Regional Meet-Up to get together and network with other upholsterers in your area? Check out our Regional Events page to learn more.

The National Upholstery Association appreciates your support of the upholstery industry, and we endeavor to provide you with ample benefits in return for your support! Some of our offerings include:

• Quarterly Newsletter – Stay abreast of NUA community and industry news

• Events Calendar – Check out upcoming industry events
  
  

• Monthly Educational Webinars – On varying upholstery and business-related topics

• Community Meetings – Meet your peers, ask questions, and join the discussion

• NUA Blog – Read stories about fellow members and industry experts

• Pricing Survey – see how your pricing matches up to other professionals in your area

• Fire Regs Resources & FAQ – learn about the new law and how it may affect your business

• Recommended Reading – book lists compiled by topic

• Trade Show Representation – come say “hi” to our volunteers and Board members at our booth at FME and CWC this year. Sign up to join us for a robust Plate & Panel discussion while attending CWC!

*Items marked in RED are available to members only

This year we are working to revamp our online shop for fun upholstery swag. Coming soon!

The NUA Webinars and Newsletters are among the highest rated member benefits.

Our webinars are top-notch and available only to members. Join the webinars live (we usually have a Q&A at the end!) or catch the replay on demand. A list of past webinars can be found on our website (Members – please access on-demand webinars here).

We love our Newsletters, too! Our curated content includes upcoming event updates, industry news, member spotlights, and more. Have some news about your business you want to share with the world? Read a great article you want to share? Send us an email to let us know and we’ll consider including it in our next publication!

Member Discounts and Mentorship Program rank among the lowest.

Last year we worked hard to redefine our Industry Partner levels, and have seen a significant growth in IP Members. We reach out to our IPs on a regular basis to get their news and any possible deals and discounts to pass along to our members. The more IPs we have, the more deals we can pass your way! If you buy materials from a supplier who isn’t an Industry Partner of the NUA, consider asking them to join us!

We launched our new Mentorship Program last year, so it’s no surprise that there would be a few kinks to work out as we get up and going. The good news is, there have been so many of us ready and willing to participate in the program! We’ve received lots of feedback, and look forward to making this better as we move forward. Thank you to all who helped to make this a successful Phase 1. 

When asked about additional benefits, our members are most interested in access to a regular news feed highlighting industry news and research, and a trade specific magazine.

The feedback we’ve received this year says our members are still looking for a regular news feed highlighting industry news and research, and we’re excited to say that we’re feeling close to launching this! Last year the NUA Board started using a new app for our communications, and we are hoping to open this up soon to all members as a place where we can stay connected, share ideas, help problem solve, and stay abreast of industry news, etc.

We wish there were a trade specific publication for us to nerd out about, too, and have this on our list of projects; this would be a huge boon for our industry! In the meantime, we encourage you to submit topics, and written work, for our blog, which is updated regularly.

Our members like to receive their NUA news via email, newsletter, and social media!

We are so excited to have been able to hire a part time PR Coordinator this year, which has been a huge help for regular social media updates and graphic design needs. Our members like to hear from us in a variety of different ways, and we try not to overload you with too many communications, while still keeping you informed of anything of import!

Members: Not receiving our member emails or newsletters? Log into your account, go to your Profile, choose the Edit Profile button, then click on the Email Subscriptions tab. Ensure your subscription boxes are checked!

When asked what additional benefits they would like to see offered, members said:

• An enrollment tutorial to help acquaint new members with all the benefits available to them

• More Regional Meet-Ups 

• A forum or message board / a place to sell tools & equipment

• More posts related to supplies and suppliers, as well as discounts

Conclusion

The NUA is turning 5 this year, and we are proud of what we’ve accomplished already. It takes a lot of dedication and hard work to build a robust national movement, and this volunteer-run non-profit has done so much in such a short time.

It’s clear that we overwhelmingly want to create more community and networking for the trade, and it’s no wonder, with many of us working alone. Whether you decide to host a Regional Meet-Up, or possibly join us for our Plate & Panel discussion at CWC this year, we're excited to come together for more in-person events in the future.

Our members have overwhelmingly rated their membership value as “more than fair”, and are “very likely” to renew their memberships next year! It really means a lot to us to have gained your trust and support as we strive to elevate this trade, and we will continue to work to bring exciting new opportunities for our industry.

If you want to get more involved, consider applying to become a volunteer. We would love to have you join us on a Committee, where you could help plan Events, or furthering Educational opportunities.

We’re excited to see what we can do together in the next 5 years!

Keaven Willa Hartt
President