A Sisterly Transaction in the City of Brotherly Love
A premier, member-to-member business transaction took place among several members of CREW Greater Philadelphia and CREW West Michigan, and in the driver’s seat of the deal sat Stacey Boston, Global Accounts East Director at Haworth, and a 14-year CREW member. As an overseer of a global sales team, Stacey is accustomed to developing business relationships individually and collectively. Not only does she trade leads within her network, but she also opens the Haworth showroom to host local CREW events that serve as a place where connections are initiated and developed.
The showroom, comprised of 5,000 sf, represented a million-dollar investment in Philadelphia, so, when Haworth decided to renovate, Stacey maximized her rare opportunity to sit in the client seat, by including as many CREW members in the bid processes as possible. Stacey also invited qualified, non-CREW members as participants. Because of the relationships Stacey had built over time, she was able to invite vetted vendors to the table, then quickly narrow the pool of bidders and select those most qualified as business partners. Those initial partners included Carole Woods from CREW West Michigan, who led the lease deal with a local CBRE company, and CREW Greater Philadelphia members Kristen Ziga (with D&R Construction) and Allyson Christofferson (with Rethink Innovations).
Other CREW Greater Philadelphia members, like Marya Liebezeit, were inspired by this transaction, which was a local chapter award winner. When asked why she nominated this deal for the CREW Network award, Marya said, “I was excited by the number of CREW members involved in this deal. I joined CREW in March 2020. My business started as part of the pandemic fallout. I know the power of our chapter for member assistance and networking referrals. Approximately 85% of my business is due to CREW. My business is because of CREW.”
While the showroom is a big part of the story, this deal is a wonderful example of teamwork and the power of relationships. Stacey’s advice to CREW members:
Never say never. You may not be in a position that regularly has opportunities for others, but the day may come when you are in the decision-making seat.
Get to know people from committee work. You can learn a lot about people by the way they show up in volunteer roles.
Build and foster relationships. Your networking success depends on it.
Keep and maintain 360-degree relationships with a variety of individuals. Your personal and professional support systems will flourish as you care for and nourish your business partnerships.
Remember, relationships matter. You never know when you’ll be in the position to include others in a deal, so use your time wisely to build a network of CREW members that support your access to opportunities, provide industry knowledge and foster partnerships that provide a return on your CREW investment.
CREW members involved in this deal
Haworth
Rethink Innovations
RE Marketing Solutions
Haworth
Total Construction Inc.
Diana Robinson-Sinkford, MovePlan
Diana is a Senior Workplace Project Manager at MovePlan with expertise in change management, move management, tenant improvements, and furniture and equipment decommissioning. With more than 20 years of experience in the moving industry and commercial interior buildouts, she brings strong project knowledge and practical solutions to every project. Diana is known for her organization, attention to detail, and positive attitude. She helps support stakeholders and end users through every stage of a project.
Connect on CREWbiz