Consulting & Speaking Services

There’s No Substitute for Experience

Furniture Sales of Mid-America provides consulting and speaking services for companies that want to grow intentionally in the home furnishings channel—not just louder or faster, but smarter.

After 60+ years and four generations working inside the furniture business, we’ve learned something simple: most growth problems aren’t caused by a lack of effort. They’re caused by a lack of perspective—the kind you only earn by spending decades on retail floors, in buying offices, at market, and on the phone when things don’t go exactly as planned.

That perspective is what we bring...

Mike Root is an award-winning salesman, marketer, and entrepreneur who has helped manufacturers and retailers clarify their message, strengthen their go-to-market approach, and build sales momentum that lasts. In addition to decades of hands-on experience, Mike is the author of From a Sales Rep’s Perspective: Lessons Learned from Over 60 Years and Four Generations of Selling, built from more than a decade of publishing Rootnotes and writing industry commentary. You can buy Mike's book on Amazon HERE.

If your team needs a grounded outside voice—one that understands how the furniture channel really works—we’d love to help.

Who We Work With

Manufacturers & Importers

Whether you’re launching a new line, entering the U.S. market, rebuilding your rep strategy, or trying to move from “we’ve got product” to “we’ve got momentum,” we help sharpen positioning and execution so the line wins where it matters: on real retail floors.

Retailers

If you’re trying to differentiate your floor, protect margin, improve conversion, or upgrade sales training, we bring practical ideas that are easy to implement—without blowing up your process.

Sales Teams, Rep Groups & Industry Associations

If you need a keynote that’s relevant (not generic), a workshop that’s practical (not theory), or a session that gets your team aligned (not just entertained), we tailor content to your people and your realities.

How We Engage

Consulting Engagements

Project-based or retainer arrangements for strategy, positioning, go-to-market planning, assortment thinking, rep network development, retail alignment, and training programs.

Speaking & Facilitation

Keynotes, workshops, and leadership sessions designed to challenge assumptions, clarify priorities, and refocus teams on what really drives growth.

Sales Representation (When Appropriate)

Traditional rep coverage still matters—but when companies hire us for consulting or speaking, the goal is typically to build capability and momentum beyond commission-driven activity.

Speaking and Consulting Topics

A “Speaking Menu” You Can Book

Below are Mike Root’s most requested keynote and workshop topics. Each can be delivered as a 30/60/90-minute keynote, a breakout session, or a deeper working session with leadership and sales teams.

Living a Purposeful Life — and Building a Business That Lasts

This session blends personal leadership with long-term business discipline. When you know why you show up, you make better decisions, build stronger relationships, and stay grounded through industry changes. It’s not about hype—it’s about direction, values, and showing up the right way over time.

Authority, Trust & Credibility: Becoming the Go-To Voice

In a noisy marketplace, the winners aren’t always the loudest—they’re the most trusted. This talk shows how credibility is built through product knowledge, honesty, follow-through, and consistency, until customers stop shopping you and start leaning on you.

From Order Taker to Trusted Advisor

The best reps, RSAs, and sales leaders don’t just take orders—they solve problems. This session covers the mindset shift and practical behaviors that move you from “vendor” to “partner,” improving margins, loyalty, and long-term account health.

What Good Representation Actually Looks Like

Not all reps—and not all rep programs—are created equal. This topic breaks down the difference between being present and being valuable, and how retailers and factories can identify the behaviors that truly move the needle.

Why Most Furniture Floors Look the Same — and How to Break Free

If every store in town is selling the same thing, the customer only asks one question: “Who’s got it cheaper?” This session shows how assortment choices, presentation, and storytelling create differentiation that protects margin and keeps customers off the phone and on your floor.

Training Salespeople to Think — Not Just Pitch

Product knowledge is necessary, but it isn’t sufficient. This talk focuses on helping sales teams explain “why it matters,” handle real objections, and sell benefits—not bullet points—so close rates and average tickets improve.

Creative Marketing That Actually Works

Inspired by “unconventional” marketing thinking (without the gimmicks), this session gives practical, memorable ways to stand out in your market—without needing a huge budget. The goal is simple: give customers a reason to talk about you, remember you, and choose you.

Launching a Brand Without Burning Cash

Launching doesn’t require a massive spend—it requires clarity and discipline. This session shares what works when you’re introducing a new line, opening new markets, or trying to scale without relying on discounts, freight gimmicks, or “market-only” momentum.

Selling Beyond Price

(Deliberately positioned lower on the list—because it’s important, but it’s built on the other fundamentals.) Price is often a symptom, not the disease. This session shows how differentiation, confidence, training, and a good story reduce price pressure and protect margins.

Why Relationships Still Win

Tools change. People don’t. This session is a reminder that trust, gratitude, consistency, and responsiveness are still the most durable competitive advantages in a relationship-driven industry.

Navigating Change Without Losing Your Bearings

Markets shift. Supply chains shift. Consumer behavior shifts. This talk helps leaders and teams stay grounded, avoid chasing every shiny object, and make decisions that fit their business model—not someone else’s.