Starting a Commercial Furniture Business: Keelan Freitag’s Journey | Furniture Success Podcast

In this episode of the Furniture Success Podcast, we sit down with Keelan Freitag, founder of NextGen Workspace Solutions, a rising independent rep firm in the New England commercial furniture market. Keelan shares his inspiring journey from a 9-year teaching career to becoming a key player in the contract furniture industry.Learn how Keelan: Built a multi-line rep firm in just seven months.Combines traditional sales with cutting-edge technology.Navigates challenges like tariffs, changing work trends, and dealer loyalty. Uses Lunch & Learns and face-to-face events to build trust and grow his client base.Helps clients create flexible, dynamic workspaces adapted to modern hybrid work models.Balances patience, persistence, and customer-first values in a competitive market.Whether you’re in the furniture business or considering launching your own firm, Keelan’s advice on cold calling, relationship-building, and understanding market trends will resonate.Learn more about Keelan Freitag and NextGen Workspace Solutions:https://nextgenworkspacesolutions.com/👉 Apply for your FREE 1:1 Furniture Store Acceleration Session. https://go.furnituremarketingpros.com/schedule📥 Download your FREE marketing checklist🎧 Listen to the Furniture Success Podcast:SpotifyApple PodcastsYouTube Watch more episodes and webinars:Podcast PlaylistWebinarsContact us:📞 Call Ahmet Yavuz at973-832-0923💻 Schedule your FREE strategy session Follow Furniture Marketing Pros:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/furnituremarketingprosInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/furnituremarketingprosLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/furniture-marketing-pros/00:00 - Introduction00:20 - Keelan’s Background & Starting NextGen Workspace Solutions03:50 - Unique Go-to-Market Strategy06:20 Overcoming Challenges in the Contract Furniture Market09:10 Trends: Tariffs, Recession & Industry Giants12:00 How Keelan Qualifies Clients’ Needs18:00 Aligning Furniture Solutions with Company Culture20:45 The Shift to Hybrid Workspaces24:15 Innovative Office Furniture Solutions27:20 Advice for Starting a Furniture Rep Business33:00 Cold Calling vs. In-Person Networking35:40 Memorable Projects & Lessons Learned40:00 Future Plans for NextGen Workspace Solutions42:50 How to Contact Keelan#FurnitureMarketing #FurnitureSuccess #furniturestoremarketing