Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
Furniture First Hosts NextGen Retreat for Members in Mexico
November 1,
2026 by Karen Parrish in Business Strategy, Industry 
Fifteen member companies attended Furniture First’s NextGen retreat at the Secrets Puerto Los Cabo in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico in late-September. Serta Simmons Bedding and Bread Financial sponsored the retreat and training sessions for the retailers.
While in the sunny and sandy location, retailers attended discussions of mattress merchandising strategies and Furniture First’s upcoming mattress line launch. Time was also spent sharing best practices for mattress sales, as well as troubleshooting common problems. Mattresses serve as a key revenue driver for the members of Furniture First.
Bread Financial briefed attendees on the performance of Furniture First’s proprietary first-look consumer financing program. Future enhancements to the program, financing troubleshooting and best practices were also shared in this session.
Furniture First’s staff led several teambuilding activities that included designing team crests, a “Pack It or Buy It” game, and a Passport Trivia game. This last game required team members to search the resort for "Customs Agents." Once found, the team would have to answer a question to receive a clue to where their next customs agent was located. If the question was answered correctly, the team would get a stamp on their play passport. Questions were based on the presentations of Serta Simmons Bedding and Bread Financial from the week's meetings.
Cailey Patton, who attended this year’s retreat, shared her experience in the group by saying “When I joined Michael Alan Furniture & Design, I was stepping into an industry where my mother had spent decades building relationships and earning respect. I was proud to be known as Chris Cooley’s daughter, but I also wanted the opportunity to create my own connections and find my own place within the industry.”
“NextGen gave me exactly that. It opened the door to an incredible network of inspiring, like-minded leaders who have become so much more than industry connections. They are people I can turn to for advice, exchange ideas with, learn from, and grow alongside. Those relationships have brought fresh perspectives, valuable insights, and new ideas back to Michael Alan, helping shape how we think, evolve, and operate as a business.”
“But perhaps the greatest impact has been personal. The friendships and relationships I've built through NextGen have played an enormous role in making me fall in love with this industry. There is something incredibly special about being surrounded by people who share your passion, challenge you to grow, and genuinely want to see one another succeed. I truly can't imagine my journey in this industry without NextGen, and I’m so grateful for the community it has given me.”
This year’s retreat was capped by a catamaran excursion to The Arch of Cabo San Lucas at Land’s End, where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortes.
To participate in Furniture First’s NextGen group, individuals must be a part of the current generation’s succession plan. Furniture First is a national cooperative buying group for independent retailers. For 32 years Furniture First has served full-line independent retailers with sales over $2 million. Collectively, the group sells $3 billion at retail. For more information on Furniture First Membership, please visit www.JoinFurnitureFirst.com or call 800-411-3477.