What entrepreneurial excellence means for Chicago's home and housewares industry
The housewares industry quietly has served as a great breeding ground for entrepreneurs and families rely on kitchen tools, products and furnishings to turn a house into a warm and welcoming home.
Furthermore, every family constantly is looking for new and creative ways to cook, care for their loved ones, create their own nests and establish their own lifestyles. Within the housewares industry, innovation and inspiration are the catalysts driving growth in today's constantly evolving marketplace.
Entrepreneurs in the housewares sector face many challenges head on. They must be willing to constantly adapt to the times, refusing to be set in their ways. They must be willing risk-takers with an innate sixth sense for understanding consumer desires and needs, pulling knowledge gained throughout their careers and applying it to new ventures constantly, never letting themselves get comfortable. They also have a deep connection to their local communities, with generous hearts that are always willing to give back.
Bill McHenry, a new board member of the International Housewares Association (IHA) from Cary, embodies these traits. He leveraged his extensive experience in sales and marketing at Fortune 100 companies like Nestle, 3M and Philips to establish Widgeteer in 2009.
Widgeteer, a Crystal Lake-based manufacturer, prioritizes creating "cool" home, kitchen and gift items. McHenry's commitment led him to Europe to seek innovative housewares brands, now featured at retailers like Macy's, World Market and Cooper's Hawk. McHenry's global quest aligns with his aforementioned "sixth sense" to identify consumer desires.
Beyond his entrepreneurial efforts, McHenry champions "positive thinking" and shares inspirational posts on LinkedIn. Along with the IHA board, McHenry currently serves on the board of Holiday Heroes and national board of A Gift of Adoption. He also served on the board of CASA McHenry County, advocating for abused and neglected children.
McHenry's philanthropy extends to donating Widgeteer products from IHA's The Inspired Home Show to local charities. These products are sold at charity-owned resale shops or events to further their missions and programs. McHenry's generosity extends far past Widgeteer's innovation and success and leaves a lasting impact on the communities around him.
Another entrepreneur making waves in the home and housewares space is Lauren Greenwood, an Arlington Heights native and co-founder/president of Chicago-based storage and organization company YouCopia since 2007.
Similar to Widgeteer, YouCopia set out with a simple goal: To make products that help consumers organize their homes and give them a "woo hoo!" feeling. After initially launching with a spice organizer called the SpiceStack, YouCopia has since developed a full product line of kitchen organization products, from the freezer to the pantry.
Garnering significant national and international attention with many appearances on familiar lifestyle programs, YouCopia's products are lauded for being practical, versatile and well-designed. At The Inspired Home Show, of which Greenwood and YouCopia are longtime exhibitors, guests often comment on their line of stylish RollDown™ egg holders and dispensers.
Following in YouCopia's efforts to "feel good, do good," they've committed to donating up to $100,000 to various charities, with $3 being donated per product purchased. Consumers choose one of three causes (Happy Homes, Empowering Women, Healthy Planet) they'd like to direct the donation from their purchase. Outside of YouCopia's philanthropic efforts, Greenwood served as a Young Professional Board Member for the Franciscan Outreach homeless shelter and food pantry from 2013 to 2020 and has traveled with the Community Renewal Society to speak with state legislators about police accountability reform and funding for vital community services.
McHenry's and Greenwood's achievements will inspire any entrepreneur to follow their instincts and their dreams. And their stories are not unique to members of the International Housewares Association.
Nearly every company started off with an idea. Nearly everyone wanted to bring joy and inspiration to their life, business and customers. Nearly all are looking for the most innovative ways to serve the evolving needs of their retail and consumer customers. And isn't that the definition of entrepreneurial excellence?
Derek Miller is president and CEO of the International Housewares Association, the 85-year-old voice of the housewares industry. The not-for-profit, full-service association sponsors the world's premier exposition of products for the home, The Inspired Home Show, IHA's Global Home + Housewares Market, to be held March 17-19, 2024 at Chicago's McCormick Place. For more information, visit housewares.org.