CEO Chat with Natalie Hartkopf of Hightower

Send us a text Natalie Hartkopf, CEO of Hightower, shares her journey in the furniture industry and how this family-founded business evolved from importing European designs to creating their own award-winning Hightower Studio products while becoming a certified B Corporation. • Natalie started with Hightower around 2003, beginning in Seattle before moving to New York • They shifted from purely importing European designs to manufacturing upholstered pieces in North Carolina • Won Best of NeoCon recognition for their innovative Flote chair designed by their in-house design team • Became a certified B Corporation, looking holistically at governance, community impact, and employee welfare • They"ve implemented people-first initiatives including living wage commitments and 529 education savings contributions • They"re transparent about how they"re navigating the current issues with fluctuating tariffs • Focused on product discoverability to help specifiers find products that meet specific requirements • Working to improve existing products with end-of-life and sustainability considerations • Embraces AI tools to help team work more efficiently and provide better customer service • Advocates for greater diversity in industry leadership positions, particularly racial diversity Resources: The Trend Report Ep. 38 - Rest and Recovery of the Corporate Athlete with Kibibi Springs - https://www.sidmeadows.com/episode38 Connect with Natalie: Hightower - https://hightower.design/ Flote - https://hightower.design/collections/flote Email - Natalie@hightoweraccess.com LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliehartkopf/ Connect with Sid: www.sidmeadows.com Embark CCT on Facebook Sid on LinkedIn Sid on Instagram Sid on YouTube Sid on Clubhouse - @sidmeadows Subscribe to my LinkedIn Newsletter. https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/inside-contract-interiors-7298489501159460865/ The Trend Report introduction music is provided by Werq by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4616-werq License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/