FULL SCHEDULE
EXPLORE THE INSPIRED HOME SHOW 2025!
Welcome to the official schedule of The Inspired Home Show 2025. You can view all of our events, education sessions and keynotes below by date and time. We look forward to seeing you this March!
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Don’t miss the leading home + housewares trade show, March 2-4, 2025 in Chicago!
DATE & TIME | LOCATION | NAME & DESCRIPTION | SPEAKERS & CHEFS | CATEGORY |
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3/1/25 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM | A Celebration of Independents Join IHA staff and your fellow independent retailers and enjoy heavy appetizers and drinks on us at a special networking reception on Saturday, March 1, where we will all raise a glass to the success of our industry overall and the continued resilience of this critical group.
This event is by invitation only. Please reach out to Connie Chantos for more information. | Special Event Event | ||
3/2/25 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM | South Building S102 | Lessons from the Front Lines: An Insider’s Guide to Winning in Today’s Hyper-Competitive Retail Marketplace Jeff Evans has more than three decades of retail merchandising leadership experience across different retail formats including department stores, warehouse clubs, mass retailers and home specialty retailers. Having most recently served as president and chief merchandising officer for At Home and before that as executive vice president of entertainment, toys and seasonal for Walmart U.S., Evans has... deep experience in e-commerce, product development, sourcing, building brands and identifying new business opportunities.
In this special opening keynote at The Inspired Home Show 2025, Evans will share stories from his experiences across different retail formats and businesses and the importance of winning partnerships, products and programs in a complex, fast-evolving retail marketplace… all with an unrelenting focus on creating optimum value—sometimes even “shocking value”—for today’s consumers. Show More | Jeff Evans Retail Leader, Advisor, Board Member | Keynotes Education |
3/2/25 11:10 AM - 12:00 PM | South Building S101A | How Leading Brands Are Harnessing Walmart Marketplace to Dominate Their Categories Discover how top-performing brands are leveraging the unique opportunities of Walmart Marketplace to expand their category share and drive incremental growth. This session will explore actionable strategies, insights and tactics to help your brand stand out and succeed. | Michael Lebhar SellCord | Inspiration Theater Education |
3/2/25 12:10 PM - 1:00 PM | South Building S101A | The Best Stores of 2024... and What's Coming Next in 2025 These are the freshest, most inspiring retail debuts of the past year with hands-on details on what made them special. There will also be a sneak preview of the new retail formats expected in the coming year. The presentation will include photos, videos and first-person visit experiences. | Warren Shoulberg Top Retailers | Inspiration Theater Education |
3/2/25 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM | South Building S102 | Thinking Outside the Box: Growth Opportunities for the Housewares Industry Inspiration for growth can come from many sources. In this keynote presentation, Joe Derochowski of Circana will engage with experts from various industries such as food, technology, beauty, sports, toys and more. They will discuss growth drivers in their industries and explore how these insights can be applied to the home + housewares industry to foster growth.
The interactive session will exp...lore such factors as how social media and health are driving beauty; how toys and entertainment might impact licensing; how technology will impact smart appliances; how changes in eating habits are driving trends in the foods we eat; and more. Show More | Joe Derochowski Circana | Keynotes Education |
3/2/25 2:10 PM - 3:00 PM | South Building S101A | Creating Breakthrough Products and Experiences Via Brand Licensing Brand licensing 101, including case studies for inbound and outbound licensing, as well as benefits of licensing for brand owners and manufacturers. | Maya Kobray Beanstalk | Inspiration Theater Education |
3/2/25 3:10 PM - 4:00 PM | South Building S101A | Pets at the Heart of the Home: Unpacking Consumer Trends and the Future of Retail Join Pete Scott, President of the American Pet Products Association, for insight on pet ownership trends, consumer behavior and the role of pets in your retail outlook. Discover how highly engaged pet owners incorporate pets into their homes and their lives. | Pete Scott American Pet Products Association | Inspiration Theater Education |
3/2/25 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM | The TAP | HYPE HYPE is an annual networking event hosted by the Young Professionals Advisory Council. Young home + housewares professionals are invited to join their industry peers at the Show in a casual and lively setting to enjoy cocktails and conversation while networking and building connections with other young professionals. | Special Event Event | |
3/3/25 9:00 AM - 9:50 AM | South Building S101A | Bridging Channels, Building Loyalty: The Omnichannel Blueprint for Home Goods Kait and Gina will dive into how Quip thinks about omnichannel distribution across channels including Target, Walmart, CVS & DTC. They'll discuss how they think about a seamless experience for their customers across all of these channels. Gina will also share about a new, connected product that they're launching and how Brij supports that experience. | Kait Stephens Brij Gina Lombardo Quip | Inspiration Theater Education |
3/3/25 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM | South Building S402B | Housewares Credit Group March Meeting IHA Members Invited to Attend
The meeting will feature National Retailer Financial Analytics presented by Pulse Ratings, Credit-Focused Educational Session designed to address today’s challenges, and Group Customer Account Discussion: Amazon.com Inc., At Home, Belk, Beyond, Inc., The Container Store, Bargain Hunt, Big Lots, JoAnn Stores, Kohl’s, Macy’s, Inc., Qurate (QVC/HSN), Target Corporation,... Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., Wayfair, LLC, and many others.
Registration is mandatory for attendance. This event is exclusively for Credit and Finance Professionals. Unfortunately, sales and marketing professionals cannot register. Show More | Special Event Education | |
3/3/25 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM | South Building S102 | The 2025 Home and Living Survey—New Insights on the Everyday Realities Driving Consumer Demand In the modern marketplace, success depends on a clear and nuanced understanding of your target consumer, especially their aspirations, frustrations and the daily demands on their time and energy.
Join Tom Mirabile, Principal of Springboard Futures, for the unveiling of The 2025 Home and Living Survey, a new research collaboration between the IHA and Springboard. This survey probes consumers’ ev...eryday realities, priorities and pain points, exploring how these factors impact product choices and purchase decisions. It also reveals where the lifestyles of key generations converge, where they divide and why it matters.
Attendees will leave with meaningful and actionable insights to help create informed product and service offerings that attract ideal customers. Show More | Tom Mirabile Springboard Futures | Keynotes Education |
3/3/25 11:10 AM - 12:00 PM | South Building S101A | Creative Catalysts Jack and Steve will present their unique approach to catalyzing product growth: the harmony of “Art + Science,” blending creativity with insight, strategy and analytics to form the bedrock for successful products. | Jack Hough Grove Product Group Steve Cozzolino Grove Product Group | Inspiration Theater Education |
3/3/25 12:10 PM - 1:00 PM | South Building S101A | Legislation Update: A Global Perspective on PFAS and More—What the Housewares Industry Needs to Know The Cookware & Bakeware Alliance, with a growing panel of partners from the FEC, BCLP Law and the CSA, will inform the housewares industry about legislation impacting the industry. Come hear the latest on proposed and enacted legislation, involving such key topics as PFAS, and lead and cadmium. The panel will share what you need to know and best practices related to the issue, in the U.S. and Euro...pe. They will also share key information, insights and updates to help all members of the industry—retailers, importers, manufacturers, product managers and others—anyone who wants to know more about these regulations and their impact on the domestic and international housewares industry. Show More | Fran Attilio Cookware & Bakeware Alliance Thomas Lee Bryan, Cave Leighton and Paisner Tobias Gerfin Kuhn Rikon AG Steve Burns Cookware Sustainability Alliance | Inspiration Theater Education |
3/3/25 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM | South Building S102 | Color & Design Future Trends: Welcome Home The title for the Pantone® View Home color/design forecast is “Welcome Home.” It is a theme that is highly relatable and well understood as a home provides the “roof over our heads,” the place to escape to, to find respite, replenishment and rest, while at the same time provides a source of entertainment and a place to play. For many, it must provide a workspace, so the home is not only an area to... live within, but a space that allows us to make a living. Come join Leatrice (Lee) Eiseman, the executive director of the Pantone Color Institute and the color/ design forecaster for the Inspired Home Show, as she guides you through the major trend directions for the future that will resonate for your customers and clients. Show More | Leatrice Eiseman Pantone Color Institute | Keynotes Education |
3/3/25 2:30 PM - 3:00 PM | South Building S101A | The Exciting Retail Experience – A Digital Evolution with AI and Human-Centric Values Retail is on the brink of a major evolution. AI and digital innovations will redefine convenience, while human values and sensory experiences will restore meaning to physical spaces. The future of retail is not about what is sold, but how people feel and connect within these spaces. In this era of change, retail will be more than commerce—it will be culture, trust, and a new way of life. | Wolfgang Gruschwitz Scott Kohno Henrik Peter Reisby Nielsen | Inspiration Theater Education |
3/3/25 3:10 PM - 4:00 PM | South Building S101A | AI in Action: Empowering Your Creative Team to Meet the Demand of Tomorrow AI is not just a tool—it’s a game-changer for creative teams looking to thrive in today’s fast-paced market. This session explores how AI can amplify your team’s talent, improve collaboration and deliver exceptional products that meet skyrocketing demand. Discover actionable insights to stay competitive and create products that lead in 2025. | Idan E. Cohen IDMA Commerce | Inspiration Theater Education |
3/3/25 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM | South Building Level 1, Grand Ballroom | Networking After Dark All Show participants are invited to the 2025 Networking After Dark reception! Continue your discussions and networking with the entire Show community over cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, games and live music by Chicago’s premier cover band, 7th heaven!
Complimentary entry for all Show attendees! | Special Event Event | |
3/3/25 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM | Four Seasons Hotel - Chicago | Housewares Cares Gala The mission of the non-profit Housewares Charity Foundation (HCF) is to raise funds for designated charities. HCF hosts a charitable dinner during The Inspired Home Show to unite our industry and to honor its leaders. For additional information, visit the HCF website. | Special Event Event | |
3/4/25 11:10 AM - 12:00 PM | South Building S101A | Intellectual Property Protection for the Home Industry This session will provide a summary of how the various forms of intellectual property (utility and design patents, copyrights and trademarks) can be employed to protect company inventions, product designs, artistic works and brands in the home industry. IP portfolio development and maintenance, as well as rights enforcement and online takedown efforts, will be covered. | James Aquilina Quarles & Brady LLP | Inspiration Theater Education |
3/4/25 12:10 PM - 1:00 PM | South Building S101A | The Power of Cross-Industry Collaboration In a time still heavily impacted by cost-of-living pressures, engaging consumers with a curated and consistent offering driven by lifestyle is more important than ever. Discover how cross-pollination can impact your industry and extend your reach by bringing novelty into saturated categories. Collaborations are becoming increasingly diverse, as artists, influencers, fashion designers, chefs and ot...hers team up with homewares and gifting brands to create fresh collections and long-term partnerships that attract new audiences. Cassandra Gagnon, an experienced strategist at WGSN, the global authority on trend forecasting, will share key strategies for conceptualizing and facilitating these collaborations, connecting the dots between consumer behaviour and the latest product launches that serve as best-in-class examples. Show More | Cassandra Gagnon WGSN | Inspiration Theater Education |